ECG Facilities Services has found a new app, which allows drivers to record their mileages and condition of their vehicles while out in the field,‘hugely beneficial'.

The company, based at Blantyre near Glasgow, provides building services maintenance, repair and refurbishment to commercial and industrial sectors across the UK.

It runs a mainly Vauxhall and Ford badged fleet of around 150 company cars and vans, which are managed by Fleet Alliance with some 80% on contract hire and 20% outright purchased.

ECG service engineers are constantly on the road across the UK visiting customers, but keep in touch with head office through the latest generation Samsung Galaxy S3 smart phones.

Tim Muir, operations health and safety manager at ECG, said the ability to record business mileage and the condition of vehicles remotely, without the need to be in front of a PC, was a great benefit to drivers and helped in the efficient running of the fleet.

He sadi: “Thanks to the new e-fleet mobile app, our drivers can easily upload their mileages and condition of their vehicles every month while away from the office.

"This helps me to keep a close eye on the mileages of all our vehicles to ensure we do not exceed our contracted mileages.

“When it is clear that some vehicles are getting close to their contract mileages, we then discuss with Fleet Alliance where can fine tune things and pool the mileages to avoid excess mileage charges.

“I also use the mileage information as part of a monthly report for our directors, and run an overdue mileage report from the e-fleet system to help send reminders to drivers to record their mileages.

"We now have around 95% of our drivers recording their mileages in this way,” he said.

Fleet Alliance’s new e-fleet mobile app allows company drivers to update mileages, electronically complete vehicle inspection reports and more easily access key support services from suppliers.

The new app is fully compatible with the latest iPhone, Android and Blackberry hand-held devices, and integrates with Fleet Alliance’s online e-fleet fleet management system.

The app is registration number specific and provides drivers with all the main contact numbers and access points for their individual car, covering a number of key support services including tyres, automotive glass, servicing, maintenance and breakdown and recovery.

Drivers can also electronically confirm the condition of their vehicles in vital areas such as fluid levels, tyre tread depths, lights and auto-glass, and that they are maintaining their vehicles to the standards laid down by their company, thereby providing a clear audit trail in line with health and safety requirements.

Martin Brown, managing director of Fleet Alliance, said: “We were delighted to help ECG manage its fleet more effectively and to avoid unnecessary excess mileage charges thanks to the accurate recording of business mileages through the use of e-fleet mobile.

“Our new e-fleet mobile web app provides company drivers with enhanced functionality to ensure their vehicles continue to operate effectively.

“They can access support services at the touch of a button, update mileage records remotely and electronically confirm they maintaining and servicing their vehicles as required.

"This in turn helps the fleet manager run the fleet more effectively in a number of key contact areas and through the effective recording of vital driver information.”

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