Police fleet managers already make major savings
With regard to your article (May 28) in relation to VT looking to take over public sector fleets on a lease back with maintenance provision.
The National Association of Police Fleet Managers, working in conjunction with the National Police Improvement Agency (NPIA) and ACPO Procurement, has led the way in driving down the cost of UK police fleets through a range of frameworks for the supply of police vehicles, tyres, windscreens, lubricants, vehicle disposal, light bars, etc. These are estimated to save the UK police service in the region of £41 million annually.
Other regional collaborative initiatives with regard to sharing of good practice, staff training, regional manufacturers’ technical meetings have also culminated in cost savings.
The NAPFM has been instrumental in working with a variety of organisations, as well as vehicle manufactures and converters, in order to reduce operational costs, improve efficacy, to address risk management issues, as well as environmental impact while ensuring optimum vehicle availability to the frontline and the lowest costs.
The police service continually looks to review its position in relation to vehicle fleets and has considered the option of leasing vis-à-vis outright purchase.
It is accepted that a number of police forces lease a small number of vehicles utilising pan-government frameworks. However this is not seen as the norm, as the vast majority of forces outright purchase utilising the call off arrangements. The current frameworks offer substantial savings to the UK police service.
The majority of police fleet management/maintenance and repair operations utilising the NPIA contracts deliver significant cost savings through the NPIA frameworks. It is also important to remember that there are no private sector profit costs to consider.
I think the track record of those police fleet managers who have received Fleet News Awards highlights the level of professionalism within the police fleet arena. However, we are not blinkered and cannot be complacent, so there is always room for continued improvement, and to assess options.
John Bradley MBE
Press officer, National Association of Police Fleet Managers
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Split maintenance from contracts
Having read your original story on garage rip-offs and then the letters and comments published (Fleet News, June 4), I find it very difficult to believe the responses.
We operate approximately 10,000 vehicles in the UK and we carefully monitor our garage suppliers. Our findings show that one in five jobs are mischarged when submitted for authority.
We can also confirm that this ratio does not change whether you are a leasing or fleet management company or an end-user. In actual fact, we believe that the ratio worsens for leasing companies.
We would urge every fleet operator to look at splitting the maintenance from their contracts as they will be surprised at the results in terms of both cost and service levels.
Unfortunately, the problem with dealers is that the vast majority can not be trusted to tell the truth as they have targets to reach and work is either completely made up or done prematurely.
Simon Hill
Total Motion Vehicle Management
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Realism needed
Banning our drivers from using mobile phones while driving (Experts’ view, Fleet News, May 14) will not prevent all of them from doing so.
Knowing this and deciding not to fit hands-free kits to all company vehicles is irresponsible. We have to take account of how our drivers behave in reality.
By trying to reduce one risk I am not sure whether sometimes you are not creating another risk elsewhere.
Given a choice between banning something and educating people to change I know what I would go for.
John Scott
Group finance director, Carter Thermals Industries
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