Luton Council to share fleet and workshop best practice

Best practice fleet management initiatives have been introduced by Luton Borough Council’s transport department with the help of software from leading provider Jaama - and now the council is to share its processes and ‘lean working principles’ with other public sector organisations.

Jaama is holding a Public Sector Fleet Management Software Workshop in association with the Council on Tuesday, March 15. The free Workshop takes place at the Chiltern Hotel in Luton but will also include a visit to the Council’s transport department to see Jaama’s Key2 Vehicle Management system in action.

Now Council transport manager Don Allison believes the approach the local authority has taken can become a blueprint for fleet and transport departments at other councils and public sector organisations.

He said: “We needed to change our processes and working practices and have found that Jaama’s flexible software is ideally suited. With the introduction of ‘lean principles’ we have removed duplication and waste and have made significant efficiency savings.”

As a result, the transport department has recently won a number of awards from the Council including for generating income for the authority through the use of its workshops for the maintenance and repair of vehicles operated by local businesses. Additionally, it was the runner-up in the award for most efficient Council department.

Allison said: “The transport department has made significant improvements in terms of productivity, efficiency and income generation. The public sector is under huge financial pressure and we want to share our best practice initiatives with other organisations.”

The Freight Transport Association manages an online Public Authority Transport Network (PATN) which is used by managers to exchange ideas and best practice.

Allison said: “I am a prominent contributor to the PATN forum because I believe that it is important that we share best practice. Everyone can learn from each other and ideas and solutions to problems should be shared, particularly in the economic climate within which we all operate.”