Historical SMR data to give fleets certainty on lead times

Real-world service, maintenance and repair (SMR) data is being used in a new project aimed at giving fleets more certainty on expected lead times.

Epyx examines historical data to ascertain actual lead times achieved during the past 12 months by garages and other SMR suppliers through the 1link Service Network platform – used by fleets totalling more than four million vehicles – and applies these to new bookings.

Tim Meadows, chief commercial officer at Epyx, explained: “SMR lead times are currently a real problem for fleets, making it difficult both to schedule routine maintenance and resolve unexpected breakdowns. 

“What we are trying to achieve with our new project is to bring more certainty to lead times by creating online booking conditions that better match what is happening in the real world.” 

Currently, SMR providers set their own lead time expectations on the Epyx platform and most have not changed them since before the pandemic, which was when delays started to become a bigger issue. 

“This means that when a fleet tries to make a booking in line with dealer guidance, it is likely to be rejected because there are no free slots within that time frame,” added Meadows.

“Now, we’re trialling an approach where the platform uses a lead time expectation based on a 12-month real world average for each SMR supplier. 

“This means that the fleet has a much better idea of when to attempt to make a booking that is likely to be accepted through the platform, something that we are finding reduces administration for both fleets and service centres, and enhances the driver experience thanks to fewer declines and re-bookings.”

Epyx data from 1link Service Network shows that fleet SMR lead times were an average of 10.89 days in February 2020, the month before the first pandemic lockdown, but are now much higher, reaching 13.24 days in March 2025.

Meadows said: “Lead times have risen sharply since the pandemic, exceeding 14 days in 2023. They are now a little lower in general, but it is undeniable that fleets have had to learn to manage their fleets with lengthier access to SMR. 

“Anything that we can do to ease this situation – such as this new initiative – is likely to be welcomed by vehicle operators.”

Read more from Fleet News on how to optimise fleet service, maintenance and repair.