News - Page 1907

A DOZEN local authorities have held talks with Capita Group, the operators of London's congestion charging system, to discuss helping them introduce their own charging schemes.

THIS year's CAP Regatta saw 12 crews from the automotive industry, including a Fleet News team, battling it out in choppy conditions in the Solent.

THE former managing director of Nissan Finance has teamed up with an ex-senior Hertz Leasing employee to launch a new leasing and finance company.

THE Institute of Car Fleet Management (ICFM) has produced two new audit tools designed to assess the competence of people involved in the administration and control of company car fleets.

CAP Monitor is claiming the new BMW 5-series, due on sale in September, will have class-leading residual values, allaying fears that its controversial styling will put fleet buyers off.

RENAULT'S new Megane has replaced the Volkswagen Golf as the best-selling car in western Europe during the first six months of 2003.

LEEDS-based Zenith Vehicle Contracts, one of the UK's largest independent vehicle leasing companies, has reported record annual profits. For the year to March 31, profits before tax rose by more than 20% to £1.8m on sales of £35m, up 21%.

KWIK-FIT Hometune has added 30 Ford Transit short wheelbase vans to its fleet, in a bid to cope with additional business.

FLIGHTFORM UK, the master franchise holder for Thrifty Car & Van Rental UK, has revealed profits of £1.4 million for 2002.

EUROPE'S biggest fleet will save its customers more than one million pounds every year by scrapping charges for replacing damaged tyres.

HYUNDAI has teamed up with UTC Fuel Cells to develop a hydrogen fuel cell which is able to operate in freezing temperatures and will take the system nearer to operational use with fleets next year.

LEX Vehicle Leasing is urging fleets which operate from more than one location to consider video-conferencing in a bid to slash fuel costs and reduce vehicle emissions.

GRIMSBY-based newspaper distribution firm Van About Town has invested in its fleet operation with a major new order for £500,000- worth of LDV vans.

VEHICLE tracking company Tracker is calling on fleets to ensure their drivers are 'key aware' after it found there has been a 50% increase in vehicles stolen using their owner's keys.

THE national road safety charity Brake's Fleet Safety Forum is asking fleets to take part in this year's Road Safety Week.

VAUXHALL is offering selected free conversions on chassis cab and crew cab variants from 115 heavy van retailers nationwide.

TOYOTA has launched a new range of ISOFIX child seats.

Thales Telematics has developed a new fleet management system which it says can improve the productivity and efficiency of commercial fleets.

FLEET decision-makers can now source a number of quotes from several sectors of the industry through a new website.

A Cleveland-based housing association has purchased a fleet of 136 Vauxhall vans.

TELEMATIC Update Vehicle Tracking 2003 is in London on the October 16-17, 2003. It is aimed at tracking companies, insurance companies, telematics service providers, wireless operators, car manufacturers, installer, software providers and (heavily discounted to ) fleet owners, leasing and car/ truck rental companies.

A FORMER Fleet News Award winner has achieved a major industry first as the only fleet to reach a landmark environmental standard.

AS fleet manager for a Nottingham-based pet product company, Alan Phillips is all too aware of the importance of controlling costs.

THE re-branding of Fleetlease to Hitachi Capital was marked with a purple extravaganza at the group's headquarters in Newbury.

NORWICH Union is warning fleet decision-makers to ensure their drivers have suitable insurance policies before travelling overseas in their company car.

THE Fleet News Hit for Six Conference, sponsored by Mazda, will offer fleet executives practical guidance to meet the major challenges ahead.

TOYOTA is providing staff dedicated to fleet customers at each of its 90 new business centres.

CAMDEN Corporate Fleet Services has announced details of its new internet-based vehicle remarketing system.

RENAULT is expanding its 24-hour internet-based test drive programme for company car drivers to include the Laguna.

TWO of Toyota's paint and bodyshop employees have secured top honours in the manufacturer's skills award competition.