Unless you’re one of the few lawn and landscaping professionals to make your business all-electric, fuel expenses are a major concern for green industry pros. From trucks to zero-turn mowers to string line trimmers, equipment essential to your business runs on gasoline. The fuel to power that equipment is one of the major recurring expenses.
Average gasoline prices are not at an all-time high right now, but they’re still a major expense for lawn and landscape professionals who need to fuel their equipment. And the price can fluctuate without warning, making it challenging to budget for the future.
Improving your crews’ fuel economy helps you manage expenses and maximize profits. Part of this involves choosing fuel-efficient equipment and replacing some equipment with battery-powered options. Another part of the equation involves following best practices for how your crews use the equipment. You might also consider adding a fuel surcharge to your contracts so clients know that the price of their service will fluctuate depending on fuel costs.
Fuel-Efficient Lawn Equipment
The lawn and landscape industry relies on commercial equipment. Traditionally, that equipment is powered by gasoline or diesel fuel. Trucks to haul equipment and pull trailers, commercial-grade lawn mowers, and smaller hand-held equipment all need fuel to keep running.
If you’re using old equipment, chances are it’s not as fuel-efficient as newer vehicles and equipment. Replacing old equipment with vehicles that get better miles per gallon and lawn equipment with fuel-efficient engines can help cut down on overhead. Replacing equipment can carry a hefty price tag, though, so you’ll need to weigh the pros and cons. For some equipment, you might save money by replacing it. For others, it might work out better to keep it around a while longer and then replace it with a fuel-efficient or battery-powered option once the equipment wears out.
You might also consider investing in lawn mowers that use alternative fuel sources. Commercial zero-turn mowers powered by compressed natural gas or propane can reduce pollutant emissions and potentially cut costs. Exmark, Scag, and Toro are among the top commercial mower brands to offer propane-powered mowers.
Reduce Fuel Costs With SOPs
Establishing standard operating procedures (SOPs) can help reduce fuel costs. Make sure that all employees know what you expect from them in terms of regular equipment upkeep, best practices for using the equipment, and when and how to refuel.
Train your crews to know not to leave equipment idling if they have to step away. Make sure they know not to mow at full throttle; slowing down improves fuel efficiency and helps prevent ragged-looking cuts. Taking the time for regular upkeep and preventative maintenance also helps. Clean air filters, sharp cutting blades, fresh fuel, and proper pressure in mower tires all helps the equipment work more effectively and use fuel efficiently.
How, When, and Where You Fuel
Different lawn and landscape companies use different fueling strategies to help save time and money. Some find it most efficient to fuel equipment at local gas stations and have employees charge the purchases to company cards. Fueling this way lets you collect points on the cards and save money that way. Other companies find that it is more efficient and cost-effective to have on-site fuel tanks. They might not save in cost-per-gallon, but they save time and increase productivity with efficient fueling practices.
Mapping out your crews’ daily routes can also help save on fuel costs. Driving back and forth across a city all day uses a lot more fuel than if you have an employee or a computer program plot an efficient route to different job sites that avoids backtracking. Mapping out routes can also help you plan for when and where to refuel trucks and equipment, especially if you’re tracking fuel use closely enough that you have a pretty good idea of when things will need to be refueled.
No-Fuel Lawn Equipment
Obviously, battery-powered lawn equipment will cut down on your fuel costs. Battery-powered equipment is powered by electricity, not gasoline. Anytime you replace gasoline-powered equipment with battery-powered equipment, you’re improving your company’s fuel efficiency. Sure, you’re still paying for power because you’re paying for electricity, but the cost of electricity is much lower than gasoline prices.
But don’t go out and replace all your equipment with battery-powered models just yet. Battery-powered equipment is more expensive than comparable gasoline-powered models, so there is a higher upfront cost. For handheld equipment like trimmers, edgers, blowers, hedge trimmers, and smaller chainsaws, there is a clear return on investment: you will save money by switching to battery power. The cost savings aren’t really there yet for larger equipment like zero-turn mowers, though.
A Note on Battery Power for Commercial Applications
It is definitely possible to use battery-powered lawn equipment for commercial applications. However, if you’re going to switch from gasoline power to battery power (even if just for your handheld equipment), you need to prepare your business and your crew for the change.
For commercial lawn and landscape crews, the biggest limitation of battery-powered technology is that the batteries run out. Recharging them isn’t as easy as refilling the fuel tank on gasoline-powered equipment. You’ll need to have extra batteries on hand for all your equipment to help avoid downtime. Depending on your crews and their needs, you might also need to invest in a portable charging dock for rapid recharging on the go.
Whether you’re looking for fuel-efficient gasoline equipment or battery-powered equipment powerful enough for commercial lawn and landscaping, you can find it at Richardson Saw & Lawnmower. We have decades of experience working with green industry pros, and we can help you find just the right equipment to meet your needs. Stop by to check out our selection and chat with our equipment experts about how the right commercial equipment can help you manage fuel costs for your business.
