Keeping your fleet on the road is a time-consuming business and can be a distraction from your core business. Therefore finding the right way to manage your fleet is essential.
The background
There’s never been more regulations and rules involved with keeping a fleet on the road. Car drivers have faced a government determined to reduce car and motorway use for some time in a bid to cut congestion and, along with rising oil prices, drivers have borne the brunt of recent policy making. There are also some hefty health and safety considerations to make which come with uncompromising legal ramifications. As a business owner you have a duty of care to your employees when they are on the road.
Major hotspots
• Mobile phones It is now illegal to use a mobile phone when driving. Employers must ensure that they aren’t in any way culpable if a staff member does talk on his phone when driving. Hands-free kits are advisable.
• Smoking Cars are designated as work places and must have ‘No Smoking’ signs in them if the car is used by more than one employee.
• Corporate manslaughter The new law makes it easier to prosecute you if you are found to be negligent in the way you run your fleet and if this results in a death.
• Licenses and insurance You must have all the appropriate documentation from staff even if they are using their own car for work.
• Charges and fees There’s been something of an explosion in ticket offences in recent years and London’s congestion charge is another one to add to the list, with proposals under review both in London and other key UK cities.
Fleet software
Thankfully, there is software available which makes co-ordinating your fleet easier. For instance Jaama’s Key2 product links your fleet data to other company areas such as human resources and payroll. It also imports data from other sources such as leasing companies and suppliers to provide you with information on your fleet. Having an automated system in place can save you a lot of time and money. It also ensures that you are compliant with the law and provides a paper trail should you ever be challenged.
Outsourced fleets
Some companies will manage your fleet for you. This means that they will perform checks on your drivers, advise on training and health and safety and warn you of problems on the horizon, including when a service is due. They will also make it easier to select which cars you need for your company. So, if you know nothing about motors then they can help. Once again they are offering to take the aggravation out of your fleet management so that you can concentrate on your core business.