Uncategorised Archives - Page 5 of 8 - Fleet Summit

Uncategorised

SAVE THE DATE: Fleet Services Management Summit 2019

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
By:

The Fleet Services Management Summit is taking place on November 11th & 12th at Whittlebury Hall.

Ensure you have a delegate place by registering for your free VIP ticket.

As a VIP guest, you will be benefit from:

  • A personalised itinerary of face-to-face meetings with innovative suppliers who match your requirements and upcoming projects. No time wasted, no hard sell.
  • Access to educational and inspirational seminar sessions.
  • Networking opportunities with like-minded peers.
  • Full hospitality, including lunch and all refreshments.
  • An invitation to our gala dinner with entertainment
  • Overnight accommodation

It’s entirely FREE to attend. Simply click here to register.

For more information call Katie Bullot on 01992 374049 or email k.bullot@forumevents.co.uk.

Alternatively, to attend as a supplier, call Chris Cannon on 01992 374096 or email c.cannon@forumevents.co.uk.

More clean air zones and EVs required, says PHE

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
By:

Public Health England (PHE) has outlined actions to improve outdoor air quality and health, including a call for more EVs and additional clean air zones in town and cities.

PHE was commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to review the evidence for effective air quality interventions, and provide practical recommendations for actions to improve air quality.

The government says air pollution is the biggest environmental threat to health in the UK, with between 28,000 and 36,000 deaths a year attributed to long-term exposure.

The review outlines key interventions local authorities can take, including:

  • promoting a step change in the uptake of low emission vehicles – by setting more ambitious targets for electric car charging points, as well as encouraging low emission fuels and electric cars
  • boosting investment in clean public transport, as well as foot and cycle paths to improve health
  • redesigning cities so people aren’t so close to highly polluting roads
  • discouraging highly polluting vehicles from entering populated areas – for example, with low emission or clean air zones

This work could involve designing wider streets, or considering using hedges to screen against pollutants when planning new infrastructure.

Professor Paul Cosford, Director of Health Protection and Medical Director at PHE, said: “Now is our opportunity to create a clean air generation of children, by implementing interventions in a coordinated way. By making new developments clean by design we can create a better environment for everyone, especially our children.

“We recommend that at a local level, any new policy or programme of work which affects air pollution should aim to deliver an overall benefit to the public’s health.

“So transport and urban planners will need to work together, with others involved in air pollution to ensure that new initiatives have a positive impact.

“Decision makers should carefully design policies, to make sure that the poorest in society are protected against the financial implications of new schemes.”

The review states that national government policy can support local actions by creating the right incentives. These include policies which promote vehicles with low exhaust emissions or allow controls on industrial emissions in populated areas to take account of health impacts.

PHE’s review built on the Air quality plan for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in UK (2017) from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Department for Transport (DfT).

The review also built on Air pollution: outdoor air quality and health (2017), published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which focussed on transport related interventions – to include other pollutants and reviews of interventions in industry, agriculture, transport and planning and behavioural change.

GUEST BLOG: Ways fleet drivers can drive more efficiently

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
By:

Fuel prices just seem to keep on rising across the UK. According to BBC News, the average price of a litre of fuel throughout the nation was recorded at close to £1.34 for diesel and £1.24 for petrol as of the start of December 2018.

Instead of fleet drivers simply handing over more money in order to keep their vehicles running and their businesses working like clockwork though, VW dealership Vindis has advised that they become more efficient drivers so that they can make the fuel in their vehicles go further. Here’s how…    

Use less fuel by conducting some maintenance checks

A vehicle that’s in tip-top condition should use less fuel when getting from A to B than one that seems to be struggling when it’s on the road. A regular service is highly recommended to achieve the best efficiency, while you need to be always using the correct specification of engine oil too — consult your manufacturer handbook to find the details you need here. 

Both regularly and especially ahead of any long journey, you should be checking tyre pressures too. This is because tyres which are under inflated will force your car into having to use more fuel. Correctly inflated tyres, meanwhile, could improve fuel consumption by up to two per cent in context, according to the RAC.

Use less fuel by completing multiple trips at once

An engine goes cold when a vehicle has been in a parked position for a few hours. As a result, a lot more fuel will be used for around the first five miles of you heading out onto the road. With this in mind, you should look to drive for as long as possible when the engine is warm instead of conducting several short trips with long gaps in between each one. 

Use less fuel by ensuring your vehicle maintains an aerodynamic design

A vehicle that’s subjected to wind resistance will consume more fuel. Therefore, it’s best to keep windows and sunroofs closed, especially when you’re travelling at high speeds. Make sure to remove roof racks and boxes for storage when they aren’t being used as well — up to 20 per cent fuel can be saved on an annual basis by removing a cargo box from a vehicle’s roof alone!

Use less fuel by becoming a smoother driver

Braking and then accelerating can use up quite a bit of fuel as well. Obviously, there will be times when you’ll need to slow your vehicle down — or to a sudden standstill in the event of an emergency — but you should be road savvy enough to be able to approach traffic lights at a gentler pace, for example, or smoothly get up a hill.

Being behind the wheel during times of heavy traffic can also be bad for your fuel economy, as you’ll likely need to keep on stopping and starting your car as you work your way to a destination at a snail’s pace. If it’s possible then, try and get around having to commute in the rush hour. Perhaps you can head to an exercise class or gym that’s near your workplace instead of waiting until you get home, for instance.

Use less fuel by shifting the unnecessary weight from your vehicle

Also bear in mind that a vehicle will need to use more fuel for every extra item that’s stored within it. Every 50kg increases your fuel consumption by two per cent on average, claims the RAC. With this in mind, regularly look around your vehicle and get rid of the stuff you aren’t using.

Did you know that fuel economy can be helped if you only fill half your vehicle’s tank with fuel too? This substance adds to the weight after all, and you’re not going to need 300+ miles worth of petrol or diesel just to complete a half-hour commute. 

Sources:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21238363

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/advice/10-fuel-saving-tips-every-driver-should-know/

https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/how-to-save-fuel-when-driving

https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/how-to/fuel-saving-tips/

https://www.shell.co.uk/motorist/motoring-tips-and-advice/10-fuel-saving-tips.html

http://www.theaa.com/driving-advice/fuels-environment/drive-smart

Fleet Services Management Summit – Register today!

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
By:

The Fleet Services Management Summit is taking place on November 11th & 12th at Whittlebury Hall – and registration is now open for delegates and exhibitors.

Ensure you have a delegate place by registering for your free VIP ticket.

As a VIP guest, you will be benefit from:

  • A personalised itinerary of face-to-face meetings with innovative suppliers who match your requirements and upcoming projects. No time wasted, no hard sell.
  • Access to educational and inspirational seminar sessions.
  • Networking opportunities with like-minded peers.
  • Full hospitality, including lunch and all refreshments.
  • An invitation to our gala dinner with entertainment
  • Overnight accommodation

It’s entirely FREE to attend. Simply click here to register.

For more information call Katie Bullot on 01992 374049 or email k.bullot@forumevents.co.uk.

Alternatively, to attend as a supplier, call Chris Cannon on 01992 374096 or email c.cannon@forumevents.co.uk.

Arval creates fuel cell tech education pack for schools

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
By:

A new set of teaching resources focusing on hydrogen and fuel cell technology have been created by car leasing specialist Arval, part of the BNP Paribas banking group.

Developed in partnership with the Hydrogen Hub, the education pack supports the Chemistry element of Triple Science for GCSE students, providing teachers with a learning resource that is downloadable online. 

The pack introduces pupils to fuel cells as a solution to tackling climate change. Following a launch at two Swindon-based schools, Bradon Forest and Nova Hreod Academy, the resource is available to view and download on the teacher resource website TES.

Pupils at the Swindon launch, which is where Arval’s UK Head Office is based, were able to see a variety of hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles, and get their hands on a fuel cell provided by Fuel Cell Systems, as part of lessons delivered by the Hydrogen Hub team.

The partnership between the three organisations is set to continue throughout 2019 with a set of hydrogen roadshows at 5 venues across the country planned for later in the year. The transport-focussed events will give businesses, and the general public, the chance to see, ride in and learn about hydrogen powered vehicles. 

Rory Mathews from the Hydrogen Hub, said: “As a former teacher and Teach First Ambassador I know the quality of resources produced by industry specialists can be extremely high. Often though, the topics covered are not those that need to be taught in schools and so these resources get overlooked. It has been a pleasure to have been given the opportunity by Arval to produce this fuel cells lesson pack. I am confident that using our specialist knowledge at the Hydrogen Hub and tailoring the content to cover crucial exam content we have produced a resource that delivers high-quality learning for students and is extremely valuable to teachers.”

Dr Jannine Clapp, Head of Science from Nova Hreod Academy, said: “Having the opportunity to see first-hand how technology can be used for cars in a real world application was a real bonus for our triple science students. And this lesson along with the excellent resources created by Arval, Hydrogen Hub and Fuel Cell Systems for schools will help support the scientists of the future. Thank you for coming in to share with our school.”

Arval, which leases more than 165,000 vehicles in the UK, joined the Hydrogen Hub in 2017 to better understand the practicalities of operating hydrogen vehiclesthrough real-world use, and quickly became Chair of the Car Working Group.

At the same time, as part of BNP Paribas, the company says it is committed to supporting the transition into cleaner vehicles, positively serving the UK economy and investing in initiatives which benefit UK society.

Tracey Fuller, Head of CSR for BNP Paribas said: “As one of the UK’s largest vehicle leasing companies, new vehicle technology is high on our agenda, and an important tool for businesses and individuals looking to reduce their environmental impact. It’s also really well aligned with our commitment to make a positive impact on the UK economy, and wider society, so we saw a great opportunity to use our relationship with the Hydrogen Hub to educate the next generation in the role that hydrogen technology can play.”

Secure your place at the Total Supply Chain Summit

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
By:

There’s a free VIP place with your name on it at this spring’s Total Supply Chain Summit.

It takes place on May 20th & 21st at Heythrop Park, Oxfordshire and your free VIP place includes overnight accommodation, all meals and refreshments, plus an invitation to our gala dinner with entertainment.

Simply register here.

The Total Supply Chain Summit is a unique two-day event designed specifically for senior supply chain, logistics and distribution professionals like you.

  • Meet new innovative and budget-saving suppliers.
  • Network with peers facing the same challenges as you.
  • Learn from our series of insightful seminars.
  • Enjoy full complimentary hospitality.

Register now to avoid disappointment.

Alternatively, contact Jamie Higgs on 01992 374058 / j.higgs@forumevents.co.uk to find out more.

Or, if you’re a supplier to the sector and would like to use the event to showcase your solutions, contact Nick Stannard on 01992 374092 / n.stannard@forumevents.co.uk.

Battle for vehicle tech intensifies as digital giants wade into market

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
By:

Europe was the most active autotech M&A market in 2018 with 39% of deal activity, ahead of North America and APAC, yet accounted for only 7% of total global M&A transaction value.

The latest research from GP Bullhound reveals M&A activity in autotech across Europe, Asia and North America has steadily increased in the last few years, reaching a record 166 transactions in 2018, up from 144 the previous year.

Though Europe is the most active market worldwide for M&A transactions, Asia Pacific and North America lead in terms of deal value – with 72% and 21%, respectively.

The total global autotech fundraising value increased by 293% to €27bn over the past five years,

Sven Raeymaekers, Partner at GP Bullhound, said: “Europe’s autotech sector has been growing from strength to strength in the last few years, and the figures in our report attest to significant innovation and investment across the continent. The next challenge for Europe’s autotech firms will be to achieve scale in order to compete with the biggest players in the industry. The difficulty so far is that European autotech companies struggle to get the same level of funding as their competitors in APAC and North America.”

The report also reveals that technology giants such as Google, Intel, Tesla and Uber are challenging established automotive firms when it comes to innovation in autonomous driving, connected cars, electric vehicles, and shared mobility solutions.

With Tesla on track to outsell both BMW and Mercedes-Benz in the US and several global automakers issuing recent profit warnings, GP Bullhound says the automotive industry is facing unprecedented disruption from emerging and established technology firms keen for a slice of the action.

Guillaume Bonneton, Partner at GP Bullhound, added: “A battle is emerging between global tech giants and the traditional automobile manufacturers. The tech giants have an advantage in terms of total resources available, but do not rule out the OEMs as they are pouring significant levels of investment into the four key sectors highlighted in our report. Combined with the existing levels of trust they have from consumers, it will be interesting to see who comes out on top.”

The report considers four key trends set to significantly reshape the automotive sector over the next ten to fifteen years: shared mobility, electrification, autonomy and connectivity.

Autonomy looks set to catch up to shared mobility as the most disruptive sector with the greatest increase in transaction value from €0.2bn in 2014, to €8bn in 2018 and an average transaction value of €70m, just below level of shared mobility on €75m which has dominated since 2014. This came as shared mobility declined from €17bn in 2017, to €8bn last year.

Looking ahead, the report identifies micro-mobility – bike, scooter and mopeds-sharing– as a fast-growth area, with deal activity in bike-scooter sharing increasing from $14m in 2015 to $3.5bn by the end of 2018.

BMW and Daimler invest €1 billion in joint mobility services provider

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
By:

The BMW Group and Daimler AG are pooling their mobility services to create a new global player in the rapidly expanding segment.

The two companies are investing more than €1 billion to develop and more closely intermesh their offerings for car-sharing, ride-hailing, parking, charging and multimodal transport.

The cooperation comprises five joint ventures: REACH NOW for multimodal services, CHARGE NOW for charging, FREE NOW for taxi ride-hailing, PARK NOW for parking and SHARE NOW for car-sharing.

The two companies’ mobility services have a strong customer base, with a combined total of over 60 million active customers to date. Te aim is to build on the existing European and North American base to grow their combined global footprint. Here’s how each of the five core services breaks down:

  • REACH NOW offers more than 6.7 million users simple, direct access to a range of mobility services through a single multimodal platform. The REACH NOW apps will offer a range of options for getting from A to B, allowing users to book and pay directly for public transport and various other mobility options, such as car-sharing, ride-hailing and bike rentals. REACH NOW will be managed by Daniela Gerd tom Markotten as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), with Johannes Prantl as Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
  • CHARGE NOW is a service by Digital Charging Solutions GmbH (DCS). It makes public charge points quick and easy to locate, use and pay for, both at home and abroad. Digital Charging Solutions GmbH develops simple, standardised access to public charge points for car manufacturers and fleet operators. With over 100,000 charge points across 25 countries, its white-label solutions are helping OEMs and fleet operators to realise their strategies for electric mobility. Customers benefit from cross-border access to one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing charging networks, with over 250 charge point operators (CPOs) to date.
  • PARK NOW offers users parking solutions at a glance, allows them to reserve parking slots and manage their parking times, and enables ticketless entry and exit in public garages as well as cashless payment of parking fees. In addition, with the search for parking currently accounting for about 30 percent of the traffic on urban roads, PARK NOW is helping towns and cities to reduce traffic volumes, thereby helping to make city centres cleaner, healthier and more liveable. In Europe and North America over 30 million customers are already using the service in more than 1,100 cities. CHARGE NOW and PARK NOW are headed by Jörg Reimann as CEO, with Thomas Menzel as CFO.
  • FREE NOW offers a variety of mobility services including taxis, private chauffeurs with rental vehicles, and state-of-the-art e-scooters, all at the tap of a finger. One of the largest ride-hailing services in Europe and Latin America, FREE NOW already serves more than 21 million customers and over 250,000 drivers, who make a valuable contribution to the reduction of traffic in city centres. FREE NOW is headed by Marc Berg as CEO, with Sebastian Hofelich as CFO.
  • SHARE NOW is a free-floating car-sharing service that allows customers to rent and pay for vehicles by smartphone. Its fleet will now be extended to incorporate a wider range of models and increase market coverage. More than 4 million customers in total currently use the fleet’s 20,000 vehicles in 31 cities around the world. Car-sharing increases vehicle utilization rates, helping to cut the overall number of cars on the roads in urban areas. Olivier Reppert has been appointed CEO of SHARE NOW, with Stefan Glebke as CFO.

The partners say their new mobility portfolio will be easy to access, intuitive to use, and will cater to customers’ needs. The next few years will see up to 1,000 new jobs created worldwide – including in the Berlin HQ and Germany.

“Our mobility services have developed a strong customer base and we are now taking the next strategic step. We are pooling the strength and expertise of 14 successful brands and investing more than €1 billion to establish a new player in the fast-growing market for urban mobility,” said Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars. “By creating an intelligent network of joint ventures, we will be able to shape current and future urban mobility and draw maximum benefit from the opportunities opened up by digitalization, shared services and the increasing mobility needs of our customers. Further cooperations with other providers, including stakes in startups and established players, are also a possible option.”

“We are creating a leading global game changer. The 60 million customers we already have today will benefit from a seamlessly integrated, sustainable ecosystem of car-sharing, ride-hailing, parking, charging and multimodal transport services. We have a clear vision: these five services will merge ever more closely to form a single mobility service portfolio with an all-electric, self-driving fleet of vehicles that charge and park autonomously and interconnect with the other modes of transport,” said Harald Krüger, Management Board Chairman of BMW AG. “This service portfolio will be a key cornerstone in our strategy as a mobility provider. The cooperation is the perfect way for us to maximize our chances in a growing market, while sharing the investments.”

5 Minutes With… Peter O’Driscoll, UK Country Manager, RingGo cashless parking

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
By:

As part of our ongoing fleet executive interview series, we sat down with RingGo’s UK Country Manager Peter O’Driscoll to talk about new products, current market trends and technological innovations…

Tell us about your company, products and services.

RingGo is the UK’s leading phone parking service – available in more than 450 towns and cities across the UK.  

RingGo Corporate is our unique offering for businesses, which lets employees pay for parking quickly and easily using their company account.

Most of the UK’s largest telecoms, utilities, and service companies use RingGo Corporate.  Quite simply because it improves the efficiency of their business, increases employee and customer satisfaction, and reduces pay and claim.  

One company says they save £3 million pa because they’ve reduced penalty charges so much! Another saves £500,000 each year.  A major telecoms company told us they’ve seen customer satisfaction increase since introducing RingGo Corporate – just because engineers no longer worry about parking overruns and can take time over each job.  

What have been the biggest challenges the Fleet Services industry has faced over the past 12 months?

We know businesses find it hard to work efficiently with increasing congestion in towns and cities. At a tactical level, things like our award-winning space availability solution already help, by analysing RingGo parking data and highlighting where free parking spots are most likely to be. This can save countless motorists from circling for spaces.  

And as part of the new BMW/Daimler mobility services joint venture, we will in future be able to offer wider transport solutions that use intelligent data to indicate the best mode for each trip.  This will also help employees carry out their critical journeys in a more efficient and environmentally-friendly way.  

And what have been the biggest opportunities?

We see a whole host of new technology which helps employees work more efficiently while they’re out on the road.  The simple act of avoiding congestion, finding a space, parking and paying, close to your destination, simply wasn’t possible a decade ago – but now, everyone has a smartphone and we take it for granted.  The rate of change is astonishing.  

What is the biggest priority for the Fleet Services industry in 2019?

Improving efficiency and road safety is also key, so if you can make the lives of your employees easier and less stressful, we obviously think you should do that!   

What are the main trends you are expecting to see in the market in 2019?

From our point of view, we work closely with hundreds of Councils and many of them are under pressure to improve local air quality.  Several are varying parking tariffs to encourage electric and hybrid vehicles, and yes often discouraging older petrol and diesel vehicles too.  That’s something that will affect many more fleets in 2019, especially those that need to travel in City centres.  

What technology is going to have the biggest impact on the market this year?

The introduction of in car payments for parking – In-car is coming…

In 2022 we’ll all be talking about…?

Whether the progress in autonomous vehicles is as fast as some predict right now.

Which person in, or associated with, the Fleet Services industry would you most like to meet?

The Fleet Managers of every major utility – can you sort that please?!

What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learnt about the Fleet Services sector?

The most surprising thing that we have learnt is what actually constitutes a fleet vehicle. Historically these were either purchased outright or leased by the company but today there are a multitude of funding methods, with a large number of fleet users funding these from cash, so identifying what constitutes a fleet user presents its challenges. 

You go to the bar at the Fleet Services Management Summit – what’s your tipple of choice?

A rum and Coke always sits well.  The nice thing of course being that if I leave the car overnight I can always top up the next morning with RingGo.

What’s the most exciting thing about your job?

Building cool, useful stuff that people like using!  I love it when people ask what I do and they reply “Oh I use that.  It’s great!”

What could be nicer than making people’s daily lives that little bit easier?

And what’s the most challenging?

Purely and simply juggling all the amazing opportunities for new and better parking services.  With limited resources, I have to make difficult choices on a daily basis.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

Try and see ahead and make plans for what’s coming. Then focus on two or three key areas to deliver.

Peaky Blinders or The Crown?

Peaky Blinders… and their unique entrepreneurial spirit. 

Do you specialise in Driver Training? We want to hear from you!

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
By:

Each month on Fleet Management Briefing we’re shining the spotlight on a different part of the fleet & logistics market – and in March we’ll be focussing on Driver Training 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 Driver Training 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 are the areas we’ll be covering in 2019, month by month:

March – Driver Training
April – Accident & Risk Management
May – Fleet Management Software
June – Telematics
July – Contract Hire & Leasing
August – LPG/Alternative Fuel & Fuel Management
September – Vehicle Tracking
October – Duty of Care
November – Grey Fleet
December – Service, Maintenance & Repair

For more information on any of the above, contact Chris Cannon on 01992 374096 / c.cannon@forumevents.co.uk.