Nine-in-10 drivers believe they are getting a good service from their fleet manager, according to a recent survey.

It is a ringing endorsement for a profession that has had to adapt to significant changes in the industry.

Legislation has highlighted duty-of-care responsibilities, while environmental issues have come to the fore putting even greater scrutiny on car choice and driving style.

“To achieve a 90% positive service response is excellent,” says Chris Chandler, associate director strategic fleet consultancy at Lex Autolease.

“The hard work that is being put in by fleet personnel whether in-house or externally is clearly paying off.”

Fleet News joined forces with Lex Autolease to question more than 200 at-work drivers on a range of fleet-related subjects to ascertain their level of knowledge.

At one end of the scale it looked at drivers understanding of what they are expected to do in the event of a puncture or a breakdown, while at the other it asked them if they knew what the company’s mobile phone policy was and how not adhering to it could result in them falling foul of the law.

“Fleet policies and procedures are extremely important and it is essential that they are read and understood by fleet drivers,” says independent fleet consultant Professor Colin Tourick.

Communication between fleet manager and driver is key, and this interaction normally starts with the driver handbook.

The survey asked drivers whether they had read the handbook or driving at work policy and 86% of respondents said they had, while 14% had not.

“It’s always difficult to get drivers to read the handbook, because it’s simply something that people don’t want to sit down and read,” explains Chandler.

Click here to see the result of the survey.