Your average taxi driver will usually end up driving about 180 miles in day: that could work out at well over a thousand in a week and up to sixty thousand in a year. That’s more miles than most people put on their car in its lifetime or four or five years, and as such, efficiency really counts if you’re spending ten or twelve hours a day in your cab. Incremental cost savings can make an enormous difference to your finances, and can help you get the most out of your fares, so here’s our guide to saving money while on the road.
Minimizing Fuel Costs
The best thing you can do to right away is to try to minimize your fuel costs by making small changes. Never carry around any more luggage than you need to in your car, and try to keep your driving style efficient. Drive in the highest gears you possibly can, and get to know your cab’s capabilities when it comes to things like coasting. Just saving that extra little bit of fuel an hour can really add up over the course of a year.
Consider Eco-Features
We’re surely going to see more and more cab drivers adopting the electric car over the next few years, but until we do there are a variety of eco-friendly gadgets available that are already on the market. Many drivers have saved a small fortune using things like auto-stop-start features and hybrid motors. It’s worth considering these when you go for an upgrade.
Fuel Purchases
There is some strategy to purchasing fuel at the right time and in the right place. Normally supermarkets are the cheapest places to buy fuel, as they’re able to offer it at lowest cost to entice customers into the store, and avoid motorway service stations or airports. You should also consider signing up to an online service that can track the prices for you. When you need to fill up, you can immediately know who is cheapest.
Long-Distance Fares
For most cars, the most economic speed to be travelling at is around 55mph, and it’s on the motorway that you’re sure to get the best efficiency out of your taxi. For this reason, long-distance fares can be extremely economical, and they tend to be quite time-effective too. Make sure there’s some way you’re able to take long-distance bookings in advance, as they can be extremely lucrative: especially if they involve an airport supplement at the other end.
Finally, it’s also worth thinking about your fixed costs when running your cab. By switching your breakdown cover or taxi insurance policy you could stand to save a considerable amount of money. That ten minute phone call could be the most lucrative ten minutes of your day!
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