Earlier this month, we asked CUSTOM HOME readers how the rising cost of gasoline was affecting business, and what they were doing to mitigate the extra expense.
About 40 percent shrugged off high fuel prices, saying they were not a new problem, just the usual cost of doing business. But 60 percent reported that price increases are killing—or at least crippling—their businesses.
So how are they dealing with $4-plus-a-gallon gasoline? Here are some of the more interesting or more common solutions:
consolidate trips
restrict market area to keep jobs as close to home base as possible
Arrange to have crews carpool to job sites
pull all fleet vehicles and pay crews mileage for using their own vehicles
cut the work week from five to four days
switch from trucks to more fuel-efficient vehicles for site visits
downsize from V8 to V6 vehicles
restrict the use of company vehicles to work hours only
reduce trailer hauling by storing tools and materials on the job site
communicate with the field via phone, email, and digital photos
replace weekly status meetings with conference calls
consolidate material orders and deliveries to minimize supplier fuel charges
pass fuel costs on to the client
absorb the cost
