MORE than 50 major UK fleets operating 250,000 vehicles have joined Ford's computer controlled central billing invoicing programme. The new service marks the third phase of Ford Customer Service Division's fleet development programme first launched in 1994. Participating fleets will receive a single weekly EDI or paper invoice via Ford for all their vehicle servicing and maintenance work, instead of thousands of separate garage bills.

Companies which have so far joined the scheme operate a total of 140,000 Ford vehicles, and include Hertz, Ford Contract Motoring, Northgate Motor Holdings, TLS Self Drive, Arnold Clark Finance, Fleetlease, EuroDollar, ACL. Tesco, Legal and General, Tarmac and Balfour Beatty. The service is available through virtually all Ford main dealers and every Rapid Fit centre making 420 service outlets in total. Under the system invoice data collected electronically from participating dealers will be processed and validated centrally by Ford at no cost. With each invoice customers will receive a report tailored to their needs, detailing each vehicle repair.

While Vauxhall was the first manufacturer to launch central billing to fleets (Fleet News March 3, 1995), Ford claims it is the only vehicle manufacturer offering fleet customers free EDI computer-driven central billing. The first phase of Ford Customers Service Division's fleet development programme saw the 1994 launch of consistent national pricing for tyres and brakes. It was extended last year to exhausts, shock absorbers, alternators, starters and regional servicing. This year national pricing on brake discs has been added.