With fuel prices set to hit a record high over the next few weeks, Keyfuels is encouraging transport operators to move away from focusing just on price and think seriously about an effective fuel management strategy.

According to the latest industry reports, average retail fuel prices are expected to exceed £1.25 a litre before Christmas, with experts citing increased demand over the winter months, rising oil prices and the French blockades for this potential all time high.

Keyfuels say that whilst operators are now accepting that the price of fuel is out of their control, the focus now must be on improving fuel management to ensure an efficient and cost-effective fleet.

Alex Harper, head of sales at Keyfuels, comments: “Our typical key account customers use more than one million litres of fuel per year, with smaller fleets being catered for by The Fuelcard Company .  This means even the smallest fluctuations in price can have a massive impact on their operating costs.

“It is therefore essential that transport operators manage their fuel effectively.  This doesn’t mean shopping around for the cheapest deal on a weekly basis, it means challenging your provider to develop a sustainable fuel management programme that will make a difference to your bottom line over a period of time and not just a short term discount.”

“At Keyfuels, we work with our customers on a consultancy basis.  By listening to their requirements and working out what they are trying to achieve, our expert team can develop a programme that will reduce a transport operator’s fuel management costs.”