Nexus Vehicle Rental has been chosen as the sole vehicle rental supplier to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

Nexus will primarily provide the RNLI with cars and small vans for RNLI staff to attend essential fundraising events and to get frontline volunteers to the right locations to save lives at sea.

As the peak summer season is underway, additional vehicles are essential, particularly as last year RNLI crews and lifeguards came to the rescue of over 40,000 people and saved 329 lives.

The RNLI employs over 1,500 people and provides a vital 24-hour rescue service in the UK and Ireland. Crews have saved more than 142,000 lives since the charity was founded in 1824 and it is dedicated to help tackle drowning in communities.          

Nexus will offer the RNLI access to a supply chain of more than 550,000 vehicles, meaning it can quickly source the right vehicle for any need, in addition to specialist equipment required by RNLI crew. Nexus’ no turndown guarantee means it will deliver vehicles anytime and anywhere, enabling the RNLI fleet to be flexed quickly according to demand. 

Nexus will also provide cost-saving benefits through its rental booking and management system, IRIS, advising the RNLI of inefficiencies in the rental booking process that can save some up to 20% on their total rental spend. This system also makes it easy to report damages on delivery helping to cut vehicles repair costs.     

Nick Saunders, Senior Category Manager at RNLI said: “The coast is a popular destination during the summer months and the demand on our service increases dramatically. Working with Nexus provides us with quick access to the range of vehicles we need to deliver our lifesaving services around the coast of the UK and Ireland, assisting us in our overall aim of defeating drowning.

“It is vital that we are able transport our volunteers around the coast and as Nexus can also provide specialist vehicles and equipment, this means their jobs are made easier. Being able to scale our fleet, particularly during the summer season, aids our crew and support workers and ultimately assists in keeping communities safe.”

David Brennan, CEO at Nexus Vehicle Rental, said: “The RNLI is a crucial charity that relies on dedicated volunteers to provide life-saving support, water safety education and flood rescue services across the country. Of course, we are pleased to be able to support the charity by keeping it mobile.

“Our unrivalled network of vehicles across every asset category means we can support organisations with any mobility need, from individual lifeboat crews to large retail fleets and logistics hauliers. In working with the RNLI, we want to raise awareness of the incredible work it does and hope we can continue to provide it with a dedicated mobility service for years to come.”