£50,000 extra on diesel: How do hauliers keep their businesses moving?
By Rachel Pearson, Key Account Manager and FORS Advanced Practitioner at Fleetmaxx Solutions
An extra £50,000 on fuel in a single month. Just let that sink in for a moment.
For a haulage business, that is money that could support new vehicles, staff or plans for growth. Instead, it is being swallowed up by the cost of keeping the existing fleet moving.
That is the situation Bedfordshire haulier D&G Noble in Wootton described in a recent news report. Having used around 84,000 litres of fuel during August, the business said its fuel bill was approximately £50,000 higher than it would have been at prices seen earlier in the year. Operations Manager Luke Busbridge reported that the company had been paying around 60p less per litre in February.
I know the team at D&G Noble, so this story really struck a chord with me.
A business I have had the pleasure of getting to know
As a FORS Advanced Practitioner, I have had the pleasure of getting to know D&G Noble through FORS conferences. They are a FORS Gold member, and our conversations have given me the opportunity to understand more about their operation and the pressures they face.
D&G Noble has now signed up for the HGV MAXX fuel card, available exclusively from Fleetmaxx Solutions, and I am working hard with them to help secure the best possible diesel prices for their operation.
I also supply their AdBlue®, so I am looking at that cost alongside their fuel.
When you know the people behind a business, a headline like this feels very real. You understand that there are vehicles to keep moving, customers to look after and plans that become harder to deliver when operating costs keep climbing.
Every penny per litre adds up
At the volume D&G Noble reported using in August, a difference of just 1p per litre works out at £840.
A 5p difference would be £4,200 across the same volume. These are illustrations of how price differences add up, rather than a promise of savings, but they show why it is worth paying attention to every penny.
Fuel prices have continued to move since the original report. On 2 October 2026, the RAC reported that the UK average diesel pump price had reached £2 per litre for the first time. That is a national forecourt average; individual sites and fuel card arrangements will vary.
For operators buying tens of thousands of litres, even small changes can make a substantial difference to the monthly bill.
The pressure reaches beyond the fuel tank
Luke also highlighted pressure on other running costs, including AdBlue, tyres and call-out charges. He described the extra work involved in finding competitive fuel prices, from speaking with more suppliers to negotiating card prices and keeping drivers informed.
That is a lot to manage alongside the everyday job of running a transport business.
AdBlue has its own production and supply cost pressures, so it needs a proper review too. I want customers to feel they can pick up the phone and discuss both with someone who understands their operation.
How I am supporting D&G Noble
My focus is on helping D&G Noble make the most of their HGV MAXX card and keeping their diesel and AdBlue arrangements under review.
A competitive price matters, of course. So does making sure drivers know where to fill up and that suitable sites fit the routes the fleet actually uses.
There is little benefit in sending a driver miles out of the way for a cheaper litre if the extra journey eats up the saving.
That is why I like to understand how a business works before making recommendations. Where do the vehicles travel? Where are drivers currently filling up? How much fuel and AdBlue are being used?
Those details help us have a useful conversation about costs.
An honest conversation about your fuel bill
I cannot control the fuel market, but I can work hard for my customers, review their arrangements and be frank about where there may be opportunities to save.
If your current setup is already competitive, I will tell you. If I believe Fleetmaxx can help improve it, I will explain how.
D&G Noble’s story shows just how much pressure rising diesel costs can place on a business. It also shows why regular reviews and practical support matter.
If you would like me to review your diesel and AdBlue costs, get in touch with Rachel Pearson at Fleetmaxx Solutions. If possible, send over two months of recent invoices so we can have a proper look at your usage and prices.
