12.28.2007 — If you haven’t already, you need to look carefully at the efficiency of your vehicles, which vehicles you own, how you use your distributor, your driving habits and your overall vehicle usage policy.

According to an article in the Los Angeles Times, analysts are predicting that, in 2008, gasoline will cost 65 cents more than it does right now.

For states like California, where gas is already hovering about $3.50 a gallon, that means prices will be over $4 per gallon very soon.

The article says that the normal drop in gas prices in December are not happening this year, among all sorts of other reasons for the coming jump.

I’ve written previously about the need to institute a gasoline surcharge for your business. If you didn’t do it then, now’s the time.

I get one already at my home from the trash collection service, the heating oil company, and the propane company. Consumers will accept it, especially when you are running large vans and trucks on the road.

Here are a four ways to handle increasing gas prices.

Cut Down Trips to the Distributor

One thing you should consider is how you use your distributor. Do you really have to drive to their brick-and-mortar location so often?

In the past, you may have done that to eliminate the delivery charge, but if you are wasting time and lots of money on gasoline, how much can you save by having things delivered to your business or directly to the jobsite?

I recommend you do the calculation.

Take Advantage of Cheaper Prices

One integrator we profiled in CE Pro, Cyclone Systems in Berlin, Conn., is located near the Connecticut/Massachusetts border.

Because of state taxes, Connecticut has a higher gas cost than Massachusetts. So whenever one of the trucks is heading to Massachusetts, technicians are advised to fill the tank up before they leave the state.

Simple, but effective.

Keep the Trucks at Work

Do you let your technicians take the trucks home? If so, are you tracking the gasoline and mileage usage on those vehicles?

You are paying for that gas instead of the technician, who no longer has to drive back and forth to your office.

Another piece of advice comes from an integrator who told me that when hiring, he now takes into consideration how far away the person lives.

If that person lives a long way away, he is more likely to put pressure on you to boost his salary sooner than later after he starts seeing how much money he spends on gas.

General Gas Saving Tips

Lastly, here are just some applicable gas saving tips from Howtoadvice.com that you might want to post on the bulletin board in your break room.

Among the key pieces of advice are:

• Avoid prolonged warming up of engine, even on cold mornings - 30 to 45 seconds is plenty of time.
• Don’t start and stop engine needlessly. Idling your engine for one minute consumes the gas amount equivalent to when you start the engine.
• Buy gasoline during coolest time of day - early morning or late evening is best. During these times gasoline is densest. Keep in mind—gas pumps measure volumes of gasoline, not densities of fuel concentration. You are charged according to “volume of measurement.”
• Avoid filling gas tank to top. Overfilling results in sloshing over and out of tank. Never fill gas tank past the first “click” of fuel nozzle, if nozzle is automatic.
• Traveling at fast rates in low gears can consume up to 45 percent more fuel than is needed.
• Do not rest left foot on floorboard pedals while driving. The slightest pressure puts “mechanical drag” on components, wearing them down prematurely. This “dragging” also demands additional fuel usage.
• Avoid rough roads whenever possible, because dirt or gravel rob you of up to 30 percent of your gas mileage.
• Automatic transmissions should be allowed to cool down when your car is idling at a standstill, e.g. railroad crossings, long traffic lights, etc. Place gear into neutral position. This reduces transmission strain and allows transmission to cool.
• Park car so that you can later begin to travel in forward gear; avoid reverse gear maneuvers to save gas.
• Inflate all tires to maximum limit.
• Remove excess weight from inside the vehicle.
• During cold weather watch for icicles frozen to car frame. Up to 100 lbs. can be quickly accumulated! Unremoved snow and ice cause tremendous wind resistance. Warm water thrown on (or hosed on) will eliminate it fast.

Edmunds.com put several of these gas-saving tips to the test.

The biggest saver? Eliminate aggressive driving.

That saved 37 percent instantly! Lower speeds and using cruise control also worked effectively.