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It’s no secret that delivery work has changed a lot in recent years, and will probably keep changing and evolving. In general, people have become much more concerned with the environment, increasing the demand for green alternatives. At the same time, and more pressingly, fuel costs are always on the rise. On some level, everything is more expensive, but government incentives are also making it more costly in relative terms for those of us who don’t go green. Faced with all this, drivers are always on the lookout for cost-effective alternatives. In this article we’re going to look at one: liquefied petroleum gas, or LPG. While the government doesn’t give a lot of reasons to switch to LPG – only a £10 saving on vehicle excise duty – it can nonetheless be a great alternative for couriers. What is LPG? Most people will be familiar with LPG, even if they don’t use it to drive – the canisters used to power a barbecue, for instance, are LPG. It can be propane, butane or a mix of the two, and is made from refined petroleum. It is also often produced as a by-product of regular fossil fuel extraction and conversion, which helps keep it cheap and green. How Much Could I Save? Delivery work is a business like any other, so we’ll start our exploration of LPG’s benefits with a look at how it can help you save. First, LPG costs on average 50% less per litre than both petrol and diesel – a real saving at the pump. In fact, companies that switched to LPG reported annual savings of nearly 40%, compared to vehicles using petrol or diesel. Second, LPG can get drivers a lot further a lot more easily than other fuels. This is due to a combination of factors. For one thing, a single tank of LPG can carry you up to 300 miles. For another, many doing delivery work convert unused space in their vehicles into storage. This allows drivers to refuel easily anywhere on the road. Not that refuelling is a problem, of course. Some people are suspicious of alternative fuels because they worry that they won’t be able to refill when they run out. There’s no need to worry, though: the UK is well equipped with over 1,500 LPG refuelling stations. Environmental Benefits So, we’ve established that LPG can save you money. But what about its green benefits? Happily, it outperforms petrol in a few ways. LPG produces far fewer air pollutants than petrol, and is much quieter to run, as well as producing far less CO2, in both its overall life cycle and through the exhaust. All in all, LPG gets very good marks as an alternative fuel source, especially when compared to regular fuels like petrol and diesel. Delivery work is an ever-growing, ever-changing industry, and one that rewards smart, sensible innovation. It’s all well and good to help save the planet, but your business won’t last very long if you try and do it in a way that costs you. Luckily, LPG doesn’t have this problem. It’s safe, cheap and convenient, and the perfect option for any driving or delivery business. Norman Dulwich is a Correspondent for Courier Exchange, the world's largest neutral trading hub for same day jobs in the express freight exchange industry. Connecting logistics professionals across the UK and Europe through their website, Haulage Exchange provides services for matching any kind of delivery work with an available driver or operator. Over 5,400 member companies are networked together through the Exchange to fill empty capacity, get new clients and form long-lasting business relationships.
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