Fleet briefs: Latest industry news from FleetCheck, Fleet Assist, Driving for Better Business, Avis Budget Group and the VRA

Free fleet software launched by FleetCheck

New fleet software has been launched by FleetCheck that can be adopted for free by any business that operates cars and vans.

Called DriverLite, it is based on FleetCheck’s Driver, introduced in 2017 and to date used by 1,053 fleets to carry out more than 20 million vehicle inspections.

Features include free inspection check sheets for an unlimited number of drivers and vehicles, visibility of how long each pre-use inspection takes, missed inspections, evidence of damage and defects, an audit trail of inspections, mileage collection for SMR schedules, a driver’s toolkit with read receipts, and a multi-language user interface.

Peter Golding (pictured), managing director at FleetCheck, said: “DriverLite contains everything that a fleet needs to ensure they are meeting their fundamental legal requirements when it comes to vehicle inspections.”

DriverLite also includes a Driver Toolkit developed in conjunction with National Highways as part of their Driving for Better Business programme, providing safety advice for drivers in areas such as driving licences, road safely, fitness to drive, seasonal driving, restrictions, smarter driving and driving safety.

Fleet Assist announces a record 2023

Fleet Assist has reported a record year of trading volumes as it grew its customer fleet to 1.3 million units.

Its annual service, maintenance and repair (SMR) spend in now in excess of £173m and it now has 48 customers.

Fleet Assist’s MD Vincent St Claire (pictured) says the secret to its success is its expert team who have SMR deeply rooted in their DNA which ensure it keeps one step ahead of customer needs whilst adding value to their SMR operations.

“We are very proud of 2023’s performance,” he added. “We keep evolving our proposition based on the fast-moving market whilst not ignoring the fact the majority of fleets are still ICE vehicles.

“We have also retained our strategy of providing business intelligence data to both our customers and garage network free of charge.

“This data continues to prove very valuable as leasing companies and garages alike manage the changing SMR needs of their customers’ electric cars and LCVs.”

One of the new initiatives Fleet Assist has launched to help manage the specific needs of EV drivers has been mobile servicing. Its 400 mobile units are being trialled across multiple lease, rental, salary sacrifice and subscription customers.

It has also announced a new service for leasing and rental fleets who wish to have a garage that isn’t on the Fleet Assist network scrutinised by its audit process.

CBES partners with Driving for Better Business

City Building Engineering Services (CBES) has partnered with National Highways Driving for Better Business (DfBB).

Operating more than 350 vans, plus around 120 grey fleet vehicles, Duncan McNicol, head of risk and compliance at CBES, said: “We have our brand name on the side of the vehicle and we work with well-known customers. We cannot afford the reputational damage from unsafe driving. However, fundamentally it’s about keeping everyone safe.”

In an effort to reduce risk, the company is using telematics to capture real world performance data and presenting key safety metrics for the whole organisation, not just the fleet, to ensure divisional ownership and leadership from the fleet operators.

While also recognising and rewarding great performance by drivers, it is identifying poor driving behaviour and having face-to-face discussions with drivers.

McNichol said: “I like the tools and resources Driving for Better Business makes available to facilitate communication and dialogue with our drivers.

“We do a lot of safety-based education and the toolbox talks and videos fit well within that. We use one a month to support other messaging, as well as when topical, such as driving in bad weather.”

National Highways’ DfBB lead, Anne-Marie Penny, said: “By becoming a partner, CBESs will have access to a range of free resources, guides and tools.

“These will help deliver significant reductions in its operating costs, such as: collision repair; maintenance; fleet insurance and excesses; third party claims; fuel use and emissions; business mileage claims; replacement staff and vehicles; and the sheer costs of employee time.”

Avis Budget Group to open new car rental at airport

Avis Budget Group will open a new permanent car rental location at East Midlands Airport from March 17. 

The store will initially open as a temporary location within the airport grounds in March before the permanent location is opened with full Avis Budget branding.

Avis Budget Group previously operated from East Midlands Airport until 2020 and the new opening marks a return to the region for the company.  

Alan Olivier-Smith, Avis Budget Group UK general manager, said: “East Midlands Airport is a great connecting point for Birmingham, Nottingham and the Midlands as a whole, and our new location will offer reliable services for those arriving at the airport from afar as well as the surrounding areas.”  

VRA to examine fleet disposal strategies

New fleet disposal strategies are the theme of next month’s Vehicle Remarketing Association (VRA), taking place in Derby on March 21.

Setting the scene will be Max Goldsmith, business development executive at Epyx, examining how fleets are now making use of a wider number of remarketing channels in an increasingly sophisticated manner.

There will also be a panel discussion featuring major fleet operators including Stuart Chamberlain, head of B2B and partnerships at Arval UK, David Watkins, commercial director of Greenhous Fleet Services, and Vicky Malcolm, relationship director at Motability Operations.

An update on the used vehicle market will follow from Andy Shields, global business unit director, of Indicata, and a question-and-answer session involving two new VRA members, Martin Mullender, commercial director of All Counties Vehicle Logistics and Tom Brennan, country manager of NVD UK.

VRA chair Philip Nothard said: “March’s meeting looks at one of the most pressing issues in remarketing. Major fleets are the most significant source of primary supply into the used car sector and have been working hard to maximise returns in the face of falling vehicle values.

“We’ll be looking in detail at how they are responding to this scenario and what this means for the remarketing sector. It promises to be a really interesting session.”

The meeting will also include an update from VRA board member Marcus Blakemore, chair of the organisation’s industry trends sub-committee.

Details about attending the organisation’s events can be obtained by emailing info@thevra.co.uk.