LEX Vehicle Leasing has signed the largest vehicle management contract in its 39-year history - a sole supply deal with Avis Rent a Car to manage the maintenance on its average fleet of 22,000 short-term rental vehicles. The contract takes the number of vehicles on Lex Vehicle Leasing's fleet to almost 120,000 and involves Lex servicing Avis rental cars from 19 different manufacturers.

The vehicles are run out of 180 locations in the UK and Northern Ireland. The deal will ensure that each vehicle is serviced in line with manufacturer intervals before being defleeted. Under the terms of the contract - which replaces an in-house arrangement - each car will be serviced and back on the road within 24 hours of the fleet management system identifying that the car needs servicing.

Paul Lynn, manager of Avis's car fleet maintenance centre, said: 'We opted for this arrangement to maximise the utilisation of the fleet and minimise vehicle downtime. Lex offered us a one-stop shop facility and this deal will build upon the successful relationship we already have with Lex.'