Fleet operators were wanted that the pump price of fuel would have little impact on how their vehicles were run, unless they were able to control other costs associated with cars and vans.

Kevin Schaefer, FuelSave partner at Shell, suggested mileage, fuel consumption, and driver performance were among the factors that could have a greater impact on a company's bottom line rather than merely the price of fuel.

He told delegates that the best performing employees won't necessarily have the best fuel consumption in their vehicle, and there was usually a conflict between managing deadlines and managing fuel.

But he added that although it was important to measure performance regarding fuel use, employers needed to use the information to set goals and targets to encourage drivers to bring about improvements.

The best results would be achieved by ensuring the reporting of data and any necessary action was specific to individuals, rather than blanket directives across an organisation.