iLembe Chamber of Commerce offers fuel incentive to members

Motorists battling the economic catastrophe of Covid-19 have been hard hit by record fuel price increases.

The price of petrol having increased by R1 per litre and diesel by 65c, taxes on petrol now total R6.15 per litre, according to the iLembe Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism.

“Motorists will now be forking out 40% of taxes for every litre of fuel they buy,” said Chamber CEO, Cobus Oelofse.

Business owners and motorists have to look at better ways to manage fuel expenses, while also taking a closer look into fuel-discount schemes.

The Chamber offers one such scheme to local businesses thanks to a partnership with FinlayFuel, BP FleetMove and Drive-In Motors Ballito.

The initiative provides a discount of up to 70 cents per litre on diesel, while the Chamber benefits additionally on diesel sold when participants fill up at Drive-In Motors Ballito.

Through the prepaid offer, local businesses can obtain discounts on diesel for their vehicles.

“The reality is that all business conducted locally, directly and indirectly, depends on road transport. The increases will eventually filter through to the public transport sector,” said Oelofse.

To qualify for this initiative, business owners can register online on the following link: finlayfuel.co.za/apply-now/?AID=7.

DialDirect Insurance’s Bianca de Beer added that an average increase of 48 cents per litre was steep on its own, especially coupled with the fact that it already cost more than R800 to fill up a 60-litre tank.

“Minor adjustments to driving habits and regular car maintenance however can see you boost your vehicle’s fuel efficiency by up to 40%,” she said.

With this in mind, the following fuel-saving tips were provided:

• Service your car: A car can burn up to 30% more fuel if proper maintenance is not performed regularly.

• Check your wheel alignment: Bad wheel alignment causes more friction, which takes more power to overcome and results in higher fuel consumption.

• Avoid using the aircon: Use the air-conditioning only when necessary, as it places additional load on the engine.

• Drop the deadweight: Reduce the vehicle’s weight by removing unnecessary items from it.

• Slow down: The gas-guzzling effects of “stepping on it” comes at an expense. Try to leave earlier to your destination to avoid having to speed.

• Invest in advanced driver training: Especially relevant to fleet owners, driver behaviour is an important contributor to fuel economy.

• Consider installing driver monitoring and vehicle diagnostic systems: Driver behaviour monitoring systems, that collect and allow for data to be reviewed, highlight cost-saving opportunities for fleet owners especially.