COMPANY car drivers have learnt more about the changes to company car tax through the newspapers and television than through their own fleet departments, a major survey claims.

The RAC Report on Motoring 2002, unveiled on Tuesday, said 63% of company car drivers found out about tax changes through the media, while only 15% claimed they had learned through their employers. It also revealed that only 25% of the 174 company car drivers questioned intend to change the size or type of their car in the next three years as a result of taxation changes.

Of those not changing their vehicles, 21% did not have a direct choice, 14% needed a specific size of vehicle, 12% did not care about the costs and 18% did not care about the environment. Only a fifth of those surveyed said they would consider driving an alternatively-fuelled vehicle in the next three years.

The survey claimed that only 53 of the 174 drivers (30%) questioned knew about the changes to company car tax.

However, a survey of 11,583 company car drivers carried out as part of a Fleet News/Ford survey last year revealed awareness of the tax changes at more than 90%.

The RAC Report on Motoring 2002 also revealed that motorists are wedded to their cars more than ever, despite Government efforts to promote alternative transport. In a warning for the future, 74% of teenage pre-drivers already consider themselves reliant on the car.

In keeping with findings in previous surveys during the report's 14-year history, 77% of company car drivers said the vehicle was an essential part of their job.

  • Copies of the report cost £495 and are available by calling Alex Phillips on 01454 208273.