Make Your Fleet More Efficient

If you’re a business, then your ever elusive goal is how to do more for less, and this is especially true when it comes to your vehicle fleet. Take a look at our tips to making your fleet more financially and environmentally friendly.

Buy, Lease or Hire Purchase?

This can vary depending on your company and how it pays for your fleet. However, it is worth reviewing whether you buy, lease or hire purchase your fleet on a regular basis. The best idea is to consult a professional fleet management company and they’ll be able to explain the benefits of each method. A rental fleet however, has the bonus of having complete visibility. You can assure that your fleet vehicles are roadworthy, well maintained, fully insured and have road side assistance if necessary.

Four Year Fleet Cycles

A good way to lower the cost of your fleet is to extend the use of the leased vehicles. Usually companies only lease their fleet vehicles for three years, and using them for an extra year could reduce monthly rates. Reliability isn’t an issue when you extend a lease by just a year. It has been calculated that it is possible for a 500-strong fleet covering 10,000 miles a year could save up to £180,000.

Using a Grey Fleet

A grey fleet is one where employees drive their own cars for business purposes. This can be more beneficial for businesses that don’t travel long distances. However, a grey fleet can be difficult to manage in terms of accurate mileage reporting, accident management and vehicle maintenance. The duty of care legislation means that if the driver was to have an accident, then the onus is on the company, and not the driver. Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions has some great tips on managing your grey fleet.

Have a Select Choice of Vehicle

A diverse fleet costs more. Whilst employees like having a wide choice of company vehicle, it can be most cost effective to limit it to two or three different vehicles. There is less admin associated with a fleet that has several of the same car. You may also be able to arrange a deal with a manufacturer and only take vehicles from their range, or you could employ a professional and experienced fleet manager, who can reduce the fees involved.