Category: Fleet News

It’s amazing what commercial vehicles enable for UK businesses. Whether we consider HGVs transporting raw materials to enable the manufacturing of complex goods, or a taxi rank helping people reach urgent meetings and appointments on time – there’s virtually an infinite number of ways in which automobiles empower businesses to create, operate and interact.

Crucial to the usage of commercial vehicles, though, is the practice of upholding proper safety standards. After all, there’s a very real and immediate danger involved when cars are driving along a road, given it’s difficult for them to stop quickly while travelling at high speeds.

So, in this article, we’re going to explain car stopping distances and look at how commercial fleet operators can improve driver safety. In doing so, we hope to help fleets equip drivers with correct, practical, and up-to-date information.

What is stopping distance?

Stopping distance is simply the time taken for a vehicle to transition from a state of moving to being at a complete stop. Understanding the physics of a car is one of the first things one learns as a beginner driver, and it’s applied every time you gently break to pause at traffic lights.

More commonly, though, we use the term stopping distance to describe the exact time needed to stop a vehicle in an emergency situation. This could be brought about, for example, by a pedestrian suddenly running out into the road, or a traffic accident. Drivers should know their stopping distances at all times to maximise safety both for themselves and those around them.

It’s also important to be aware of thinking distance. Naturally, a driver must first perceive whatever road hazard they’re facing, process it, and then choose to hit the brakes – and this is an important part of the stopping distance formula. Ideally, drivers will allow themselves adequate ‘thinking distance’ by putting distance between themselves and other drivers, and abiding by the speed limit.

How to calculate stopping distance

How, then, can stopping distance be calculated? Unfortunately, there’s no simple formula to work this out. The main components involved are to:

1. Gauge stopping distance based on your vehicle’s speed, weight, and size. Check out our rough guide.
2. Factor in the condition of brakes and tyres.
3. Take into account road and weather conditions.
4. Factor in the driver’s alertness.

Exact stopping distance will always vary from vehicle to vehicle, and stopping distance itself comprises thinking distances and braking distance elements. General stopping distances, however, are a part of modern driving theory tests and should be known by all drivers.

This is especially true for drivers of commercial fleets, and commercial fleet operators may do well to ensure firstly that drivers have an accurate understanding of stopping distances based on the vehicles they’re using (which may vary drastically for vehicles carrying heavy loads), and have the right tyres and brake technology to improve stopping distances.

Factors affecting stopping distance

In terms of closing any knowledge gaps, it’s also important to understand how the following factors can impact stopping distances.

Stopping distance in ice

Ice on the roads can function in a comparable way to low tyre tread; reducing the car’s grip on the road and limiting the control drivers have over their vehicles. This can seriously impact the delivery time on commercial routes, and so our tip for fleet operators would be to encourage drivers to plan their routes around roads that are likely to be well gritted and safe in the face of challenging winter driving conditions.

How much can stopping distance increase in ice?

It’s estimated that icy roads could increase a vehicle’s stopping distance by up to ten times their non-icy equivalents. What this means in real terms is that if you are driving at 70mph (with a standard stopping distance of around 96 meters), it could take you almost a full kilometre to fully slow your car down to a stop. In that time, over half a mile of travel, there is a high risk of control being lost or the vehicle colliding with other travellers on the road.

Fleet drivers should be encouraged to drive with the highest level of caution if roads are icy, and depending on the severity of such conditions, unnecessary journeys should not be carried out.

Our tip for fleet managers: Develop a framework for route planning in icy conditions, as opting for better travelled, busier, and slightly slower routes that improve safety may be more financially savvy in the long run than taking risks with quick, icier roads that could result in damages.

Stopping distance in rain

Rain can impact a driver’s thinking distance by reducing visibility, thereby making it harder to spot and acknowledge hazards on the road. Poor visibility can of course be countered, to some extent, with wiper blades. But realistically, it’s very difficult to plan routes around the rain as weather can change quickly.

Consequently, fleet operators may do well to take weather conditions properly into account when assessing how efficiently drivers are planning routes – as having drivers feel pressured to rush in dangerous conditions can not only have an impact on mental health, but potentially pose a threat to physical health too.

How does rain affect stopping distance?

Stopping distance approximately doubles in rainy conditions, which means that a car travelling at 70mph can expect to travel around 180 meters before coming to a stop. This is a significant change in stopping distance, and to accommodate such a change fleet drivers should be reminded to stay alert, keep adequate space between themselves and the vehicles in front, and to maintain a safe and legal speed.

Tyres and brakes

The quality of a car’s tyres and brakes can drastically affect its stopping distances. Naturally, as tyre technology evolves each year, driver safety improves – and any tyres that are upward of ten years old (including spares) should be replaced immediately.

Similarly, brake pads wear down over time, and so it’s important that drivers can spot the warning signs that this may be an issue, which can include:

• Dashboard warning lights
• Screeching sounds
• Grinding

Drivers could also manually check that there’s adequate brake pad remaining – with anything less than a quarter of an inch potentially proving dangerous. With tyres and brakes, it’s crucial that drivers are both aware of and adhere to legal safety limits.

Stopping distances at different speeds

We’ve already covered how different road conditions can affect braking distance, and it’s also worth considering that drivers could have a diminished thinking distance if, for example, they are suffering from fatigue or tiredness. As a rough guide, however, in perfect conditions you may find that stopping distances are roughly as follows for a medium to large-sized car with quality tyres.

Stopping Distance	In Feet	In Metres
Stopping distance at 70mph	315ft	96m
Stopping distance at 60mph	240ft	73m
Stopping distance at 50mph	175ft	53m
Stopping distance at 40mph	118ft	36m
Stopping distance at 30mph	75ft	23m
Stopping distance at 20mph	40ft	12m

This is based on guidance from the Highway Code, using an average vehicle length of four metres. It isn’t, however, a one-fits-all solution that can tell you the stopping distance of any vehicle, and drivers should take the external factors we’ve covered into account, as well as the weight of their load.

How to improve stopping distance

We hope this article has helped to shine a light on the importance of driver safety. Some action points to take away for commercial fleets could include:

• Checking that your drivers have up-to-date knowledge around stopping distances, and providing them with any fresh information published by reputable authorities.
• Auditing your fleet to ensure not only that cars are able to pass their MOTs, but that brake and tyre technology is ‘good’ rather than ‘adequate,’ which could make working for your business a more attractive prospect for job hunters.
• Talk about driver safety internally, and equip your drivers with the right route-planning technology to make journeys safe and cost-effective.

Car Length Stopping Distance

A good way to visualise just how far car stopping distance is to consider how many average car lengths it will take a vehicle to stop at various speeds. For example, for a car travelling at 20mph you can expect a stopping distance of three car lengths. This distance quickly jumps up and the stopping distance of a car travelling at 70mph will take 24 car lengths to come to a complete stop.

How to improve stopping distance

We hope this article has helped to shine a light on the importance of driver safety. Some action points to take away for commercial fleets could include:

• Checking that your drivers have up-to-date knowledge around stopping distances, and providing them with any fresh information published by reputable authorities.
• Auditing your fleet to ensure not only that cars are able to pass their MOTs, but that brake and tyre technology is ‘good’ rather than ‘adequate,’ which could make working for your business a more attractive prospect for job hunters.
• Talk about driver safety internally, and equip your drivers with the right route-planning technology to make journeys safe and cost-effective.

How can Fuel Card Services help?

At Fuel Card Services, we take driver safety seriously. That’s why we offer a range of commercial fleet services that are designed to improve driver safety and provide cost savings. Services include:

• Tele-Gence; a smart telematics system that’s tailored to your business’ unique needs. This software can improve safety for your drivers and security for your vehicles.
• MyDriveSafe.Expert – which allows drivers to carry out vehicle checks on their mobile phones. This data then feeds back into a manager’s portal, enabling you to check that vehicles are safe to drive and that legal requirements are met.
• MyService.Expert – we offer an online, pay-as-you-go system that gives you access to pre-negotiated repair and maintenance rates at thousands of UK garages, meaning any faults can be resolved quickly without breaking the bank.

Businesses might choose to lease their vehicles rather than purchasing them as it can have many financial benefits. How can businesses ensure they are doing their best to save money under this arrangement?

What are the benefits of renting vehicles?

For some businesses, the financial benefits of a rental vehicle can seem attractive. Businesses will obviously have to pay less upfront, making leasing a promising prospect for small businesses who may not have the money to splash out on an entire fleet.

With a full service lease, the expenses of having these vehicles become very predictable. Hefty maintenance and insurance fees won’t catch fleet managers out, as these costs are included in the plan.

The final monetary benefit of leasing is that businesses don’t need to be concerned about depreciation.

Understanding the contract

Despite the many financial benefits of vehicle leasing, it is vital that fleet managers understand how to make the most out of this arrangement.

When you agree to rent a vehicle from a provider, you are entering into a contract. It is paramount that you understand the ins and outs of the contract so you don’t come across any unexpected costs.

Will you be charged for delivery and collection? How many miles are you permitted to drive? What would the implications be if the vehicle was damaged or stolen?

Not knowing the answers to these questions could be seriously detrimental in the future. Additionally, make sure your drivers know the terms of the contract too, so everyone involved can be held accountable.

You also need to understand what condition the vehicle should be in when it is returned to the supplier. You can assume it must be cleaned properly before it goes back, but different suppliers may have differing rules regarding things such as fuel and fluid levels.

Set an end date

On that note, it’s hugely beneficial to agree a date on which the vehicle will be returned to the provider. Leaving it open ended can mean that your drivers will keep the vehicle far longer than necessary, and your business will be charged for this. Since business owners might not even see the vehicle, this extra layer of security is important.

If your driver keeps the vehicle longer than the contract allows, your business will be charged for this, but you can be certain it was the driver at fault. If you leave the contract open ended, you can’t extract compensation from the driver on the grounds that they kept the vehicle for longer than necessary, as no such time was determined in the first place.

Plan ahead

Booking last minute tends to be more expensive. Getting a rental vehicle organised in advance further exaggerates the financial benefits of leasing.

Additionally, you might find that you can’t find the right vehicle if you leave it too late! The global shortage of parts such as valuable semi-conductors means that vehicle production across the globe has slowed. As a result, you might find that suppliers of rental vehicles don’t have a surplus of cars or vans.

This is especially important if you know your drivers will be going through a low emissions zone such as the one in London. You’ll need to get your hands on an electric vehicle if you don’t want to be hit with extra charges. Since electric vehicles are set to be an increasingly popular choice over the next decade, you can expect competition when it comes to renting one. Get it booked in before your competitors do!

Could a rental fleet replace your grey fleet?

Many businesses choose to run a grey fleet as a way of saving money. Much like leasing, they negate the need to purchase new vehicles, so can it work out cheaper in the long run.

However, grey fleets do cause some legal complications. Your drivers need to have the correct insurance, and they can claim money for having to use their own vehicles.

If you run a fleet of rental vehicles, however, you don’t need to worry about any of this! All legal considerations will be covered in the contract with the vehicle supplier. You’d be getting financial benefits of not having to purchase business vehicles, whilst maintaining a level of security and confidence.

How can Fuel Card Services help?

So you’re running a fleet of leased vehicles, and you’re saving money as a result – but could you go further?
Consider supplying your drivers with a branded fuel card. You could save up to 10p per litre on fuel costs, and also reducing your admin time with HMRC approved invoices.

Much like renting fleet vehicles, a fuel card can keep your long term costs low, meaning you have more to spend on the development and expansion of your business.

Get in touch today, and see what Fuel Card Services could do for you!

Drivers on UK roads are likely to have encountered a toll road at some point. In fact, there are 23 toll roads in the UK, and 18 of those are river crossing. This means that they are often unavoidable.

But why do we have toll roads in the first place, and why do drivers sometimes opt to use them despite the charges?

What is a toll road?

A toll road is a stretch of road that requires drivers to pay a fee for driving on it. The charge per use can vary from 40p to £6 depending on which toll road you are using, what vehicle you are driving and the time of day.

You will encounter toll roads across the UK, but Scotland abolished their toll roads in 2008, so Scottish drivers need not worry about having to pay to drive on their own roads.

To pay a toll, vehicles have to come to a stop at toll booths, or “plazas”. At the booth, drivers are able to pay the charge. They can use debit or credit card – often with contactless payment available. Mobile options such as Apple Pay are being accepted at more UK tolls nowadays, but not all.

Many toll roads are no longer accepting cash as payment, so drivers must ensure they have an accepted payment method ready before starting their journey.

In fact, holders of Shell fuel cards can now use their card to pay the M6 toll, which is one of the busiest, most used toll roads in the UK.

Benefits of toll roads

Given that most UK roads are free to use, you might be asking yourself why anyone would be inclined to use a road that requires a payment.

However, toll roads do have certain benefits that, for some, makes paying a fee worthwhile.

In theory, using toll roads will save time. This is great for businesses needing to deliver goods across the country in a hurry. It also means vehicles spend less time burning fuel. It could work out that paying for the toll is cheaper overall than continuously driving on another route and burning a few pounds worth of fuel.

When the M6 toll was in it’s infancy, it was estimated that drivers would save 45 minutes driving near Birmingham if they used the road. However, the amount of time saved is closer to 25 minutes when compared with the non-toll road. The original M6 is well known for build ups of traffic and long delays, however, so you can see why a business might want their vehicles using the toll.

The money from the tolls is used to maintain the rods themselves. This tends to mean that toll roads are very well maintained and smooth to drive on. Compared to a back road that may be covered in potholes that could damage your vehicle and its cargo, this makes a toll road seem like a desirable option.

Can UK toll roads be avoided?

For drivers who are adamant that they don’t want to pay the toll, there are often alternatives. The obvious example of this is the M6 toll, which can be avoided by continuing on the M6 when travelling through Birmingham.

However, the Mersey tunnel tolls near Liverpool are considered to be fairly unavoidable. Other tolls such as the Tyne tunnel are avoidable, but require fairly time consuming details.

As there is no set rule as to whether a toll road can be avoided, it is vital the you plan your routes beforehand. This is especially true if you are sending one of your drivers on a new, unfamiliar route.

Your satnav will probably direct you to a toll road as it is usually the fastest option. If you want to avoid them, make sure you adjust the settings on your satnav. Otherwise, you might find yourself approaching a toll road with no viable alternative.

Don’t let toll roads drain your finances

Sometimes, you can’t avoid going through a toll. For businesses, it might be the difference between getting a delivery to it’s destination on time.

However, this doesn’t mean you need to just sit and watch the money draining from your account. There are things fleet managers can do to negate the toll costs!

We mentioned a fuel card earlier, but they do a lot more than help drivers pay for toll roads! With the right fuel card, you can save up to 10p per litre on fuel. Consolidated HMRC approved invoices also mean you can save a great deal of time on admin too!

You can also improved MPG by 20% with a tracking system such as TeleGence! Consistent reporting and real-time tracking mean you can help to improve the way your drivers control your vehicles. Say goodbye to aggressive steering and braking!

Get in touch with Fuel Card Services today and see how we can help to save those precious pennies for your business!

The first congestion charge was introduced to London in 2003 by its first mayor, Ken Livingstone. It sought to charge drivers within a designated zone at a fixed daily rate for using the busy London streets between 7am and 6pm.

Since then, various UK cities have begun introducing congestion zones of their own, using the existing London model as a blueprint. For businesses operating within these zones, having a full understanding of what charges are likely to be incurred could be crucial to saving costs and making routes more efficient.

What’s more, congested traffic can prove to be a hindrance for fleets, even before additional charges are considered – as the time taken to complete journeys lengthens for each affected driver.

In this article, we’ll explain congestion charges using London as an example, before exploring the types of exemptions that may benefit of commercial fleet operators. We’ll also look at congestion more broadly, and suggest how commercial fleets could combat it.

What is a congestion charge?

When introduced, the congestion charge in London stood at around £5 per vehicle. It has increased considerably over the years to £15 in 2021, and is always visible on the Transport for London website.

The charge applies to any vehicle driving in the congestion zone between designed hours, which have also changed with time. As of 2021, the charge applies to drivers operating between 07:00-22:00 on any day – except from Christmas day.

The zone itself covers 3.8 million people. Naturally, many businesses operate in this area for a range of different purposes – from delivering commercial goods to local sellers, to providing food delivery and taxi services to residents – so this cost shouldn’t be taken lightly by fleet operators.

Congestion charges for fleets

If operators of commercial fleets plan to have their drivers operate within the congestion zone, one tip from us would be to consider exploring advance payments. That’s because failing to pay the congestion charge on the day it’s due can result in the daily fee increasing to £17.50; a slight increase that could have a significant impact for an SME that has many vehicles operating in the area.

Automatic payment options are available via the TfL website which could prove helpful, and there’s even an app that enables drivers to pay conveniently. Read more around payment.

Not all drivers have to pay the congestion charges, however. Let’s take a look at which exemptions apply.

Congestion charge exemptions

If you’re asking yourself ‘do I need to pay congestion charge?’ – or at least whether your drivers do, first read this list of exemptions, which apply if the vehicle in question is recorded at the DVLA as falling into one of the following categories:

• Two-wheeled motorbikes, sidecars, and mopeds. Particularly for last mile deliveries, commercial fleets may choose to use these vehicles within the congestion zone without running the risk of incurring additional daily charges.
• Taxis licensed by the London Taxi and Private Hire (TPH). Fleet operators that are actively registered with this taxi body are exempt from congestion charges, however this does not apply to private hire vehicles – although some may qualify for congestion charge discounts.

Fleet News reported that recent changes to congestion zone restrictions could cost commercial fleets up to £54m, and so first checking for exemptions, then calculating how the congestion charges impact the cost of your routes seems a sensible place to start for fleet managers. More broadly speaking, it’s also important to consider the impact congestion could have upon your delivery times – and the knock-on costs this may result in.

Why is congestion so costly to businesses?

Obviously, the more time your drivers spend on the road, the more productive your business will be. However, what happens to the productivity of your fleet when your drivers are stuck in congestion?

Unfortunately, the average delivery driver for example spends up to 16% of their drive time sat in congestion. Assuming your drivers are on the road for 8 hours a day, they’ll spend an entire 37 days a year sat in traffic. Your business is paying the drivers, but their productivity is being stunted by congestion.

With fuel costs rising steadily over the last few months, you want to make sure every penny of fuel is being utilised to its maximum potential. Sending drivers out on deliveries for them to be sat in traffic for almost a fifth of their entire day certainly isn’t making the most of your fuel.

What can be done to combat congestion?

The most obvious solution to avoid the worst congestion in the UK is to examine your route. Is there an alternative way your drivers could be going? A route that takes you around the edge of a city, for example, would of course take longer in terms of mileage, but would it actually save time by avoiding the heavy congestion? After all, you’ll burn more fuel stopping and starting your vehicle than moving continuously at a steady speed.

If you are caught in traffic, remember that gentle acceleration in the highest safe gear will keep your fuel consumption low – and it may be wise to remind your drivers of simple tips like these that can promote good fuel-economy.

Unfortunately, there sometimes isn’t too much you can do to avoid heavy traffic jams. If your route requires that you drive through an area prone to heavy congestion, could your route be driven at a different time? Driving outside of rush hour will of course reduce your chances of getting caught in heavy traffic.

Additionally, consider whether you could remove any unnecessary weight from your vehicle. The heavier your vehicle, the more fuel you will burn when stopping and starting in traffic. Remember that more fuel will be burned if you are using your car’s other systems such as air conditioning or heating. If you get stuck in traffic, open a window instead.

As a fleet manager, it’s wise to ensure your drivers are aware of these tips. They may also have handy tips of their own that you could share around by opening up an internal discussion on handling congestion.

Which UK cities have the worst congestion?

The amount of congestion that a city experiences is measured in a percentage. For example, if a journey should take 10 minutes (judging by the distance and speed limits) but the city in question has a congestion level of 50%, the journey is more likely to take 15 minutes to complete.

The five most congested cities in the UK are:

Edinburgh – 41%
(Global rank – 33)

London – 38%
(Global rank – 45)

Brighton & Hove – 35%
(Global rank – 63)

Bournemouth – 34%
(Global rank – 69)

Hull – 34%
(Global rank – 73)

Belfast, Southampton, Bristol, Manchester and Reading are also not far behind with congestion levels between 32% – 33%.

Hull, Brighton and Bournemouth being so high is particularly interesting. None of them are within the top 15 largest UK cities by population. London and Edinburgh being the two most congested cities is not so surprising on the other hand, since they are both capital cities of their respective countries.

How can Fuel Card Services help?

At Fuel Card Services, we specialise in helping businesses save money on their fuel costs. With a fuel card from our range of branded cards, you could be making a real impact to your bottom line for every mile driven by your team.

Additionally, it’s important that you’re able to properly track your driver’s routes, and plan routes efficiently. Our Tele-Gence technology can be used to empower your drivers with this information. Live traffic updates can notify them of long traffic queues, enabling them to steer clear, and you’ll be given updates on their driving habits to understand whether they’re burning unnecessary fuel.

Tele-Gence also syncs seamlessly with your fuel card account, making them the perfect pairing for keeping your fuel costs and consumption as low as possible. Get in touch today and see how we could help you.