Fuel and energy costs are top budget pressure for half of fleets, research finds

51% of fleets said that fuel and energy costs are placing the greatest pressure on their budgets, according to a survey conducted by Webfleet.

Vehicle maintenance and downtime was the second-most significant pressure on budgets, cited by 24% of fleets surveyed by Webfleet.

A combined 67% of fleets said that avoidable downtime, asset underutilisation or lost driver time had the greatest impact on costs.

55% of fleets said the next two years will see greater emphasis placed on improving efficiency and productivity, supported by insights and automation.

Just over a quarter (27%) said fleets will rely on tighter budgets and cost control, and 10% expected to see little change.

Alex Crane-Robinson, regional director for the UK and Ireland at Webfleet, said: “Fuel and energy remain significant and often unpredictable overheads, particularly when conditions in global markets can change quickly.

“While fleets cannot control fuel prices, greater visibility over consumption, driver behaviour and vehicle performance can help them reduce unnecessary fuel use and manage costs more effectively.

“The findings also show that fleets are looking closely at the costs created by lost time and inefficient asset use. Unlike many external cost pressures, these are areas where operators can take steps to limit their impact.