Banking on traffic: The cost of commuting and traffic on tradespeople

By 2030, the UK will need help to cope with the demand for tradespeople.

As of this year, there are around 900,000 tradespeople, but the UK needs a million more in the next decade to cope with that demand.

The current shortage is around 166,000 people, which means tradies are working, and commuting, more than ever, on roads that are busier than ever. But what does that mean for them when time is money?

Here at Zego, our business van insurance team have analysed the time spent travelling for some of the country’s most in-demand tradespeople (with the combined jobs for those analysed totalling 18,454), and compared this to their average salary to reveal exactly how much money their time is worth.

And the results might just surprise you.

Time is money: Congestion between jobs could cost UK tradespeople up to £5,045 each year

Most drivers find traffic a nuisance, but it can be much more than that for people travelling for work.

Sitting in congestion and travelling between jobs could be costing tradespeople a lot more than money for fuel. Much more, in fact.

Our data shows that commuting for UK tradespeople could cost up to £5,045 in their time. For those who travel long distances between jobs, that cost could be much higher.

This is particularly important when considering that many tradespeople don’t receive payment for their time until they have got to and completed the job.

A carpenter's time is the most expensive, potentially losing over £6,221 in travel

We discovered, via a poll, that the average distance travelled by tradespeople is 66 minutes each day, taking into account traffic and other factors.

According to our data on the time spent travelling compared to the average salary, a carpenter's time is the most costly.

Travelling between jobs could cost a carpenter up to a staggering £6,221 every year - proving time is definitely money on the busy roads.

Carpenters, incidentally, are also the second most in-demand trade of the 10 we analysed, with them, and joiners, experiencing unprecedented demand.

Plumbers round up the second spot, with their average travelling distance for jobs potentially costing them up to £5,821 a year.

It’s reported that the UK needs up to 72,000 new plumbers by 2032, meaning travelling time could increase as the demand for jobs continues.

On the dates we analysed, there were 2,093 plumber jobs solely on Indeed, indicating that the demand is growing.

Electricians have the third most valuable time when looking at travel distance and average salary, with commuting for them valued up to £5,812.

Of the 10 trade jobs we analysed, window cleaners ‘lose’ the least when it comes to travelling for jobs. However, that cost is still a huge £3,287 each year.

Just 10 minutes of traffic each day costs UK van drivers £765 annually

With more and more vehicles on the road, traffic is only increasing. The UK’s Transport Ministry predicts a huge 54% increase in traffic in the next 35 years.

Traffic costs tradespeople money, so much so that sitting in 10 minutes of additional daily traffic could cost UK van drivers £765 over the year.

Ten minutes of extra traffic each day costs carpenters the most, with the tradies potentially missing out on £944 by sitting in their van waiting to move between jobs.

Similarly, 10 minutes of additional traffic could cost plumbers up to £883 and electricians up to £882. However, with the want for the roles increasing, this gap could be bridged in the future due to more jobs available.

With traffic and vehicles on the road increasing in the UK, we compared how much time travelling costs tradespeople in European countries and the US.

Traffic between jobs could cost Italian tradespeople €4,738

Italian tradespeople ‘fare the worst’ when it comes to commuting when compared to other European countries we analysed, with their travel time between jobs costing up to €4,738 each year.

In Italy, tilers could end up losing the most in time and money, up to €5,507 each year. However, bricklayers come second with the most valuable time when commuting, with distance between jobs totalling €5,438 annually.

Plumbers take the third spot, with travelling for jobs costing them around €5,187.

German tradespeople lose around €4,705 by travelling for jobs, with French tradespeople’s travel costing them a little less at €3,632.

Of the European countries we analysed, Spanish tradespeople's travel time could cost them around €3,115.

US tradespeople lose $6,707 on average every year travelling to jobs

Compared to the European countries, US tradespeople could miss out on $6,707 (or £5,290) by travelling to and from jobs - particularly as the roads continue to get busier and traffic piles up.

Travelling back and forth on those busy roads could cost plumbers in the US up to $8,223.

Electricians take second place in the US, with distances between jobs costing them up to $8,180. Similarly, a bricklayer's time on the road in the US could cost them $7,132.

Wages tend to be higher in the US, with the United States placing fourth in the countries ranked by average monthly salary after tax, so that explains why US tradespeople’s time could be more valuable when commuting.

Dubliners lost 158 hours on the road last year due to traffic

As mentioned, we are spending more time on the roads. According to the tomtom traffic index, drivers in Dublin lost 158 hours of their time in rush hour last year, taking the top spot of 387 cities worldwide analysed. London came in fifth, with 148 hours spent in rush hour traffic.

Of course, traffic isn’t going to just disappear but if you do have to spend large amounts of time travelling between jobs, there are things you can do to make the cost cheaper and to ensure the longevity of your van.

6 top tips for looking after your van and cutting costs

Traffic is part and parcel of the job, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find ways to cut costs with your van where possible, and even improve your driving when stuck in traffic to avoid any costly fixes.

1. Look for affordable van insurance each year

When it comes to your van, one of the most important things you can do is look for affordable van insurance. If you travel up and down the country, this will protect you if you are involved in an accident or even if your van is damaged or stolen on those trips.

There are different levels of van insurance, with fully comprehensive cover offering you the highest level of protection and peace of mind for those jobs where you have to travel long distances.

In some cases, accidents are unavoidable and often not your fault. However, claims-free driving does help to accumulate discounts. One year of no claims is around a 30% discount with this increasing the longer you drive claim-free.

2. Check your van daily to avoid unnecessary repair costs

Before you go to a job, walk around your van and give it the once over. As part of your daily checklist, you should:

• Ensure all doors are properly shut when leaving your van unattended
• Check the tyres are at the correct pressure (you can do this when filling up if you are unable to do this daily) and there aren’t any visible signs of damage on your tyres
• Make sure anything you are travelling with is secure in the van
• Anything attached to the van is secure
  

You should also do similar checks when in the van. If you notice anything at all, book it in to be seen as soon as possible to avoid any further risk to your van. A recent report found that the average repair bill for an unexpected fix is around £600. This could be saved by your daily checklists and ensuring nothing goes unnoticed and, if you spot something, get it checked immediately.

3. Don’t miss a van service

It’s tempting to miss a service for a job or even delay it, especially if you are busy, but as your van is your livelihood, it’s important to give it the care it needs. That means, taking your van for regular servicing to ensure everything is running as it should, at least, once a year. It might be wise to up that number if you do travel far for work.

Typically, a van service can cost anywhere upwards of £150. It’s also estimated that UK drivers spend around £1,300 on repairs and maintenance each year, with that one service potentially saving you hundreds by ensuring any issues are dealt with.

If for some reason your van does need to go in for a repair, as part of our van insurance extras, you can get a replacement van while yours is being repaired so you can keep working.

4. Keep it clean to avoid over £300 in costs

Cleaning your van is essential for preventing the likes of rust and, of course, showing the branding on your van clearly.  If you want people to call you, they need to see the number on the van. But did you know repairing rust on vehicles can cost over £300?

If you are travelling each day, a good practice is to clean your van, at least, fortnightly. This will also help ensure your visibility is clearer when driving and, of course, save hundreds of pounds in costly repairs and even further damage later down the line, which could even stop you from taking on jobs.

5. Check your tyres to avoid fines of up to £2,500

You should always check your tyres daily and certainly before travelling a long distance for jobs. Check they are in good condition and look for any bulges or splits or noticeable wear that rings alarm bells.

You should also maintain the habit of checking your tyre pressure. You could even do this when cleaning your van to get into the habit. Alongside the pressure, check your tyres meet the minimum tread depth of 1.6mm.

A good way to check the tread depth is by using a 20p coin and placing it in the tyre grooves. If the outer band of the coin can be seen, your tread depth may not be at the legal minimum. If you are stopped with tyres below this tread depth, you could be fined a staggering £2,500 per illegal tyre and receive three points on your licence.

6. Don’t run your fuel down and risk a replacement over £1,000

Keep your fuel tank around halfway or just above a quarter to prevent any damage to the fuel pump. It can be tempting to run fuel down until the dash light comes on but that can cause unnecessary damage to your van.

The cost of replacing a fuel pump can hit over £1,000, with the price rising depending on the model and the age of your van. If you continually run your fuel down, the likelihood of this needing to be replaced sooner will increase. So, taking measures to avoid this unnecessary damage can lead to significant savings.

If you have any questions on van insurance or the types of insurance we provide, get in touch with our expert team today.

Methodology:

Zego analysed 10 popular trade jobs, revealing hourly salaries based on Indeed data for the UK, USA, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. Following this, a poll was conducted with 160 tradespeople to determine the average daily time spent commuting between jobs. The findings indicated an average of 65.91 minutes spent on travel each day. This data was then used to calculate the potential annual loss incurred by travel. Additionally, the study explored the impact of spending just 10 minutes in daily traffic for each specific trade and country.