fleet management Archives - Page 2 of 5 - Fleet Summit
Posts Tagged :

fleet management

VIDEO: Locks 4 Vans unveils security range for the Volkswagen ID. Buzz EV

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
By:

Light commercial vehicle aftermarket security specialist Locks 4 Vans (LV4) has taken the wraps off it’s latest project: a range of bespoke products for the ‘van of the moment’, the Volkswagen ID. Buzz.

We were lucky enough to have a closer look at this new EV and get hands-on with the product at L4V’s Innovation Centre, which showcases myriad opportunities to upgrade vehicle security against the latest attack methods.

Terry Rayner, Commercial Director at Locks 4 Vans, explained: “We worked through several challenges during the development journey. Due to the composite materials used for electric vans, we needed to adjust how we fitted our solutions in terms of location and bracketry so that we didn’t compromise functionality. The team were also conscious to ensure that the finished design of our products were sympathetic to the visual ‘look and feel’ of the van’s iconic style.”

The result is a blend of solutions that work together to provide the optimum security upgrade with an impressive aesthetic.

On the rear of the van, L4V designed a hook locking solution for the tailgate doors, as well as a protective window shield due to the glazed rear window on the tailgate model. To complete the security range, L4V designed a custom-made anti-peel kit for the ID. Buzz which it says dramatically reduces the risk of the growing ‘peel and steal’ attack method on side loading doors.

Rayner added: “The team here at L4V are continually pushing boundaries to ensure that the application of our security solutions move with the next generation of vehicle. This is a great example of where our products are fresh, current and relevant, and by being first to market we demonstrate once again why we are first choice in the industry.”

L4V recently invested £2.5million to extend its capabilities further, with the ID. Buzz products the latest of many in the Innovation Centre roadmap. Check out the video below:-

Connected EVs save fleets 15 tonnes of CO2 per vehicle, per year

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
By:

European fleets using EVs have cut their carbon emissions by more than 15 tonnes of CO2per vehicle, per year, equating to a fuel saving of 5,665 litres.

Webfleet published this information in the first instalment of Electrifying Data, a series of reports that map the commercial EV opportunity in exclusive telematics data. The first report provides clear insights on the fuel and carbon emission reductions that are made possible via fleet electrification.

According to latest government figures, in 2020 transport was responsible for producing 24 per cent of the UK’s total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the country’s largest emitting sector . Furthermore, it was responsible for 33 per cent of nitrogen oxides (NOX) emissions and 14 per cent of particulates (PM2.5).

‘The decarbonisation of the transport sector sits at the very heart of our collective ambitions to tackle climate change’, said Beverley Wise, Webfleet Regional Director for Bridgestone Mobility Solutions.

‘Fleet businesses have been leading the charge in the transition from ICE to EV vehicles, and this data reinforces the impact they can have in helping to deliver a more sustainable future.’

‘Although electrification is gathering pace, it remains, however, a significant change management undertaking. Dedicated fleet management solutions such as Webfleet can play an important role in supporting fleets as they target net zero.’

Taco van der Leij, Vice President of Webfleet Europe added: ‘The significant CO2 savings shown in the Electrifying Data report emphasise how electrifying your fleet can have a significant environmental impact.’

‘In Webfleet, you can access the Fleet Electrification Report, a feature that shows clearly which of your vehicles could be replaced with an EV. Following the fuel price rises in March of last year, we saw a 300 per cent increase in usage of this tool. So, it’s clear the electrification of fleets is top of mind for many businesses.’

‘We want to show all fleets that making the move to electric mobility is a game-changer when it comes to transport decarbonisation.’

More focus required on reconditioning as fleet stock ages

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
By:

The ageing of the UK’s cars and vans caused by new stock shortages means more resources need to be invested in reconditioning.

That’s according to the Vehicle Remarketing Association (VRA), with the organisation’s Chair Philip Nothard saying that it’s not just a question of dealers and others in the remarketing industry spending more money on bringing vehicles up to the expected retail standard, but allocating additional time and enforcing new standards.

He said: “Post-pandemic production issues mean we’re in a situation where used car and van buyers are being asked to pay more for older vehicles, and the remarketing sector needs to respond accordingly.

“Much is being asked of suppliers in our sector who valet and recondition vehicles and our advice is that resources need to be built into used car and van processes that allow these experts to do the best possible job.

“It’s not just a question of deciding to spend more money on bringing vehicles up to scratch in a mechanical, electrical and cosmetic sense but acknowledging current customer expectations and allowing time to ensure they are met.”

He was speaking following the VRA’s latest member meeting, which looked at what the remarketing sector needs to do to make older vehicles as appealing as possible to used car and van buyers.

Speakers included Derren Martin of cap hpi, on the factors causing the vehicle parc to age; Jon Butler of Geldards on the legal implications of selling older vehicles; James Hopkins of ASKE Consulting on the latest trends in vehicle preparation and reconditioning; and Lee Coomber of Assurant and the RAC Dealer Network on trends in warranties and wider dealer propositions.

Nothard added: “The ageing vehicle parc presents a range of remarketing conundrums. These are cars and vans that are likely to reach retailers with higher mileage, more faults and an increased propensity to break down in future.

“The remarketing sector is working hard to ensure that these vehicles retain maximum appeal for used buyers and are presented in such a way that might minimise future problems. It’s a question of developing processes and propositions that meet these changing conditions, something which our meeting suggested is underway. Certainly, the trend towards the industry having to retail ever older stock is unlikely to reverse anytime soon.”

UK’s automotive sector ‘faces weak recovery’ in 2023

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
By:

Following the release of data by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), showing that the UK new car market was down 2% at 1.61 million sales in 2022, a leading analyst predicts recovery will be slow.

The UK new car market recorded its fifth consecutive month of growth in December, with an 18.3% increase to reach 128,462 new registrations, according to the SMMT daya.

That second half year performance was not enough, however, to offset the declines recorded during the first half of 2022. Despite underlying demand, pandemic-related global parts shortages saw overall registrations for the year fall -2.0% to 1.61 million, around 700,000 units below pre-Covid levels.

David Leggett, Automotive Analyst at GlobalData, said: “Major demand headwinds are building for UK households and businesses and there is a recession looming.

“GlobalData forecasts that the UK car market in 2023 will reach around 1.8 million.

“At that level, 2023’s UK new car market would still be around a quarter down on 2019’s 2.3 million sales.

“While there are signs of an easing of parts shortages that have constrained sales over the past two years, fragile supply chains and cost pressures will continue to be extremely challenging this year.

“Underlying new car demand is also going to be weak in 2023.

“I’m afraid a year of weak recovery is in prospect alongside ongoing uncertainties that deter investment in the sector.”

How retail fleet managers can improve sustainability and profitability in home delivery 

 1024 601 Stuart O'Brien
By:

Today, home delivery and sustainability are coming together in consumers’ minds. Descartes recently conducted a comprehensive study to help retailers understand not only how this convergence is changing consumer home delivery preferences; but also how retailers can take advantage of these evolving preferences to help themselves and the environment. 

The good news is that consumers are becoming more flexible about their delivery choices. They want retailers to provide sustainable delivery options; and favour retailers that are focused on sustainability. 

The even better news is that most of the sustainable delivery options come at a lower cost for retailers to operationalise, compared with traditional deliveries. This presents a strong opportunity for retailers to create more customer loyalty and to reduce delivery costs, while helping the environment. Chris Jones, EVP, Descartes explains and reveals key findings from Descartes’ recent research….

The demand for “eco-friendly” home delivery is strong

The study surveyed 8,013 consumers from nine countries in Europe, the US and Canada. It pointed to a number of findings that indicate that many consumers care about the environment and what retailers do about it does impact their buying decisions. The last finding in the list below is a significant one for retailers because it helps to drive the first three metrics:

  • 45% said that helping the environment is quite/very important in their daily lives
  • 39% said that they always/regularly make purchasing decisions based upon the environmental impact of a company or a product
  • 40% would buy more from grocers who demonstrated that their supply chains were more sustainable than the competition
  • 50% were quite/very interested in environmentally friendly home delivery options.

Three sustainable delivery options were highly appealing to consumers

Respondents were asked what sustainable delivery options were most important to them. The following findings point to the three most appealing sustainable delivery options for consumers—all of which can reduce costs for retailers:

  • 50% thought the ability to combine orders to have them arrive all at once was quite/very important
  • 48% said that they were quite/very interested in having retailers recommend the most environmentally friendly delivery option
  • 38% were quite/very willing to wait longer for deliveries to make them more environmentally friendly.

Making sustainable delivery happen

Achieving these three sustainable delivery options allows retailers to better consolidate deliveries and increase delivery density. The key to leveraging eco-friendly delivery options, though, is to understand which are more sustainable, and present them to customers before they make a delivery decision.

Specialised delivery appointment scheduling tools can help here, and provide retailers the capabilities to highlight the most environmentally friendly delivery options to their shoppers – for example, options for dates and times that are ecofriendly across different service levels, including free standard delivery, premium delivery or same day delivery. These intelligent scheduling tools can dynamically offer services that combine deliveries too – and they can present options that extend the delivery time (e.g. slow down the delivery) to create more environmentally delivery plans. These options combine to help create more efficient and profitable delivery operations for retailers, and reduce their carbon footprint.

Combining deliveries 

For retailers such as grocers and broadline sellers whose customers make frequent purchases, combining orders provides an excellent opportunity to minimise the number of deliveries. Retailers can provide either a fixed delivery on a regular basis (e.g. Amazon Prime Day) or dynamically choose the day based upon existing orders. Strong delivery appointment scheduling tools can identify when customers have existing orders and, during the ordering process for additional purchases, determine if it is possible to add new orders to the existing delivery or dynamically suggest a new delivery time. For customers on a fixed delivery schedule, this techology can assign new orders to the fixed time as long as the solution determines that it is feasible to add them to the delivery.

Scoring eco-delivery options 

For retailers who want to provide customers with more dynamic eco-friendly delivery options, intelligent delivery appointment scheduling tools can score options based upon the factors that determine carbon footprint. This is usually possible to achieve because the delivery appointment scheduling process dynamically creates delivery options for each order as customers are making their purchases. With today’s modern tools they can typically score options to show which ones have the shortest travel distance/lowest mileage and enable retailers to determine which options they want to present to the customer. Eco-deliveries can be highlighted with supplemental explanation (e.g. “Help us reduce miles and improve the environment”) to educate the customer. Anecdotally, some organisations employing this technique have seen mileage reductions of up to 20% for eco-deliveries versus non-eco-friendly delivery options.

Lengthening lead times for deliveries

Similar to eco-deliveries, effective delivery appointment scheduling tools can score delivery options over a time horizon. This provides retailers the insight to understand what longer lead-time options are more environmentally friendly and present them to the customer during the buying process.

Additional performance and sustainability improvement tactics

Virtually any improvement in home delivery performance results in a lower carbon footprint and greater sustainability. While scheduling tools offer retailers tangible benefits, there are several other tactics that retailers can deploy to improve home delivery performance and make it more sustainable.

  1. Route optimisation that helps to maximise fleet productivity, which results in less fuel consumed, fewer vehicles used and lower vehicle maintenance.
  2. Advanced road network modeling that helps to ensure compliance with state and local government restrictions in congested areas, which reduces traffic and related pollution.
  3. Route orchestration to better coordinate multiple resources during delivery execution, which reduces fuel consumed and the number of vehicles deployed and maintained. AI and machine learning capabilities improves route planning accuracy and addresses route execution exceptions to make delivery fleets more productive, reduce fuel consumed and decrease the number of vehicles deployed and maintained.
  4. Mobile applications that eliminate paper-based delivery documentation and IoT-based telematics that minimize excessive idle time and help contain aggressive driving traits that consume additional fuel and increase vehicle maintenance.
  5. GPS-based fleet tracking, that reduces vehicle turnaround and idle time at distribution centers and depots, can be used.
  6. Customer delivery notifications can help to decrease the number of failed deliveries and the need to reschedule.

Conclusion

Sustainability is no longer a challenge. It is an opportunity. For retailers to continue to succeeding in this current challenging business environement, while meeting consumers’ expectations, they will need to consider what their shoppers want in terms of delivery options against agains sustainability requirements.

Today, meeting these needs is not only good business sense – investors want it, consumers want it, and governmental legislation across the planet is driving and demanding it too. By investing in technologies that enable effective transport routing, scheduling and delivery resourcing, retailers will be able to meet the various needs of their shoppers, the environment, and the market that they operate it.

Breedon fleet cuts emissions and idling time with driver rewards tech

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
By:

Leading construction materials group Breedon has succeeded in introducing significant improvements to its fleet of delivery vehicles with the help of Lightfoot’s pioneering real-time in-cab driver coaching technology.

Instances of aggressive and inefficient driving have been dramatically reduced, resulting in a 12.2% fall in fuel costs, a 10.9% drop in carbon emissions, and a 24% reduction in pollution caused by vehicle idling. Over the next 5 years, Breedon is on target to reduce fleet CO2 emissions by 1,651 tonnes – the equivalent of removing 359 passenger vehicles from the road.

Lightfoot’s fleet management system works by providing drivers with visual and verbal feedback as they travel, helping them to correct their driving in the moment and adopt a safer, smoother style. Better driving is incentivised through the Lightfoot Driver App, which rewards drivers who reach the performance target with weekly giveaways, exclusive discounts, and top spots on the leaderboard.

Installed across Breedon’s 380-strong fleet, Lightfoot has been key to improving driver safety. Within a month of being fitted, aggressive driving had decreased by 80%, with harsh acceleration falling by 63%, severe braking by 28%, and cornering at speed by 19%.

Learn more about Breedon’s achievements with Lightfoot here.

Mer charges up Dawsongroup

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
By:

Dawsongroup is one of the UK’s leading asset management specialists. Its vans division offers a wide range of light commercial vehicles (LCVs) available to hire, lease, or purchase, from 13 locations, nationwide. The company had started investing in Vauxhall Vivaro all-electric vans and needed a charging infrastructure partner to support this process.

Dawsongroup needed a provider who could deliver the right infrastructure that was both reliable and scalable. The company turned to Mer, an established and experienced supplier of workplace EV charging, with unique expertise in smart chargers and the back-office systems to manage them.

Simon Ridley, Managing Director of Dawsongroup Vans, said: “We had worked with two different suppliers previously but ran into problems with reliability of the charging products. So, when we approached Mer, we not only wanted them to recommend a solution to us, but we also needed to know that they would deliver.

“With light commercial vehicles, you need to have charging infrastructure in place where the vehicle is stored overnight, so it’s ready to operate the next day. If you’ve got the charging in place, and you have thought it through, those electric vehicles can remain on rent for as long as a diesel vehicle would.”

Experts from Mer carried out electrical surveys at every Dawsongroup depot, enabling Mer to recommend and deploy chargers with load balancing capabilities – meaning they work within the limits of the available power, on each site at all times. Mer’s customer services team also helped to prepare information on EVs and infrastructure for Dawsongroup’s customers and drivers.

Mer has now successfully installed 22kw dual fast chargers all Dawsongroup Van sites. The project went so well that the client has expanded its partnership with Mer to other divisions of the group. Mer has installed fleet and workplace charging across the UK for Dawsongroup’s Truck and Trailer, Finance, and Sweepers divisions. All four divisions use Mer’s Operator Portal to monitor the infrastructure and track usage.

“We continue to support Dawsongroup by delivering rapid charging capability across more locations,” said Natasha Fry, Mer’s Head of Strategic Accounts – fleet and workplace charging. “We have formed an extremely exciting partnership with a forward-thinking group; and aim to develop it for years to come.”

For further information on how Mer can help your business with EV charging infrastructure, visit https://uk.mer.eco/ev-fleet-charging.

Learn about grey fleet with the AFP’s Ric Baird and James Pestell at the Fleet Summit

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
By:

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 challenges 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 support 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.

Keys to improving motorpool management operations

 960 640 Guest Post
By:

By Stacey Papp, Director, Content, Ridecell

There are a lot of variables to consider when it comes to looking for ways to improve your motorpool management practices. With multiple drivers and vehicles constantly moving around and making trips to a large number of destinations, trying to manage the daily operations of a busy fleet business can sometimes feel too challenging.

However, with so many innovations now becoming a vital part of any productive motorpool fleet, the ability to harness these tasks into a more efficient and simple fleet management system, has never been more important.

To meet deadlines and make the most of the vehicles at your disposal, embracing new ideas and technologies is key. To help your company catch up with the latest changes to the industry, here are six tips for improving your motorpool management operations.

Tip #1: Making the Process Easier on Drivers

Take the guesswork out of the picture. Entrust your motorpool supervisor to designate clear vehicles for each driver. By providing some basic and informative instructions on the fleet vehicle each driver will be using throughout the week, you’ll be minimalizing any questions and concerns.

Consider the time a driver spends searching for their vehicle, the journey to the dispatch location, and the dropping off of keys. By the time this has been done and all vehicle safety checks have been completed, you’ve lost hours of the day to menial tasks.

Whether you’re a small-scale fleet company or a global motorpool business, these hours equal time spent and money wasted. So, search each and every task – find ways to improve the process and get drivers moving, to increase your efficiency.

Tip #2: Making the Most of Every Available Vehicle

By taking a closer look at those small-scale daily tasks and finding ways to improve them, you’re also able to find new ways to monetize your motorpool management operations. A more scheduled approach will show which vehicles aren’t being used to their fullest potential.

It can even shed some light on how many vehicles could be taken out of the business, while keeping you functioning at optimum speed. Removing unnecessary expenditures to your fleet management operations can save tens of thousands of dollars – while eliminating time wastage in the process.

Tip #3: Automate to Accelerate

The rise in automated technology over the course of the last few years has simplified and sped up everyday motorpool management operations. Through one true source of automated technology, your fleet operations can be optimized for greater efficiency, through automated fleet solutions.

Innovations like a fleet automation and mobility solution have turned cloud-based platforms into actionable workflow triggers. With cutting-edge tools like keyless technology, automation can save time and instantly locate and diagnose issues.

By creating one platform for each and every task, you help motorpool supervisors to focus on bigger picture tasks – and eliminate the human element of errors and oversights.

Tip #4: Using Innovation to Reassess the Basics

Disruptive technology that pushes the automotive industry forward is a good thing. It can expose areas of your business that need improvement – and help you to pinpoint the areas that are no longer needed to function smoothly in the modern age.

But, innovations like this should never come at the expense of sound business foundations: customer service, safety, and other fleet or motorpool management basics. Instead, the issues that innovative technology exposes should be reassessed and recalibrated to create the ultimate combination of tech, simplicity and cost-effectiveness.

This ability to evaluate standard procedures and practices alongside the latest cutting-edge industry tools is important. You may find it’s more cost-effective to embrace electric vehicles and decrease the reliance on the heavy gas use that comes with your current fleet – or discover how apps and keyless technology have reduced the manpower needed to run front desks and depots.

Tip #5: Setting Realistic and Measurable Goals

Any motorpool supervisor can say that they want their business to grow by X amount in X amount of years, but those long-term goals can sometimes feel impossible to reach.

Implementing smaller and measurable short-term goals alongside the bigger picture milestones can place your motorpool business on a path to easier and more achievable guideposts. These guideposts should be based on simple observations of your strengths, or even weaknesses.

In no time, you’ll discover that completing and exceeding your small-scale objectives will lead you to huge quarterly or annual successes. However, it’s important to remain flexible with these realistic goals and adapt to any sudden changes in the industry. Keep your long-term aims rigid and the small-scale ones more fluid to maintain a well-structured, but versatile game plan.

Tip #6: Encouraging Communication Companywide

All of the motorpool management software in the world will still require that human element to achieve absolute success with your management operations. This begins with how your fleet management company reacts to things like customer and employee feedback.

If you have the insights to welcome other points of view, you may uncover untapped sources of revenue, a commonly shared problem that has a simple solution – or even help to prevent an unforeseen accident, just waiting to happen.

This clear and concise method of communication should also be present in your procedures and processes. Whether it’s a safety guidelines document or a vehicle checklist before departure, being proactive with your communications is essential.

 

Digitize keys to improve your motor pool operations

Improving Motorpool Management Operations

Freeing up your key staff members and applying automotive technologies to manual processes improves your motorpool management on several levels. Not only are you creating a faster and more effective response to security and safety issues, you’re also allowing your management teams to access real-time data, ensuring your business is at the forefront of industry advancements.

Several of the world’s biggest and most forward-thinking companies now use fleet automation solutions to upgrade their systems. Fleet businesses across the world are all experiencing a better process to propel themselves into an exciting new phase of the automotive business.

Learn how Ridecell has helped motorpool management become more efficient, putting automation at the forefront and increasing productivity without adding additional resources.

Lightfoot launches new website showcasing fleet management solutions

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
By:

Devon-based green tech company Lightfoot have recently launched a brand new website, with a focus on their offerings for both ICE fleets and electric fleets.

Lightfoot’s revolutionary fleet management solution consists of an in-cab driver coaching device that provides real-time feedback to those behind the wheel, alongside a driver rewards app and a comprehensive telematics suite.

The new website offers a greater overview of the all-in-one fleet management platform and highlights the different features available to petrol, diesel, EV, and mixed fleets. For example, in electric vehicles, Lightfoot can be used to manage driver home charge reimbursements, prevent energy fraud, and improve charging behaviour.

You can view the new website and find out more about what Lightfoot has to offer at: https://www.lightfoot.co.uk/