Future Of Fleet

TfL names Automotive Leasing as approved Electric Vehicle supplier

Administrator — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 13:02:09 +0000

Automotive Leasing, LeasePlan’s specialist public sector fleet services provider, has tendered for TfL’s new electric vehicle lease framework and been successful.

The new procurement agreement is designed to further the government’s plans to increase the uptake of electric vehicles in the capital. It should also reinforce London’s position as a global leader in green motoring technology. Vehicles from 16 approved suppliers will be available to the Greater London Authority and other public sector bodies.

LeasePlan was the first UK leasing company to add the fully electric Nissan Leaf to its order book and in April last year, Automotive Leasing provided Dumfries and Galloway council with the first Nissan Leaf to a UK council fleet and the first range extended Vauxhall Ampera to a UK Council this year.

Automotive Leasing’s supply capabilities also include the provision of electric sweepers and other municipal vehicles. Tim Meadows, director at Automotive Leasing said: “We’re delighted to be named in the latest framework. It reflects our long-standing commitment to the environment and providing cost effective, innovative public sector leasing solutions.”

Minimising vehicle off road time for commercial fleets

Administrator — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 12:58:13 +0000

New product offers customers greater control over commercial vehicle fleets.

The new offer, UPtime, allows fleet managers to maximise the efficiency of their commercial vehicle fleets by continuously tracking maintenance and repair requirements. Using in-vehicle telematics, the UPtime solution transmits performance updates to LeasePlan’s dedicated commercial vehicle team every 24 hours. All routine MOTs and repairs are then automatically co-ordinated through the LeasePlan service network.
The UPtime solution also maintains electronic copies of MOT documents and all service, maintenance and repair work carried out, to ensure each vehicle is fully compliant with existing legislation.
A three month trial with 20 customer vehicles shows that UPtime can generate over 60 per cent cost savings clients, primarily stemming from an overall reduction in vehicle downtime.
Mark Lovett, Head of Commercial vehicles, said, “We’ve listened to fleet managers who tell us vehicle downtime is the biggest challenge faced by CV fleets. We have designed a specific solution to address this issue while driving down costs and reducing the administrative load associated with this type of vehicle. Our goal is to significantly reduce downtime for fleets.
“We’re really excited by its potential to transform commercial vehicle fleet management for our customers
“The launch of UPtime is central to our commitment to growing our specialist expertise in the CV sector. Backed by a fantastic commercial vehicle team with a wealth of experience, we are confident that existing clients and prospects alike will be able to benefit hugely from UPtime’s capabilities.”
-ENDS-

West Lothian Council powers on electric Ampera

Administrator — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 12:50:23 +0000

Range-extended Vauxhall Amperas offer drivers increased flexibility and lower emissions
West Lothian Council has become the first council in the UK to add an electric Vauxhall Ampera to its fleet. The announcement follows the signing of an innovative leasing agreement with Automotive Leasing, the specialist public sector division of fleet management company LeasePlan.
Cairngorms National Park and Highland Council, both in Scotland, have also ordered Amperas for delivery later this summer.
Automotive Leasing is providing the vehicle to West Lothian Council on a 5 year deal. The Ampera is Vauxhall’s new extended range electric vehicle, which features a petrol engine as a generator for the electric battery.
The car can travel up to 50 miles on battery alone then an additional 310 miles using the petrol generator.
The deal forms part of LeasePlan’s ongoing support for greener motoring, which saw it become the first UK leasing company to lease the fully electric Nissan Leaf in 2010. Automotive Leasing has also supplied a number of electric sweepers to councils around the UK.
West Lothian council was able to acquire the Ampera through funding from Transport Scotland, as part of a £4.3 million initiative to make sustainable transport more accessible for Scotland’s public services. The grant provides bridging funding to cover the difference in cost between purchasing conventionally-powered cars and low carbon or electric vehicles.
This deal was negotiated as part of an ongoing relationship between the Council and Automotive Leasing. The Ampera will be added to the Council’s existing 300 vehicles in the Green Transport fleet.
Steve Wallis, Vehicle Supply Relationship Executive, LeasePlan, said: “We are delighted to be working with West Lothian Council to provide this acclaimed green vehicle on an innovative and cost-effective financing deal.
“LeasePlan is always looking for new ways to enable organisations to reduce the carbon footprint associated with their fleet operations. We will be working closely with council drivers to hear their first-hand experiences of operating an electric fleet vehicle to allow us to continue to improve our service.”
Tom Conn, West Lothian Council’s Executive councillor for the environment, said:
“The Ampera will be a welcome addition to our electric fleet and will provide a reduction in operating costs as well as carbon savings.
“West Lothian Council is fully committed to reducing our carbon emissions and we’re delighted to have this new vehicle available for staff members to use. It’s part of our overall aim to encourage more sustainable forms of transport for work related travel.”
ENDS

Will you help us to Define the Future of Fleet?

Administrator — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 12:38:38 +0000

TUESDAY 17TH JULY 2012, THINKTANK, MILLENIUM POINT, BIRMINGHAM
With the help of key public sector decision makers, influencers and operators, this summer’s must attend event will create a unique platform for debating the issues that matter most to you. As well as sharing best practice aims, guidelines and experiences we will look to define the future of fleet within the public sector.
You are invited to join a select group of fleet decision makers to actively take part in determining innovative solutions built around your own needs, expectations and aspirations.
Keynote speaker Dr. James Bellini, a leading Futurologist, Author and Speaker will lead a lively debate on the political and economic challenges being faced by public sector fleet professionals.
You will then have the opportunity to consult with industry experts on a one-to-one basis and discuss real solutions related to your personal fleet objectives.
There will be a strong focus on understanding the key fleet issues affecting public sector organisations. This knowledge will then be used to explore how you can meet the demands of today whilst preparing for the needs of tomorrow.
Our unique, free of charge event will include a mix of presentations, expert panel discussion forums and audience engagement to create a dynamic flow of ideas and interactions, the results of which will be yours to take away.
To reserve your space REGISTER HERE or to learn more about what to expect on the day, please visit our event microsite: http://www.automotive-leasing.org/future
Alternatively you can speak to a member of our expert team on 0844 493 5840 or simply email futureoffleet@automotive-leasing.co.uk

Care workers and community drivers benefit from red tape cut

Administrator — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 13:56:29 +0000

After we highlighted the Department for Transport’s pledge to cut red tape in a previous blog post, we were interested to see a further announcement from transport minister Norman Baker which looks set to continue this trend.

His statement, released on the government news distribution service offered new guidelines to end confusion created by minicab laws that were implemented in 2006. Under these laws many drivers of patient transport services and carers were being classified as minicab drivers, and as a result had to register as such before the council could allow them to provide lifts.

Norman Baker said; “Clearly carers getting people to the doctor are not minicab drivers. I hope that by publishing this new guidance today these people will be able to get on with their vital activities, without the hassle or cost of getting a minicab licence.”

The government guidelines outline that the following groups should be exempt from having to license their vehicle:

Private ambulances, including emergency vehicles and vehicles which operate as part of a formal patient transport service;

Volunteers who share their car or provide lifts as part of their voluntary duties;

Care and support worker services, including those who care for adults in their own homes, in community settings or in residential or nursing care homes;

Childminders who carry children as passengers as part of their duties;

Rental car companies and garages offering ‘courtesy lift’ services for customers, for example whilst their car is in for repair.

For public sector fleet operators, the continued government focus on cutting the red tape associated with motoring should come as a welcome process, and we look forward to further developments as a result of this initiative in the coming months.

Drivers Remain Key to Accident Prevention

Administrator — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 15:19:58 +0000

At the end of last month the Department for Transport announced that road deaths in the UK have dropped below 2,000. Based on the figures for 2010, the figure of 1,857 fatalities over the course of the year represents the lowest total since records began in 1926.

This is a remarkable statistic given that there are now over 31,000,000 cars on the UK’s roads, compared with just over a million in 1930. The steadily declining fatality rate owes much to technology; the introduction of simple measures such as ‘cat’s eyes’ and compulsory seatbelts were key developments in ensuring a steady drop in fatalities throughout the latter years of the 20th century.

Technological Progress

Continuing advances in the field of safety is something that manufacturers often pride themselves on, and with the developments of airbags and electronic stability programmes, cars are certainly safer than ever before. Interestingly, despite these developments, there has been relatively little research into whether drivers themselves are safer than in years gone by.

Human error still accounts for between 90-95% of all car accidents, and it would seem that in-car innovations are not necessarily preventing accidents from happening, but instead are reducing the after-effects. For this reason, it would seem logical that drivers are trained to higher standards.

Over the past few years there have been various suggestions that the driving age should be raised to 18, that older drivers should be retested or that speed limits should be changed. Any one of these measures would have proved contentious, but with regard to safer driving, fleet managers have an opportunity to ensure that their staff are amongst the best educated on the roads, without attracting such controversy.

With around 10% of UK traffic being made up of company cars, and approximately 1 in 3 involved in an accident annually, increased training could help to lower these statistics further and help to re-define business drivers as the safest and greenest drivers on the roads today.

Gridlock Britain

Administrator — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 12:20:28 +0000

The Daily Express has reported that the UK’s roads are some of the most gridlocked in Europe. This news will be unsurprising but worrying for fleet managers, as delays can be costly to business, both in terms of time, and fuel used.

Unsurprisingly London came out as the worst UK City in terms of congestion, with 34.5 per cent of main roads at a crawl during the day. Perhaps one of the more surreal comparisons afforded to the speed of London’s traffic has been the assertion, from Thisislocallondon, that the average speed of traffic in the Capital was the same as a running chicken.

Interestingly, the problems seen in London come despite ONS statistics that suggest 43 per cent of Londoners do not have any access to a car.

As well as the problems suffered by London, several other UK cities were placed in the top 20 for jams. Surprisingly Edinburgh, despite its relatively small population of less than half a million, was the second most congested UK city at number seven. Manchester took third, in tenth place overall.

Outside of the UK, only Brussels and Warsaw were more congested, however it should be noted that France had four cities inside the top ten, with Toulouse, Lyon, Marseille and Paris all scoring poorly.

This research makes worrying reading, and Automotive Leasing would always advise planning routes before travel to help avoid traffic hotspots. To a degree, traffic jams are an inevitable part of a business driver’s day, but efficient driving and better vehicle choice can help mitigate the increased fuel expenditure that is associated with long periods in slow-moving traffic.

Council Reclassifies Pot-Holes to Cut Costs

Administrator — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 12:18:40 +0000

Lambeth council in London recently announced that potholes under 40mm in depth will no longer be filled in, according to a report in The Telegraph. This marks a significant shift, as previously holes as shallow as 25mm were classed as potholes requiring action. The new measure is designed to cut costs, and coincides with parliamentary research that suggested the cost of repairing every pothole on Britain’s roads has soared to over £13 billion.

Repair costs have been exacerbated by last winter’s record low temperatures which contributed to the overall decay of road surfaces around the UK. The worst roads for potholes in the UK have been revealed, with Northumberland’s B6343 and Holme’s Fieldhead Lane in West Yorkshire achieving the dubious honour.
The Telegraph goes on to report that there are now estimated to be 10 potholes for every mile of road, which totals around 1.6 million across England.

Concern

This is an increasing concern to business drivers, who are likely to come across hundreds of potholes in their daily travel. If more councils follow Lambeth’s example in restricting repairs, fleet managers may see an increase in the amount of damage done to vehicles by these deeper holes.

LeasePlan UK’s CEO, David Brennan, has been vocal in advocating greater investment in Britain’s roads. Following the budgetary allocation of an additional £100 million for pothole repair in March, he commented this was likely to be nothing more than a “drop in the ocean.”

The Car Is Still King

Administrator — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 08:56:22 +0000

The overriding importance of the car over other modes of transport to keeping Britain moving is underlined by recent ONS data showing that more than three in four Britons outside London go to work by car. The Times (£) reports that car use by commuters is 76 per cent in the rest of the UK but only 35 per cent in the capital. Outside London 6 per cent go to work by bus and a mere 2 per cent by train, while in London the figures are 12 per cent and 20 per cent respectively. 18 per cent use the Tube.

The figures are from the back end of 2009 when the country was in the depth of recession but the car is undoubtedly still king when it comes to getting Britain to and from work. If you don’t live in an urban hub or within easy reach of practical public transport, the simple truth is that the car is the best way to get to work.

As well as taking measures to encourage greater use of public transport, policy chiefs should be freeing up the roads to get the economy moving as a priority.

Council Reclassifies Pot-Holes to Cut Costs

Administrator — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 08:51:42 +0000

Lambeth council in London recently announced that potholes under 40mm in depth will no longer be filled in, according to a report in The Telegraph. This marks a significant shift, as previously holes as shallow as 25mm were classed as potholes requiring action. The new measure is designed to cut costs, and coincides with parliamentary research that suggested the cost of repairing every pothole on Britain’s roads has soared to over £13 billion.

The Telegraph goes on to report that there are now estimated to be 10 potholes for every mile of road, which totals around 1.6 million across England.