Motorists including fleet drivers are being warned to keep not to save their home address into their sat nav system after a spate of thefts by criminals using the in-car technology to find an owner’s home and burgle their house.

The warning comes from TRACKER, which says that criminals are targeting long-term car parks, knowing that it could be hours before a driver misses their stolen car. Thieves then use the sat nav or GPS system to find the destination marked “home” and burgle the house, often taking a second vehicle, using the keys found in the home.

Stuart Chapman, TRACKER police relationship manager, said: ‘UK police do regular examinations of sat nav systems to gather evidence on criminals, but now thieves are using the same methods to help them with their criminal activities. Car owners need to be aware of this growing threat and take steps to reduce the risks. We urge people to use a postcode some distance from home, rather than their actual address and mark it as a “destination”.’

He added: ‘We advise car owners to keep all navigation systems, computers and Smartphones out of sight, when leaving their vehicle, including anything containing personal information, such as letters. Never leave keys in the car and don’t hide a spare key in the vehicle, making it easy for thieves. People should invest in good security for their vehicle, including a tracker unit, as this could help police stop thieves in their tracks.

www.forecourtfuelcards.co.uk can show you the best deals based on your individual requirements, from your estimated fuel spend to the size of your fleet.  

New EU rules could help UK companies cut fleet fuel costs and save almost £500m a year by helping them kit out company car fleets with more efficient tyres.

Regulations that came into force yesterday now require tyres to be sold with efficiency labels similar to those displayed on electrical appliances. They indicate a tyre’s fuel economy and braking distance in the wet using a simple A to G.

An A grade tyre is expected to reduce fuel bills by up to nine per cent compared to the worst performing G-rated products, saving typical passenger cars up to £184 a year and vans up to £288.

Brussels expects consumers to buy greater numbers of fuel-saving tyres as a result of labels, leading to CO2 savings of between 1.5 million tonnes and four million tonnes a year by 2020 – equivalent to taking 500,000 to 1.3 million passenger cars from the roads each year.

Research by the Energy Saving Trust estimates UK businesses could make significant savings by switching the tyres on the estimated 3.9 million company vehicles on the country’s roads.

It says changing tyres on just 50 per cent of company cars from the least to the most efficient grade would lower fuel costs by up to £500m a year and reduce CO2 emissions by more than one million tonnes, as well as providing significant safety benefits.

“We welcome this new legislation and hope that fleet managers and leasing companies benefit from the substantial long-term savings they can make,” said Tim Anderson, senior knowledge manager at the Energy Saving Trust.

In other fuel card news, So you want to save money on your fleet fuel bill?

Did you know we can save you a guaranteed 3 pence per litre on diesel pump prices when using one of our fuel cards?  

Visit www.forecourtfuelcards.co.uk for more information.

By the end of this year the EU gender directive will be implemented putting a ban on gender based pricing for motor Insurance forcing  car insurance premiums for women up by 24%.

Last year, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that the long-established practice of setting insurance prices according to gender is illegal discrimination.

The Court’s decision forced members of the European Union to introduce a ban on gender-based pricing, and this ban will come into force on 21 December 2012.

Currently, women drivers typically pay less for car insurance than their male counterparts because they are statistically safer behind the wheel.

A report by HM Treasury states financial services providers should be allowed to make sensible decisions based on sound analysis of relevant risk factors.

What’s more, young women will feel the effects of this ruling the most – a 24 per cent rise in the cost of car insurance for 17 to 25-year-old females, according to government figures.

However, while the EU ruling is bad news for women, it’s good news for men’s prices, particularly young male drivers who can expect their premiums to fall.

In other news, Is your fleet fuel bill giving you nightmares?

Did you know we can save you a guaranteed 3 pence per litre on diesel pump prices when using one of our fuel cards?  

Visit www.forecourtfuelcards.co.uk  for more information.

A recent survey by ALD Automotive has revealed that a quarter of large businesses have identified cutting spending on fleet fuel as their number one priority

Business drivers are also taking measures to reduce costs, a separate ALD survey found.

In order to save fuel, over two-thirds were reducing speed and driving more smoothly. Half reported shopping around to find the cheapest deal and a fifth said they were cutting down on mileage.

ALD Automotive managing director Keith Allen said: “As the fuel price continues to rise, it has become increasingly important for fleet management suppliers to work in partnership with their customers and their drivers in helping deliver initiatives that can help deliver cost savings from improved fuel management.”

Fuel prices have surged in recent weeks, leaving many businesses reeling from the effects.

High prices may explain some of the decline in fuel as a benefit in kind, demonstrated in recent HMRC figures which showed the benefit to be in the sharpest decline.

In other news,  Is your fleet fuel bill giving you nightmares?

Did you know we can save you a guaranteed 3 pence per litre on diesel pump prices when using one of our fuel cards?  

Visit www.forecourtfuelcards.co.uk  for more information.

Are you the person in charge of your fleet fuel bill? Do you have nightmares about the amount your drivers over spending on diesel and petrol?  Here at Forecourt Fuel Cards we have load of tips to make your fleet more fuel efficient, some of these can include monitoring drivers exceeding a pre-agreed miles per gallon (mpg) figure or those with excessively high fuel bills.

Our research shows that driving at 50 mph can use 25% less fuel than at 70mph; a reduction from 80 to 70mph can save 40p every 10 miles and driving at 90mph can use 60% more fuel than at 70mph.

But it is one thing preaching better, more fuel-efficient driving styles – getting drivers to follow this advice is quite another.
Incentives can be introduced to persuade staff to drive more efficiently or opt for more economic vehicles.

Keeping on top of where your fuel bill is being used can be a logistical nightmare at the best of times and regular driving tips just don’t get through to some drivers.

Offering encouragement and rewards can help reduce the overall fuel bill and a review of vehicle policy can provide savings.

Another way of taking control of your fleet fuel consumption is by using Fuelcards, a fuel card looks and works in a similar way to a credit card but with a few fundamental differences.
Firstly a fuelcard will save you money on each litre of fuel that you buy. It is also usually restricted to only allow the purchase of diesel / petrol, secondly, when it is used to make a purchase, both the vehicle registration and mileages are recorded against the respective transactions. Finally, your fuel card invoice also doubles up as a fuel management report, showing date / time / place of each sale, registration number, mileage of the vehicle collecting the fuel and of course how much was drawn. It will also then go on to separate the VAT element of all transactions for you.

Please check out this video for more information:

In other news,Saving Money on Diesel and Petrol

Did you know we can save you a guaranteed 3 pence per litre on diesel pump prices when using one of our fuel cards? 

Visit www.forecourtfuelcards.co.uk  for more information

Motorists waste more than a year of their lives not moving on their daily commute to work, a new study from Continental Tyres concludes.

This adds up to over 100 million lost working days every year for the 18 million workers in the UK who commute by car. With the average work commute covering an average of 28 miles, the average journey to work and home again takes 41 minutes with 12 minutes of this spent in jams and delays.  This up to 5½ working days lost every year for each motorist or 58 working weeks during a lifetime.

The study of 2,000  drivers for Continental Tyres established the routine and habits of commuters as well as their preferences.

Tim Bailey, head of safety at Continental Tyres said: “People are clearly concerned about congestion and rising fuel costs, but using the car remains the preferred option for most.

“With 63 per cent of workers using their car on at least four of five days in the working week, planners and government need to recognise that the morning and evening rush-hour is going to be a feature of life in Britain for some time to come.

“For individuals it means frustration but for the economy as a whole it means lost productivity and increased emissions, so it remains a key issue to tackle.”

However, there is some hope for drivers, with 14 per cent of commuters found to be car-sharing, helping to reduce congestion. With drivers desperate to make their commutes to work easier, congestion and a lack of available parking were found to be the biggest concern that prompted motorist to try and find alternative ways to get to work.

The environmental impact of motoring is a factor when workers decide how they commute however it only ranked as the fourth most important consideration. Half of all Brits say they will leave their car at home if fuel costs rise further, however 45 per cent of those using public transport now would switch to their car if petrol prices drop.

Just over half (51 per cent) of the respondents identified negative ways in which their commute affected their performance at work citing issues like feeling stressed and lacking energy due to delays.

In other news, Fleet and Haulage groups criticise the DVLA

Did you know we can save you a guaranteed 3 pence per litre on diesel pump prices when using one of our fuel cards?  

Visit www.forecourtfuels.co.uk  for more information.

Here at Forecourt Fuel Cards we understand that managing a fleet of vehicles is one of the biggest challenges faced by fleet companies right now. We have an expert understanding of these problems and offer a range of tailor made solutions to eliminate these challenges. Here are the top five concerns of fleet companies and what our range of Fuel Cards can do to eliminate them.

1. The fuel hike

We are all sick and tired of paying sky high diesel and petrol prices and we are beginning to wonder if and when pump prices will ever stop going up.
Fuel costs have hit all-time highs recently and in many cases can make a huge dent in your profits and balance sheet if not carefully managed.
Perhaps you’ve had a fuel card account before but were left disillusioned after empty promises of savings from the supplier that never materialised?
Finding the right fuel card company that can deliver on those promises can be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

2. Savings

We will GUARANTEE that you save a minimum of 3pence per litre off national average pump prices. This unique offer from Forecourt Fuels ensures you pay the lowest possible rates and safeguards you against any unnecessary price increases.
Imagine if you could couple that price guarantee with a bespoke network of service stations, tailored to suit your vehicles routes throughout the UK.
Don’t worry, getting lower fuel prices doesn’t mean you have to compromise on the site coverage available to you by driving off route to find a station or worse still, risk running out of fuel trying to find the nearest site!

3. Managing complex fleets

Regardless of whether you’re a one man band running one vehicle or a fleet manager for a national business with a large fleet of cars, vans and trucks, along of course with the large group of drivers or employees that goes with them, Forecourt Fuels can help you manage your re-fuelling more effectively.

4. Keeping on track

Keeping track of fuel spend isn’t always easy with vehicles constantly on the road. Compared to cash or a credit card, Forecourt Fuel Cards are far more secure because the purchase restrictions can guarantee that only fuel is being bought by your drivers. Also, the management reports we provide will both instantly eliminate the administrative burden of entering individual fuel receipts into your books (not to mention that you will never fail to reclaim VAT due to a lost receipt again) and make purchase control easier because you can see at a glance what each vehicle/driver is using. You can even run and download your own bespoke reports using Velocity, our free, cutting edge online technology.

5. Security

In terms of security, when using one of our fuel cards, you’re buying fuel through the most secure method available, as you decide what each card will be able to purchase, starting with diesel only, right up to everything the forecourt shop has to offer.

Achieve added control over your fuel purchases whilst saving money. www.forecourtfuels.co.uk will help you to manage your account and transactions for optimum efficiency and convenience.

Forecourt Fuel Cards have learned that Unite want the government to set up a regional task force to deal with the economic fall-out from the proposed closure of the Coryton oil refinery with the loss of 800 jobs.

Unite, the largest union in the country, has joined with Thurrock Council to call for ministers to form a beefed-up task force, backed up with government cash, to combat the expected £250 million loss to the south Essex economy.

The message for urgent government aid will be reinforced at a public meeting calling for a public inquiry into the reasons for Coryton closure in the Main Hall, the Pegasus Club, Herd Lane, Corringham SS17 9BJ at 7.00pm Wednesday, 11 July.

The Coryton refinery is set to be sold and converted into an import terminal for fuel, leading to the loss of over 800 jobs. Unite has repeatedly called for a short-term government bail-out to tide the plant over until a buyer can be found to safeguard the refinery and the employees’ future.

In a letter to Mark Prisk, Minister at the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), Unite’s assistant general secretary, Tony Burke said that closure will have “a catastrophic effect on the local economy, dismantling a skilled workforce, not to mention the impact on other businesses and employment in the locality”.

Calling for Mr Prisk to head the regional task force, Tony Burke said: “We would make no secret of the fact that assistance to the local area needs to be backed up by significant additional government funds and that BIS recognises the need to give the highest priority.”

In other news, Bad jokes and advice for Fleet Drivers in heavy rain and floods.

Did you know we can save you a guaranteed minimum of 3 pence per litre on diesel pump prices when using one of our fuel cards?  

Visit www.forecourtfuels.co.uk for more information.

New research by the (FTA) Freight Transport Association, shows that operating costs for heavy goods vehicles are at the highest they have ever been.

According to the FTA, the constant rising price of fuel is to blame for the crippling operating costs and is leaving the UK freight industry struggling to compete with haulage companies all over Europe.

Simon Chapman, FTA’s Chief Economist, says: “The high price of diesel is the number one concern keeping hauliers awake at night. Fuel now represents around 40 per cent of annual operating costs compared to around a third just three years ago.”

Between April 2011 and April 2012, the increased cost of diesel alone pushed the running costs of a 44 tonne articulated vehicle up by the equivalent of £1,900 per year.

“Whilst operating costs have now reached an all-time high, hauliers face pressure from customers not to raise their haulage rates and are seeing overall levels of activity fall as the economy slides back into recession. As a result, hauliers are struggling to keep their balance sheets in the black, with a growing number having to close their gates permanently,” Chapman continued.

According to the FTA, UK diesel duty is on average 24 pence per litre higher than the rest of Europe. A foreign carrier entering the UK with a full tank of fuel can potentially undertake a week’s work using low-cost fuel purchased on the continent, before returning to mainland Europe.

Chapman argues: “There is a compelling case for an immediate cut in diesel duty. Independent research undertaken by the Centre for Economic and Business Research shows a modest 3 pence per litre cut in duty today would be cash neutral to the Treasury within 12 months.

“The loss in revenue from duty would be fully offset by extra revenues and savings on the public purse resulting from more rapid economic growth.”

In other news, 5 tips that can cut your fleet costs by £200 !

Did you know we can save you a guaranteed 3 pence per litre on diesel pump prices when using one of our fuel cards?  

Visit www.forecourtfuels.co.uk for more information.