News - Page 2317

BSM Fleet Training has launched a fail-safe driver training product which guarantees fleets their money back if they do not achieve pre-agreed savings in accident frequency and costs. The flagship guaranteed service effectively promises fleets they cannot lose out financially.

RENAULT'S Clio 1.9D van has been declared the load-lugging economy champion by Fleet Management Services. Pence per mile figures over three years/75,000 miles from the Shrewsbury-based company reveal the car-derived van to be the cheapest to buy and the cheapest to operate.

FLEETNET is planning a lively and varied schedule for its latest open day later this month. The fleet industry's electronic commerce steering committee has recruited a wealth of industry expertise to talk at the event, which takes place at the Heritage Motor Centre at Gaydon on Thursday, September 25.

FLEET managers should pressure their external suppliers and internal IT departments to ensure all their software systems are millennium compliant. Greg Connell, managing director of Car Fleet Control, said the fleet industry was leaving it until the last minute before making sure its computer systems didn't crash at the turn of the century.

THE 27 sales staff of ICI Chemicals and Polymers covered half a million accident free miles on company business last year, following training with RoSPA Driver Services. As a result, the company has presented the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents Driver Services Division with a cheque for £1,000 in recognition of RoSPA's contribution to road safety.

AA BUSINESS Direct, the call centre for AA Fleet Services telesales, is celebrating following commendation in the Marketing magazine/BT Telemarketing Awards 1997. The Halesowen-based team was highly commended in both the 'Best Telemarketing Call Centre' and 'Industrial Services Sector' categories.

AT&T Automotive Services tops the latest Landmark performance quality survey of 15 leasing companies. The company has been in the number two slot for the last two surveys - conducted quarterly by Mitac and based on client responses. This time, however, it came out on top, ahead of rivals Fleetlease in second and Lex Vehicle Leasing in third.

SKODA has increased prices on its Felicia hatchback and estate cars by an average of 2% on 1998 model year vehicles - the first across-the-board price increase on the range since February although LXi model prices rose by £200 in May. Prices of commercial vehicles remain unchanged.

VAUXHALL has enhanced its parts distribution operation by appointing a new logistics company to service its 470-strong dealer network. It has chosen Swift Service, the industrial division of Salvesen Logistics, as its contractor. Its highly-developed traffic management systems will interface with Vauxhall's system.

JUST 50 out of 200 invited fleet managers visited the Transport Research Laboratory last week to see for themselves the results of the recent European New Car Assessment Programme crash tests on superminis and upper medium cars. The Department of Transport had invited the fleet managers to inspect the crashed vehicles in a bid to increase companies' awareness of the difference in performance between the cars.

WESTMINSTER City Council is 'declaring war' on dirty old diesel vehicles as part of a concerted effort to drive smog out of the heart of London. The council wants to encourage all fleet operators to make an effort to clean up their vehicles - reinforcing the message with stiff penalties under a Government pilot scheme for those who refuse to co-operate.

THE boss of Volkswagen Financial Services in the UK will keep his job despite breaching company rules by appointing his son to a senior position within the organisation. The matter came to light when a rival candidate for the position, Elizabeth Smart, took VW Financial Services to an industrial tribunal claiming sexual discrimination.

ACCIDENTS, not roadworks, are the main cause of traffic congestion and motorway gridlock, according to AA Roadwatch's new quarterly traffic index. Publication of the findings from more than 173,500 incidents on Britain's roads in the first six months of 1997 have prompted pleas by the motoring organisation for improved driving as a result of changing road conditions.

MITSUBISHI has improved the Carisma's specification and increased prices by an average 2.1% for the new model year. Some models go up by more than £1,000 after Carisma sales soared by 86% over the same period last year thanks to buoyant fleet and retail demand and a very healthy August.

NATIONAL Tyres and Autocare is to launch a tyre management service which is guaranteed to cut fleets' tyre spend. The Tyre Solutions programme adopts an 'open book' approach to saving fleets money by agreeing prices for each supply and passing on any savings made at the year end. It amounts to a known-cost tyre management solution with the possibility of further savings each year.

MOTOR vehicle and parts distributor Quicks Group has reported record interim results for the six months to June 30. Pre-tax profits increased 11% to £3.1 million (1996: £2.79 million) on reduced turnover of £175.85 million (1996: £179.4 million).

DIAL has won the contract to manage Dairy Crest's 230-vehicle fleet from rival PHH Vehicle Management Services. Under the terms of the contract, Dial will provide a full outsourcing service - including vehicle acquisitions and disposals, accident management and a dedicated driver contact centre looking after day-to-day issues as well as issuing advice on drivers' vehicle entitlements. Dairy Crest will continue to finance the fleet itself, with Dial passing on the invoices of vehicles as they are acquired.

LEASING and rental expansion and improved profitability contributed to static pre-tax profits at motor distributor Charles Sidney which saw a disappointing performance from its heavy truck division. In the six months to June 30, the group reported pre-tax profits of £2.65 million (1996: £2.67 million) - buoyed up by its expanding contract hire business and strong sales of prestige cars. Turnover remained similarly static at £124.4 million (£128.2 million).

KIA is poised to re-launch itself in the UK with an assault on the corporate sector in a concerted effort to double its market penetration. The Korean manufacturer has big plans to revitalise the marque before launching an all-new upper medium contender next summer.

EXPANDING dealership and leasing motor group Sanderson Bramall has reported record interim pre-tax profits up 10% to £6.7 million for the six months to June 30 (June 1996: £6.1 million). The company currently has 26 car and 11 commercial dealerships and was recently rumoured to be interested in the Appleyard dealership group. But, while Appleyard this week said it had no potential buyers, Sanderson Bramall remains acquisitive.

APPLEYARD has called off bid talks because none of the potential buyers came up with 'adequate' offers. The dealership and leasing group announced in June that it was in the 'early stages of discussions' with a possible buyer.

THE UK division of Marriott Management Services has signed a single-badge deal to move its entire 260-vehicle fleet over to Vauxhall. The company currently runs a multi-marque fleet on a mixture of contract hire and outright purchase, but over the next two years will convert to solus Vauxhall - using Astra, Vectra and Omega as well as the full range of vans.

A NEW scheme which commends fleet operators and company car drivers who take action to beat air pollution has been launched by Westminster City Council. Under the project - believed to be the first of its kind in the UK - a special green pennant will be awarded to businesses and residents who have taken action to reduce exhaust emissions from their cars, buses, trucks or taxis. The pennant, in the form of a printed oval badge, will be affixed to the rear of the vehicle to highlight clean, green drivers in Westminster.

MOST MPs drive cars in preference to travelling by public transport because of convenience, according to a new report. The survey, carried out prior to May's General Election, also reveals that 69% considered their car to be a necessity, 47% drove a car with an engine size over 2.3 litres, 71% normally travelled alone in their vehicles and 55% were likely to break the 70 mph motorway speed limit.

MERCEDES-BENZ Finance-owned contract hire company debis Financial Services has come under fire after it was swamped by inquiries about its Best Choice car scheme operated on behalf of the Civil Service Motoring Association. The finance company was forced to take on five times the original number of staff after potential customers from the CSMA's 320,000 membership jammed debis switchboards.

VAUXHALL was this week celebrating the 10th anniversary of its largest solus fleet deal with electrical company Thorn. The deal came into effect on September 1, 1987 when Vauxhall won the 3,000-vehicle contract from arch-rival Ford and simultaneously Thorn became one of the first fleets to change vehicles on an annual replacement cycle.

RECORD fleet sales are expected to be revealed as August new sales crashed through the half million barrier. Most commentators were predicting a total August market of between 515,000 and 520,000 vehicles, with both fleet and retail sales soaring. Some industry watchers have forecast an August market as high as 530,000 units.

FAST-FIT company ATS has won a £1 million contract with Newbury-based Fleetlease as the preferred tyre supplier for the company's 12,000-strong fleet. ATS said a combination of competitive pricing, the ATS nationwide mobile fitting service and a high level of customer service clinched the deal.

A NEW Lexus GS 300, featuring significant changes over the outgoing model including a claimed 10% fuel economy improvement, will go on sale in the UK in January next year. It is to make its public debut at next week's Frankfurt Motor Show and an appearance on the Lexus stand at the London Motor Show in October. Pricing details - currently from around £30,000-£35,000 - will be announced closer to launch.

MOBILE phone users are to be given hands-free kits for their cars at no charge - as long as they drive Fords. In a move to promote road safety, Ford is making thousands of kits available with the phones given away with its vehicles until the end of this month.