Stuart O'Brien, Author at Fleet Summit - Page 16 of 54
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Stuart O'Brien

The Fleet Summit is less than a month away – Have you secured your place?

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There are just a handful of delegate places left at the Fleet Summit, which is taking place at Heathrow Airport on November 7th & 8th – As a leading fleet professional, can you afford not to be there?

Your attendance is entirely free and includes:

  • A personalised itinerary of relaxed 1-2-1 meetings with industry solution providers to help with your upcoming plans and projects
  • Access to topical seminar sessions hosted by industry thought leaders
  • Overnight accommodation, all meals and refreshments
  • A place at our networking dinner, with entertainment
  • Networking with other senior fleet professionals

To book your place, click here.

INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT: Reduce the risk of costly PCNs with PayByPhone’s fleet management solution

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Companies have little room to absorb unexpected charges such as Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) issued to their fleet drivers as they grapple with rising energy prices and running costs. PayByPhone Business, the dedicated parking solution for fleets and on-the-go workforces from the global leader in mobile parking payments provider PayByPhone, provides reprieve.

Without a fleet management solution, companies rely on their fleet drivers to pay for parking and claim it back on expenses. With drivers feeling the pinch of rising prices, they might be tempted to risk not paying for a parking session or not to extend it if appointments overrun to keep more money in their pockets.

This leaves employers open to a sharp increase of PCNs at a time when they, too, can ill-afford expensive, time-consuming fines.

With PayByPhone Business, fleet managers make it easy for their drivers to pay for business parking and to avoid personal spending – and PCNs. Fleet managers simply securely add a corporate card to their PayByPhone Business account. Each authorised driver in an authorised vehicle then has the option to pay using the corporate card when starting a business parking session. All they need is the PayByPhone app they may already have for personal use and 10 seconds of their time to start a parking session. Drivers don’t need to worry about parking expenses and have no excuse to risk non-payment.

With PayByPhone Business’ Extend From Anywhere function, fleet drivers further reduce the chance of a PCN by extending their parking session remotely. They receive an SMS reminder five minutes before their parking session runs out and they don’t need to leave their appointment to top it up. They can extend their session from the app or via a smartwatch, giving them, and fleet managers peace of mind that they won’t receive a fine for still being parked after a session has ended.

PayByPhone Business reduces costly PCNs at a time when every penny counts by making paying for business parking quick, easy and cost-free for fleet drivers.

For more information on how PayByPhone Business can help your fleet, please visit https://park.paybyphone.co.uk/business/.

Mina partners with Lightfoot to launch industry-leading solution to EV charging fraud

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Mina, the award-winning payment solution provider for EV charging at home and in public, and Lightfoot, the pioneering driver coaching and rewards technology specialists, have joined forces to launch a market-leading solution that will help stamp out EV charging fraud within electric fleets.

With a rising number of fleets transitioning to electric vehicles, energy fraud is a growing concern within the industry, especially where domestic charging is involved.

EV payment experts Mina already offer a comprehensive system for accurately paying drivers’ charging costs directly to their energy suppliers, but now through this new partnership with Lightfoot, fleet operators can rest assured that all charging sessions for business journeys have been automatically validated, ensuring that only commercial charges are reimbursed.

Find out more here: https://www.lightfoot.co.uk/news/2022/10/03/mina-and-lightfoot-partner/

Mer: A true partnership approach

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When investing in electric vehicle charging infrastructure, it is important to get it right first time. Making the correct choices in terms of charge point capabilities and their support package will save you a lot of money in the long run.

At Mer we take a true partnership approach, meaning that we work with you every step of the way, to ensure that your EV charging points properly support your transition to ultra-low emission vehicles:

Site surveys

Our experts carry out detailed site surveys to determine what infrastructure is best for you and how you can overcome any limitations on power availability.

Charger specification

We ensure you get the right chargers for you, whether that is fast chargers for overnight or top-up charging, or rapid chargers for faster turnarounds. You can even set tariffs for employees and visitors using your charge points.

Grant support

We can help you access subsidies towards the cost of your charging infrastructure, such as the Government’s Workplace Charging Scheme. After you’ve filled in a few basic details, we can do the rest for you.

Aftersales service

Get superb insights into your charging infrastructure through our Mer Connect platform, providing data on usage, plus alerts if there are any issues with your charge points. We also provide comprehensive technical support packages.

Case Study: Milk & More

Milk & More is the UK’s biggest online doorstep milk delivery firm. The company needed a charge point strategy to support the introduction of electric vans into its fleet. The company tasked Mer with helping them create a programme to roll out charging infrastructure for these new vans.

Mer implemented a scoping exercise to fully understand the vans’ duty cycles and available down time for recharging – and carried out site surveys to assess local grid capacity. With most vehicles back at base from 8am to 11pm, Mer calculated that 7kW charging points would comfortably provide a full recharge for every vehicle, while still operating within each site’s power parameters.

The entire network is connected to Mer’s operating system, which gives Milk & More real-time visibility on energy consumed and which charge points are in use. It also acts as an early warning system for fault detection.

In total the Mer has installed over 200 charge points across five cities for Milk & More. Mer also helped its client access the Workplace Charging Scheme grant to subsidise costs.

Mark Chapman, electric fleet support specialist at Milk & More, said: “They have been a partner of ours from the very beginning. The team had a clear understanding of the direction of our fleet strategy and provided us with invaluable information to get us started as we moved to our new fleet. From providing charging for our very first vehicles in 2018 through to supporting us with additional infrastructure as our fleet continues to grow, they have been an important part of our journey.”

To find out more about how Mer can help your business electrify, visit https://uk.mer.eco/fleet

Meet with the Association of Fleet Professionals at the Fleet Summit

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The Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP) is a not for profit body that supports, educates and trains the corporate fleet industry.

We love meeting fleet operators and are back to chat all things fleet at November’s Fleet Summit as well as hosting a seminar on Grey Fleet Management on 8th Nov, 9.00 – 9.45am.

Come and say hi to AFP Board Members Ric Baird and James Pestell and chat about the issues you are facing running a fleet.  Find out about the AFP Fleet Academy – our training programme – and what the AFP are currently working on to help the fleet industry.  If you’re not already a member, you can learn about the many benefits of membership including:

  • Supportive advice and guidance covering the latest issues of the day
  • Networking – connect with like-minded individuals in similar roles to sense check your approach to fleet issues.
  • Online member’s area – your go to for information on running a fleet.  Our growing Resource library aims to pool and share the best practice and advice from the industry.
  • Personal development and career enhancement via the AFP Fleet Academy education and training programmes
  • Regular webinars
  • Free members only events, including lunches, seminars and our annual conference – all included in your membership fee
  • Advance consultation on new legislation and government initiatives
  • Representation of members’ views via our lobbying activities and regular dialogue with Government departments and officials

You can find out more here.

Don’t miss James and Ric’s seminar session on Grey Fleet Management on 8th November at 9.00-9.45 which will cover facts, myths and useful advice on the two types of grey fleet drivers; cash allowance takers and occasional business travellers.

 The seminar will include:

  • What is Grey Fleet?
  • What is a business journey?
  • Driver and vehicle checks
  • Policy
  • Alternatives to grey fleet – green travel/mobility allowance
  • Driver communications/engagement

We look forward to seeing you.

INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT: Future proof your fleet with SMS!

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With a mission to deliver the future of smart energy, SMS has been at the heart of the UK energy market for over 26 years. Providing a complete energy service, SMS funds, installs, operates and manages carbon reduction assets, including smart meters, EV charge points and battery storage systems, which facilitate a smarter, greener and more flexible energy system

The UK Government’s ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars has been brought forward to 2030, meaning the time to start your EV journey is now. Our expertise in delivering electrical infrastructure, our nationwide installation, operation and maintenance capabilities, and our independent hardware-agnostic approach makes SMS the perfect partner for your EV charging requirements.

SMS can support your facilities management objectives and future-proof your business by providing the benefit of EV charging for employees both in the workplace and at home. Not only can we fully fund the roll-out of EV chargepoints to your entire business, we can also offer a dedicated metering solution in domestic settings meaning EV charging costs are billed to you direct, are accurate and will have no impact on your employees. That is a  huge advantage as it negates the need for expense claims at a time when cost of living is of paramount concern and gives your business a lower nationwide cost for all your EV charging.

Other benefits of our EV Charging solution include a Fleet Module that provides detailed reporting, billing, history and the location of your entire fleet simultaneously. Our unique Fleet App enables simple and straightforward access to nationwide charging through roaming, and Fleet Manager’s can choose which networks drivers can use, providing cost management tools and useful driver support such as directions to the nearest, approved charge point.

Place your trust in a company with proven heritage in infrastructure, energy efficiency and asset management, so you can be sure we’ll always be here to help. That includes full maintenance and warranty management, should you wish.

Visit our website for more information: www.sms-plc.com/evcharging

Email: evcharging@sms-plc.com

Tel: Mark Winn, +44 7376 490 650

Come and see us at The Fleet Summit event, 7-8th November.

Book your place now: Lightfoot’s latest free webinar for fleet professionals

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Pioneering driver training technology provider Lightfoot is back with another in its series of webinars for fleet professionals, with the next instalment focusing on the challenges that fleets face when it comes to EV charging. You can sign up for this free webinar here.

Live With Lightfoot: Charging Challenges will take place on Tuesday 18th October at 10:30am and will feature an expert panel discussing the ins and outs of fleet electrification, with a focus on the common challenges of EV charge management – and how to overcome them.

Paul Hollick, Lightfoot’s Managing Director, will be joined by Client Services Director Ben Bax, along with Paul Ayris, Fleet Manager of LiveWest and Malcolm Oliver-White, Group Head of Asset Management at Peel Ports. Both Paul and Malcolm will be sharing their insights into the realities of operating an EV fleet and looking at what to do to make the rollout of EVs as seamless as possible.

Attendees will also hear from Ashley Tate, CEO of Mina – the award-winning home charging solution for businesses. Ashley will be joining the panel to discuss optimal charging behaviour, as well as how to effectively manage driver expenses through Lightfoot’s dedicated EV fleet management system.

If you’d like to register for this free event, you can do so here.

The WhichEV Review: MG4 EV 2022

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By James Morris, WhichEV

Despite demand for diesel shrinking at rates close to 50% year on year, while demand for battery electric vehicles grows by close to 60%, one thing has plagued EVs has been ‘affordability at the point of purchase’

Largely, this has been down to battery tech, but the number of manufacturers competing for the buyer’s money, is also a factor

Looking at the publicly available data up to the start of August 2022, there were around 140 EV models on offer in the UK – with a further 36 products planned for the near future

One of those that has just launched is the brand new MG4 EV, with very attractive external styling and a full range of driver-comfort features

In a world where the average price of a new EV in the UK is just over £52,000 – the MG4 starts at a very respectable £26,000

The average WLTP range of EVs on offer today is 210 miles – so the 280 mile maximum range of the MG4 makes it stand out and it is able to pick up charge at the rate of 135kW from a public DC charger

What really makes this car stand out is the lease price

Without too much effort, you can see business leases starting at just £210 per month + vat:-

https://www.britanniacarleasing.co.uk/car-leasing/mg-motor-uk/mg4-hatchback/mg4-ev-hatch-5dr-elec-51kwh-125kw-170ps-se-5dr-auto-311094-1248050000?source=WhichEV

From a Fleet Manager’s perspective, that makes the MG4 a highly viable option when transitioning your employees to the new fuel technology

You can read/watch the full review on WhichEV here…   https://www.whichev.net/2022/08/26/mg4-ev-2022-review/

Do you specialise in fleet Duty of Care? We want to hear from you!

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Each month on Fleet Management Briefing we’re shining the spotlight on a different part of the fleet market – and in October we’ll be focussing on Duty of Care solutions.

It’s all part of our ‘Recommended’ editorial feature, designed to help fleet buyers find the best products and services available today.

So, if you’re a supplier of Duty of Care solutions and would like to be included as part of this exciting new shop window, we’d love to hear from you – for more info, contact Chris Cannon on 01992 374096 / c.cannon@forumevents.co.uk.

Here’s our features list in full:

Oct – Duty of Care
Nov – Grey Fleet
Dec – Service, Maintenance & Repair

The Fleet Summit is the place to be this November – Register for free today

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
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The Fleet Summit at Heathrow Airport is an exclusive event senior fleet professionals, and we want to extend an invitation to you to join us on November 7th & 8th.

Your attendance is entirely free and includes:

  • A personalised itinerary of relaxed 1-2-1 meetings with industry solution providers to help with your upcoming plans and projects
  • Access to topical seminar sessions hosted by industry thought leaders
  • Overnight accommodation, all meals and refreshments
  • A place at our networking dinner, with entertainment
  • Networking with other senior fleet professionals

To book your place, click here.