One-in-four UK businesses employing more than 1,000 staff have identified cutting fuel costs as their number one fleet priority, research suggests.

Meanwhile, a separate survey has revealed that business drivers are also taking steps to reduce their fuel consumption and associated costs.

Of the 1,000 business drivers interviewed: 50% are shopping around for the cheapest fuel; 65% are reducing their speed and driving more smoothly to save fuel; and 20% are cutting back on mileage driven.

The news comes in the wake of fleets facing rising pump prices and concerns being raised over whether they are being treated unfairly because of the relatively high cost of diesel. 

ALD Automotive says that telematics is one of the new technologies being embraced by a growing number of businesses to help to reduce their fuel bill.

As a result, it is experiencing a significant increase in the number of enquiries from UK businesses for their ProFleet2 telematics solution.

With ProFleet2, key vehicle and journey data can be analysed by authorised fleet contacts to identify potentially, costly driver behaviour, which contributes to excessive fuel consumption such as excessive speed, unnecessary idling or harsh acceleration.

The fleet manager can then take the necessary steps to improve driving behaviour either by simply raising awareness or through driver education programmes, thereby reducing fuel consumption and other associated costs.

Keith Allen, managing director of ALD Automotive UK, said: “As the fuel price continues to rise, it has become increasingly important for UK 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.”