ACFO is hoping to recruit new members with publication of the second in a series of helpful guides designed to influence fleet and travel policies.

The guide - ‘From A to B: The ACFO Guide to Journey Planning’ - is designed to provide a thought-provoking basis from which public, private and voluntary sector organisations can look at just how effective - and sustainable - their existing mobility options are.

Initially launched to ACFO members only, the guide can now be downloaded free of charge as a pdf document from the link on the main home page of the ACFO web site - www.acfo.org. There are also limited supplies of the printed version available on request from the ACFO Secretariat by email - info@acfo.org - or telephone - 01730 260162.

The guide has been published following last year’s launch of the ‘ACFO Best Practice Guide to Employee Driving Document Checking’, which remains available for download from the ACFO website or as a printed version from the Secretariat.

ACFO Membership Secretary Stewart Whyte said: “More than 3,000 copies of the document checking guide have been requested since we made it available to non ACFO members and we anticipate significant demand for the journey planning guide.

“Early accessibility to such guides are just one of the many benefits of ACFO membership. We hope that people requesting them will see their usefulness and realise that joining ACFO delivers a wide range of other benefits.”

The 28-page guide suggests that corporate travel - whether by company car, employee’s own car, hire car, public transport, motorbike, bicycle or indeed car share should be overseen by a ‘business mobility manager’, who could also influence the increased use of technology-based solutions to travel - telephone and video conferencing, instant messaging and Voice over Internet Protocol - as well as smart working.

Historically, the car has always been the preferred form of travel for the vast majority of business meetings and appointments. But this is not always the optimum option in terms of cost, time, reducing risk exposure or carbon-cutting, for example.

ACFO chairman Julie Jenner said: “This guide is not about reducing business travel - although clearly that may be possible. But as a direct result of reading the publication, employees in charge of corporate travel maybe able to implement positive changes that also lead to improved corporate efficiency.”

Julie added: “Central to the business mobility decision-making process should be a desire by employers to reduce travel costs, reduce their carbon footprint and reduce the risk exposure of the organisation and staff. That means for the majority of employers a radical overhaul of how work-related travel is presently conducted.

“Simultaneously, employers must ensure that both they and their employees have all the information available to make a clear decision on whether to travel by car, train or plane; whether to use a company car, their own or a hire vehicle; for short journeys whether to walk, cycle or use public transport; or alternatively whether car share, taxi or one of the many technology options such as video or tele-conferencing are viable.

“The opportunities for employers to implement a diverse, multi-faceted, sustainable mobility plan and display corporate social responsibility have never been greater.”

ACFO says that the guide does not differentiate between ‘right and wrong’ Indeed, concluded Julie: “It can be argued that there is no right or wrong. ACFO has compiled the guide to serve as a reminder of the key issues that need to be focused upon when implementing a true business mobility strategy that will cut costs and improve business efficiency and effectiveness.”