If there was ever a time to run a leaner, greener fleet, that time is now.
The entrants into this year's Fleet Hero Awards amply demonstrate that getting to grips with your fleet is a sure-fire route to cutting costs. Even low-tech measures, such as smarter driver training, can cut fuel bills by up to 15%, while investments in video-conferencing equipment, tracking systems and in-car carbon reporting software quickly pay dividends in lower mileage.
Fleets in the past year have found it easier than they would have a couple of years ago to bring in wholesale changes such as pool cars, lower mileage allowances and restrictions on car choice as employees realised that the economic climate meant that savings had to be found somewhere. As Julie Jenner, chair of the Association of Car Fleet Operators, and one of the judges of the awards, says: "Last year most employees were grateful they still had a job. It was a good time to make changes."
Fleet managers have been helped by car manufacturers, such as BMW, driving down emissions across their entire range so that going green is no longer a hardship. They have also been helped by HM Revenue & Customs, which rewards fleets that choose lower emitting cars through tax and national insurance contributions.
Ian Featherstone, fleet advice manager for the Energy Saving Trust, says: "It all comes down to pounds. If you implement green fleet management practices you will save money."
