In 2024, 89% of truckers are concerned about trucking operational costs. With insurance premiums, maintenance, truck lease, and ownership rates rising, they have good reason to be.
Despite challenging market conditions for carriers nationwide, drivers can take controllable actions to avoid overpaying for operational costs.
Here are a few ways to drive trucking operational costs down.
Enroll in a Maintenance Support Program
As a driver, anything keeping you from the road is a major detriment to your profitability. For example, scheduling and coordinating maintenance efforts can be tedious, challenging, and time-consuming.
Maintenance support programs schedule and coordinate maintenance for you so that you can stay on the road and take on more business. Some even offer this service for free when coupled with other products.
See here for more information on maintenance programs.
Lower Your Insurance Premium
The cost of your insurance premium is dependent on your driver’s record. By undertaking any of the following guidelines, you can keep your premium as low as possible:
- Hire drivers with a clean record
- Integrate safe driving incentive programs into your fleet
- Maintain a good CSA score
- Operate trucks under ten years old
- Install aftermarket safety features to prevent accidents
- Perform regular maintenance
- Stay in business consistently
- Pay premiums on time
- Avoid high-risk areas along your routes
By exercising good driving habits, you can be confident that your premium will remain as low as possible.
Utilize a Factoring Service
If you aren’t using a factoring service, you are limiting your ability to grow your business.
In exchange for a small fee, factoring companies will immediately pay you your loads. This means you can cover your expenses, like fuel, tires, etc., within hours of shipment completion. You will no longer have to wait to take on new business.
Quality factoring companies will aid your billing processes, giving you even more time on the road.
For more information about factoring services, fill out this form.
Make Use of Tire Discount Programs
If you’re a trucker, you should never purchase tires without first seeing if they are available through a tire discount program.
Tire discount programs are possible through companies with longstanding relationships within the industry. England Carrier Services, for example, can leverage their relationships to provide carriers with tires at a special price.
These deals extend to premium, tier-one drive tires like the Michelin X® Line Energy™ D+.
Get special pricing on the Michelin X® Line Energy™ D+ and try out a tire program below:
Sign up for a Fuel Card for Fuel Discounts
Fuel comprises one of trucking’s most significant costs. With a fuel card, you can slice that cost.
Setting up a fuel card typically involves four steps:
- Reach out to a fuel card company.
- Set up a custom fuel card account.
- Personalize the restrictions and limitations on driver cards according to your needs.
- Receive your cards in the mail.
Quality fuel cards will provide discounts at hundreds of locations spanning several rest stop chains.
Fill out the form below to sign up for a fuel card today.
Operating expenses are a primary concern for truckers navigating a volatile market.
By enrolling in a maintenance program, exercising safe driving habits for lower insurance premiums, using a factoring service, calling on tire discounts, and using a fuel card, drivers can ultimately combat high operating costs and grow their business comfortably.
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The England Carrier Services (ECS) division offers various services for carriers ranging from maintenance to support. As ECS members, carriers have access to nationwide discounts on fuel and tires from dedicated team members committed to finding the best price. ECS also provides factoring services with benefits such as same-day funding to a bank account or fuel card. These options allow carriers the freedom to focus on growing their business while saving time and money.