New pool vehicle booking tool launched by Jaama

Jaama has launched a new driver pool vehicle booking portal module for its Key2 system to help fleets end grey fleet use.

Employees using their own vehicles - known as the ‘grey’ fleet’ - on work-related journeys is a major issue for both public and private sector fleets.

Industry data suggests that there are approximately 14 million ‘grey fleet’ vehicles in the UK today, compared with, according to Office for National Statistics’ data, 890,000 company cars.

Jaama managing director Martin Evans (pictured) said: “Vast amounts of fleet industry research over many years suggests that ‘grey fleet’ management is a major headache for fleet decision-makers notably in respect of cost, risk management and corporate social responsibility.

“Jaama has always provided Key2 users with tools to undertake compliance checks on ‘grey fleet’ vehicles and their drivers as we believe they should be as robust as in respect of drivers at the wheel of company-provided vehicles and those cars and commercial vehicles.”

He continued: “Amid concerns about employees driving their own vehicles on business trips, launch of Key2 Pool Vehicle Booking System is designed to make booking a pool vehicle as easy as possible for drivers and simultaneously banish ‘grey fleet’ usage.”

Having accessed the Key2 Pool Vehicle Booking System, drivers can make a booking for a specific journey and subsequently view and amend if necessary. Additionally, employees with the appropriate permission, can book pool vehicles on behalf of colleagues.

The portal will:

• Ascertain journey criteria from the booking wizard (including if an employee is able to car share, the number of passengers and if it’s a suitable journey for an electric vehicle) allocate the most suitable pool vehicle.
• Display any requirement for out of hours’ vehicle key collection instructions to a driver by configuring, for example, depot opening times.
• Automatically display and monitor pool vehicle availability and status.
• In the event of a suitable pool vehicle not being available for the date and time of a journey, issue a driver with a mileage claim reference number for a personal mileage claim to be made.
• Record if any passengers are over 65 years old or disabled.

Furthermore, Key2 users are able to store Section 19 Permit numbers - a Section 19 Permit is required by all not-for-profit educational and other organisation, so they don’t have to have a public service vehicle operator’s licence - to enable a minibus or similar larger vehicle to be booked.