THE fleet industry will be unrecognisable in its present form within a few years as a result of Government policy, new taxes, changing personal attitudes to the car and the growing influence of public transport. A new report from the Centre for Automotive Industries Management at Nottingham Business School, backed by HSBC Vehicle Finance (UK), shows how fleet professionals believe the pressures placed on them are greater and the pace of change quicker than ever before.

They predict that fleets will be downsized as 'total remuneration cars are abandoned', car sharing will become more important with even the archetypal company car driver expected to use pool cars, and that green transport policies will become a key driver in fleet management. In the report, entitled 'Business Car Expectations: HSBC Fleet Survey 2000', author Peter Cooke, head of the CAIM, said: 'The message from employees is one of awareness that something is likely to happen to the existing organisation's fleet, whether removal and replacement by a cash allowance, down-sizing or selective culling of fleet cars.'

He forecast that the number of company cars is likely to fall, with management and perk cars the hardest hit. 'The core field car may survive the next culling - but could well be significantly downsized,' added Cooke. He suggests daily rental firms (that are already launching city car clubs) will fill the gaps in the company car parc, and says the trend will accelerate with the introduction of workplace parking levies. The survey questioned decision-makers representing some 72,000 business cars in public and private companies, subsidiaries and charities.