Britain's Drivers Face Rising Costs

Haulage drivers across Britain have one of the best jobs going. They carry out deliveries and return loads throughout the day and night in a job which gives them freedom and independence, there are a lot of great opportunities for career progression, and they can also make a very good living from it. However, one thing that is hurting them right now is the rising cost of fuel in the UK.

Fuel in the UK has gone up by over 50% over the last five years, and this is affecting all drivers, whether they drive for a living or not. But for those who depend on driving for their livelihood, the cost of fuel is even more crucial, and further rises are really starting to hit home.

Survey Shows Extent of Concern Over Rising Fuel Costs

Post Office Car Insurance recently carried out a survey of Britain's drivers to find out what worried them the most at the moment, and it found that nearly half of drivers (46%) are making fewer journeys due to rising motoring costs. This is a huge figure and clearly shows just how seriously rising fuel prices are impacting on the way that people drive in the UK.

Haulage drivers carrying out return loads and other jobs are feeling the pinch perhaps more than anyone else because they need to stay competitive, so if you work as a haulage driver you may have had to raise your rates to cancel out the fuel increases.

More Drivers Planning to Go Slow

One good thing the survey found was that 27% of drivers are planning to drive slower in order to save on fuel costs. This means that the roads will hopefully be safer as a result, and for haulage drivers working on return loads, safety is hugely important. It was interesting, however, that only a few drivers were concerned about uninsured drivers on the roads. Uninsured drivers push the cost of car insurance up for everyone so this perhaps should be more of a concern.

What Should Haulage Drivers Do?

For haulage drivers who are concerned about needing to take on extra work as a result of higher fuel prices, one good idea may be to join up with an exchange service. On such a service, jobs are advertised and companies can look for people to carry out their return loads for them. It can be an excellent way to find more work or to find people to carry your loads for you if you run a larger operation.

However you deal with the fuel rises, it is clear that this is becoming a real issue for haulage drivers and for other drivers in the UK, and now there are certain to be many wondering when they will get a break.