Businesses preparing for $2 per litre fuel price

Monday 20th February 2006

Businesses preparing for $2 per litre fuel price

While the Bay braces for fuel prices as high as $2 per litre, a unique Western Bay initiative aims to save businesses thousands by reducing their transport costs by as much as 25%.

Titled project Green Fleet, the Sustainable Business Network (SBN) initiative assists businesses to reduce transport costs through improved travel planning, fuel-efficient driving techniques and accessing the latest fuel efficient technologies such as hybrid vehicles. Local companies Fulton Hogan and Comvita have joined the programme, while several others have shown interest.

Regional manager for SBN, Calum Revfem says the project comes at an ideal time with smart businesses ready to develop strategies to reduce their transport costs. "All Western Bay businesses have first hand experience of the impacts of rising fuel costs and losses in staff time and productivity caused by traffic congestion - now with project GreenFleet they have the tools to do something about it."

Rescheduling the timing of journeys and planning trips to avoid road works and congested routes forms the key part of GreenFleet's travel behaviour module which includes the teaching of fuel-efficient driving techniques. Businesses are kept up to date with the latest clean and efficient transport technologies through the publishing of business case studies that present real operating costs. Business also plant native trees in the Route K area to offset their vehicle fleet emissions. More than twenty thousand trees will be planted over the next four years.

The Sustainable Business Network is working alongside Environment Bay of Plenty who are providing support for the project through their Environmental Enhancement fund. In 2006 seventeen local businesses are eligible for funding to take part in the first year of the project at no cost. Tauranga City Council have also indicated an interest in the initiative as it goes hand in hand with a range of planned local transport projects.

The Sustainable Business Network are holding a project GreenFleet open day on March 9th at Red Square from 11am - 2pm.

ENDS.

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