Fleet briefs: Latest from ATS Euromaster, Licence Check and ABAX

ATS Euromaster stocks up on EV tyres, but warns fleets will face additional costs

ATS Euromaster has said it is ensuring that its network of tyre and maintenance centres is ‘electric vehicle (EV) ready’ as it stocks up on electric car tyres.

However, the company has warned that fleet costs will increase as replacement tyres will need to be axle-matched to ensure optimal performance and safe and efficient running.

Mark Holland, operations director at ATS Euromaster, said: “With EV replacement tyres, because they are made to a different specification to meet the increased vehicle weight EVs and feature improved rolling resistance for better battery range, it is critical to change both tyres on the same axle.

“This is a recommendation from both vehicle and tyre manufacturers. EV tyres are constructed to be narrower and taller to offer drivers improved rolling resistance and to take extra load of the batteries, so it is important to maintain the correct balance between tyres on the same axle. It means that a fleet car suffering a puncture in some cases will need two tyre replacements, instead of one.

“While, axle matching is always best practice, replacing a tyre with a like-for-like tyre that matches the good tyre on the axle one tyre would be sufficient. However, it is inevitable that fleet maintenance costs will increase as a result.”

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Licence Check confirmed in DVLA annual figures

Licence Check has been confirmed in the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) annual figures.

The company, part of the Ebbon Group, recorded a total of 851,092 licence checks through its DAVIS (Driver and Vehicle Information Solution) platform between April 2021 and March this year, the highest of any licence checking business in the UK and a 28% increase over the previous year, it said.

The results for the 2021/22 financial year also included a record single month when, in March this year, Licence Check carried out more than 87,270 licence checks through DAVIS – a new high for a single month, up 32% compared with the same month last year.

Keith Allen, managing director (MD) at Licence Check, said: “Following the release of financial year figures from the DVLA, we can now confirm we have achieved the number one spot in the UK licence checking arena for the first time, having processed more licence checks than any other provider in three of the four quarters in the last financial year.

“This is brilliant news and a fitting reward for the huge amount of work carried out by our highly talented team, following continuous growth over the last three to five years.”

Zego and Ryde partner to provide flexible insurance to delivery fleet

Zego and Ryde have partnered to offer Ryde couriers flexible insurance products.

The partnership enables Ryde to introduce insurance management tools across its platform. As part of the partnership, Ryde’s riders and drivers will access Zego’s monthly, annual, and flexible policies.

The collaboration sees Zego integrate its bespoke insurance validation API into Ryde’s platform.

The functionality is set to allow Ryde help “simplify” the onboarding process of new drivers while ensuring the fleet of drivers has valid insurance in place, the company said.

The company also said the integration will also help remove the possibility of insurance fraud.

Duncan Mitchell, CEO at Ryde, said: “While we focus on growing our network, it is important to have this partnership with Zego to focus fully on our mission, knowing insurance is covered.”

Sten Saar, CEO at Zego, added: “Our partnership with Ryde is a textbook example of why we started Zego. Via our API integration, we will be able to give Ryde’s fleet managers hours back a week while ensuring that their fleet has access to a cost-effective, flexible insurance solution.”

CMAC partners with Trees4Travel

CMAC Group has announced a partnership with Trees4Travel, an initiative launched to achieve carbon-neutral, trackable, business travel.

Through the partnership, Trees4Travel will calculate and grow the number of trees necessary to absorb the CO2 emissions produced by CMAC employees during travel, alongside facilities and events, helping to restore eco-systems, biodiversity, and support local communities through employment.

CMAC said its customers can also benefit from the partnership, with the firm able to facilitate tree growing projects on their behalf, neutralising emissions based on the journeys their travellers take through their managed ground transport solutions.

Peter Slater, CMAC group CEO, said: “Sustainability in business travel is playing an increasing role in how organisations think about social responsibility and how they manage day-to-day operations.

“We are committed to adopting sustainable working policies and practices which encourage our employees to lessen their impact on the environment and, in 2022, we were accredited with ISO 14001.

“We are also introducing a range of new environmental initiatives which support our clients’ approaches to sustainability, such as Trees4Travel, whilst still ensuring they have access to flexible vehicle solutions and full location coverage.”

ChargePlace Scotland joins Paua EV charge card

ChargePlace Scotland (CPS) has partnered with EV fleet fuel card provider Paua to provide a roaming solution for the Great British EV Rally.

The company said it is the first step in what could become a long-term partnership with CPS, enabling business drivers using the Paua platform to access multiple Scottish charging networks via a single solution that can take them from Lerwick to Berwick.

Paua is an EV charge card sponsor of the rally, which runs from John O’Groats to Land’s End, and will provide drivers in the rally the ability to charge with one card from one end of the country to the other.

Chris Waldron, head of low carbon consumers at Transport Scotland, said: “We are delighted to have entered this partnership with Paua.

"The Scottish Government is firmly committed to transport decarbonisation, and we see roaming as a key step in improving driver experience.

"The GB EV Rally is the perfect event for trialling network roaming across ChargePlace Scotland. We look forward to building on this experience and enabling wider interoperability in future.” 

ABAX partners with AVRO

ABAX has agreed a partnership with AVRO, the trade association for recovery operators.

ABAX said the partnership will provide AVRO members with the opportunity to gain visibility of all assets within their business from vehicles and equipment through to tools at a special rate.

Graham Steedman, business adviser at AVRO, said: “AVRO are delighted to introduce ABAX as our business partner specialising in providing our members with another great benefit. ABAX provides a leading solution to get a complete overview of members' fleets.

“I appreciate there are many telematic options out there, however, once this simple small device is easily self-installed onto your vehicles, tools or kit bags, it is staggering what information it can provide and at a very competitive price.

“We think carefully about who we choose as our business partners, and we are very confident the service and product ABAX will provide will be of great value for all AVRO members.”