Fleet Van April 2014

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SPECIAL GREEN ISSUE

News: Plug-in hybrid

Mitsubishi to bring 4x4 hybrid tech for commercials Survey: CO2 reduction

Finding a balance with working vehicles 'Green' vans on test

Driving electric Volkswagen van concepts

Insight: Auto Electrical Services

THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE How the industry benchmark for best practice drove a small family company to improve

T H E

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U K ’ S

P R E M I E R

D R I V I N G

E V E N T

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Millbrook Proving ground For more more information and to register for free – www.companycarinaction.com For information www.companycarinaction.com

Contact us Fleet News, Media House, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6EA. Email – fleetnews@bauermedia.co.uk Editorial Editor-in-chief Stephen Briers 01733 468024 stephen.briers@bauermedia.co.uk Deputy editor Simon Harris 01733 468308 simon.harris@bauermedia.co.uk Associate editor Trevor Gehlcken Contributors Mark Cartwright, John Challen, Maurice Glover, Chris Lowndes (photographs)

CONTENTS

4 I News

4

6 I News digest

Production Head of publishing Luke Neal Associate editor (production) Andrew Ryan Production editor Finbarr O’Reilly Designer Charlotte Boon Advertising Commercial director Sarah Crown 01733 366466 B2B commercial manager Sheryl Graham 01733 366467 Account managers Wendy Cowell 01733 366472 Laura Holloway 01733 366469 Lucy Herbert (maternity leave) Lisa Turner 01733 366471 Stuart Wakeling 01733 366470 Marcus Woods 01733 366468 Head of project management Leanne Patterson 01733 468332 Project managers Lucy Peacock 01733 468338 Angela Price Kerry Unwin 01733 468327 Telesales/recruitment b2brecruitment@bauermedia.co.uk 01733 468275/01733 468328

Mitsubishi plans UK’s first plug-in hybrid CV.

We highlight the important news from the past month in the van sector.

9 I New launches First looks at Nissan Cabstar, Nissan e-NV200, Volkswagen Crafter and Fuso Canter.

12

10 I FTA benchmarking: dealers Dealers ‘should try harder’ to meet fleet demands.

12 I Insight: Auto Electrical Services Van Excellence certification drove company to change 1950 values for the latest fleet standards.

14 I Fleet Van Awards

This year’s event will be bigger and better than ever.

29

18 I Green survey Finding the right balance between fit-for-purpose and lower CO2 is the biggest challenge for fleets.

Events Event director Chris Lester Event manager Sandra Evitt 01733 468123 Event organiser Kate Howard 01733 468146 Events co-ordinator Nicola Baxter 01733 468289

23 I Remarketing

Publishing Managing director Tim Lucas 01733 468340 Group marketing manager Bev Mason 01733 468295 Office manager Vicky Meadows 01733 468319 Group managing director Rob Munro-Hall Chief executive officer Paul Keenan

29 I Hybrids

Fleet Van is published 10 times a year by Bauer Consumer Media Ltd, registered address 1 Lincoln Court, Lincoln Road, Peterborough, PE1 2RF. Registered number 01176085.

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Do alternative-powered vans have a resale future?

26 I Eco tyres How fuel efficient tyres can cut your fleet costs.

Can hybrids LCVs succeed where pure electric vans have not?

47-50 I Van tests Mercedes Sprinter Euro 6, Volkswagen E-Caddy Volkswagen E-Up, Vauxhall Combo long-termer

47 48

ISSN 0953-8526.

Printing: Headley Brothers Ltd, Kent

51 I Running costs: LWB small vans All the data you need when considering your next van.

NEXT ISSUE – MAY

Profile: Yorkshire Ambulance Service How to reduce fleet costs while maintaining front-line services that people depend on

CV Show 2014 All the latest news and new models at the show.

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Our award winning SMR and ®eet solutions are trialled on our own ®eet before bene­tting yours.

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fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan April 2014 3

NE W S

Mitsubishi plans UK’s first plug-in hybrid CV Grants may bring retail price of converted Outlander CVs to about £21,000 NEED TO KNOW ■ Mitsubishi to introduce plug-in hybrid van ■ Commercial vehicle manufacturers developing hybrid technology ■ Hybrids expected to be more popular than pure electric vehicles

By Simon Harris itsubishi will soon announce details of its plans to introduce the UK’s first production plug-in commercial vehicle.

The manufacturer is currently launching the Outlander PHEV – a plug-in hybrid SUV – but Lance Bradley, managing director of Mitsubishi in the UK, said the company would introduce a commercial vehicle version.

The company already sells a commercial version of the diesel Outlander, and as the conversion to commercial vehicles takes place at its facility in Portbury, it needed to wait until the

M

Outlander PHEV car was in the UK to evaluate its feasibility as a commercial vehicle.

CV versions of the Outlander are created by removing the rear seats and replacing them with a load area, while the windows in the rear doors and around the cargo compartment are covered, and a part solid/mesh bulkhead is fitted behind the front seats.

Mitsubishi’s strategy for the PHEV car is to use the Government’s £5,000 plug-in car grant to sell a medium specification version for the same price as an equivalent diesel. With up to £8,000 available as a grant towards the price of a plug-in commercial vehicle, the commercial Outlander PHEV could be offered for roughly the same price as the diesel version, at about £21,000 excluding VAT. The Outlander Commercial PHEV would also be eligible for a 100% discount on the London congestion charge.

The Outlander PHEV can travel for up to 32.5 miles using its plug-in charge, and can run at motorway speeds on electric power. When the

Mitsubishi is currently launching the Outlander PHEV - a plug-in hybrid SUV

“With up to £8,000 available as a grant, the commercial Outlander PHEV could be offered for roughly the same price as the diesel version”

Experts in fleet conversions and modiƒcations www.cmspecialistvehicles.co.uk

plug-in charge is depleted, the petrol engine takes over, helping to power the car and recharge the battery.

It has full-time four-wheel drive whether using electric power or the petrol engine, and the passenger version has slightly less luggage space than the diesel Outlander car. Its maximum towing capacity is 1,500kg compared with the diesel’s 2,000kg.

Mitsubishi has also signalled its intention to develop hybrid technology with purpose-built commercial vehicles. It unveiled the Concept GR-HEV – a one-tonne pick-up – at the Geneva Motor Show in 2013.

It uses a 2.5-litre Mitsubishi ‘clean diesel’ engine and a front-mounted electric motor, mated to an automatic gearbox. The system is all controlled by an electronic operating system and the battery pack is located and protected within the ladder frame.

Mitsubishi says the technology is simpler and more affordable than EV or PHEV, and that HEV is best suited to the heavy-duty daily require-

|

4 April 2014 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

01942 815600

editor’s column Simon Harris, deputy editor, Fleet Van

Mitsubishi unveiled a purpose-built CV hybrid concept – the GR-HEV – at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show

ments of pick-up truck users. The GR-HEV is likely to appear after the next-generation L200 pick-up makes its debut and has targets for CO2 emissions of less than 149g/km – equivalent to about 50mpg. The current L200 Double Cab has CO2 emissions of 208g/km.

To see which van best suits your fleet’s needs, visit: www.fleetnews.co.uk/vans/ tools/van-chooser/

March van registrations rise above 50,000 as business confidence returns Van registrations have made a strong start to 2014, suggesting business confidence is returning in the economic recovery.

According to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, registrations exceeded 50,000 units in March, compared with 43,684 for the same month last year – an increase of 14.6%.

Almost 80,000 units were registered during the first quarter of 2014; an increase of 16% over the same period last year, which saw less than 69,000 registrations.

Usually, March and September registrations

“Registration plate changes always prove popular with van buyers” Mike Hawes, chief executive, SMMT

14.6% 16%

year-on-year rise in van registrations for March

year-on-year rise for first quarter van registrations

combined account for a third of the year’s new vans, but the first quarter figures show a 49.1% increase for 2.0-2.5t and 20.1% for 2.5-3.5t.

This is likely to continue throughout the year as new models are launched by a number of manufacturers.

However, registrations of lighter vans (less than 2.0t gross vehicle weight) have shown a decline of 18% compared to March 2013 and are 15% lower for the year to date.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “Registration plate changes always prove popular with van buyers, so March and September numbers are typically more than double the average month, a trend continued this March as volumes rose 14.6% to above 50,000 units.”

What are you doing to ensure your fleet’s carbon footprint is kept to a minimum?

Most fleets will have been doing this as a by-product of reducing fuel costs and improving utilisation, but when it comes to new low CO2 technology for vehicles, cost versus return on investment can hold back progress.

Some fleets have made use of electric vans, and in this issue we look at whether hybrid technology can help encourage adopting ‘greener’ options.

“The technology is expensive to develop and it’s difficult to recoup the cost on commercials” Citroën and Peugeot will be introducing hybrid-air in small petrol cars from 2016 and there is a commercial vehicle application for small vans should the market demand it.

But as pioneers in diesel-hybrid cars, can we expect to seen this technology in commercial vehicles? A spokesman told us that there are no technological barriers in adapting diesel-hybrid or plug-in hybrid powertrains for commercial vehicles.

The main consideration is economic. The technology is relatively expensive to develop and it is difficult to recoup the cost. A glimmer of hope for the future, perhaps, but progress will be slow.

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan April 2014 5

ne w s dige s t

w w w.F L ee t ne w s.C o.UK / VA n s

New Vauxhall Vivaro and Renault Trafic break cover Renault says the new Trafic meets customers’ needs more closely

Vauxhall and Renault have taken the wraps off new medium-sized panel vans that will go on sale this summer.

Vauxhall claims the new Vivaro, which shares its design with the Renault trafic, combines the functionality of a light commercial vehicle with the comfort and design flair of a passenger car.

Renault says it has capitalised upon its wealth of experience in the LCV segment to offer a user-friendly van in the new trafic that is modern and comfortable, responding more closely to the needs of customers and actively contributing to the success of their businesses.

Both variants have a new Renault-developed 1.6-litre diesel engine available in single and bi-turbo variants, which should bring improved fuel consumption over the outgoing versions, with about 47mpg on the combined cycle. the vans will be offered with a choice of lengths and roof heights, as well as passenger versions. More information about the range will be made available closer to both vans’ summer launch.

Barclaycard joins forces with TMC to launch fuel card for fleets Barclaycard Business solutions, in association with the Miles Consultancy (tMC), has launched a new fuel card called Fuel+. the card is designed to help drivers and fleet managers and combines a fuel expenses Barclaycard with a mileage capture and audit system developed by tMC. the Fuel+ Barclaycard, accepted by fuel retailers who take Visa cards, allows drivers to refuel at almost all UK petrol forecourts, while the tMC mileage system gives fleet managers data on how much their staff are spending on fuel.

Following a successful trial with 30 corporate clients, including Morrisons supermarkets, Fuel+ is available to all organisations with large vehicle fleets that have a fuel spend of more than £500,000. there are plans to roll it out to smaller fleets.

SMA increases its LCV expertise sMA Vehicle Remarketing has appointed John Harland as business development manager and auctioneer. with a 30-year career within the remarketing sector, Harland is well known, having enjoyed senior roles at both Manheim and BCA. sMA managing director Bob Anderson said: “we are delighted to welcome John on board. His expertise and reputation are a very welcome addition to our team.”

Volkswagen to launch van version of e-Up

Vauxhall claims the new Vivaro offers the comfort levels of a passenger car

An electric version of Volkswagen’s smallest car is to be built as a van.

Just weeks after introducing its e-Up model in showrooms, Vw confirmed it is ready to market a van derivative that uses the same batterypowered drivetrain. sharing its bodywork with the five-door city car, the new e-Load Up will be officially announced as a production vehicle at the iAA commercial vehicle show in Hanover in september. n See E-Load Up review on Page 49 Volkswagen’s E-Up

GE Capital to reveal van fleet research ge Capital Fleet services will launch its 2014 Company Van research at the Commercial Vehicle show next month. the research focuses on more than 200 fleet operators’ views and reports on key areas of light commercial vehicle management including changes in replacement cycles and key trends.

6 April 2014 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

PUSH IT. STACK IT. LOAD IT. TRANSIT.

ALL-NEW FORD TRANSIT

With our best-ever payload and volume

Many things make all-new Transit the backbone of business.

Such as the fact it’s now shipping with up to 15.1 cubic metres of loadspace and van payloads of 2281kg. However you look at it, nothing else helps you go further.

Vehicle shown is an L3H2 Trend Series. Dual-side load door is available on all models except Bus M2 or Transit ECOnetic models.

The 270* opening door stopper is optional on L3 models and standard on L4.

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Ne w l auNche s

greener models, new launches and revisions The facelifTed NissaN cabsTar

Nissan has upgraded its evergreen cabstar light truck, with a new, higher-output engine, longer service intervals and extra equipment.

The 2.5-litre turbodiesel powerplant now comes with a particulate filter and in 121hp, 136hp and 145hp variants. The most powerful replaces the old 3.0-litre unit and is just 5hp less powerful despite its smaller capacity. service intervals have been extended from 18,000 miles to 25,000 miles.

Visual changes include a new front grille and revised clear glass headlamp clusters, while turn indicator repeaters are now integrated into the door mirrors.

Inside there are new fabrics, while a heated driver’s seat is available as part of a winter pack that also includes heated and electrically adjusted side mirrors and a rear heater in double-cab versions.

easier-to-read instruments include a larger speedometer that includes a new, multifunctional display. among its features are read-outs for instant and average fuel consumption, oil level check, maintenance advice including an oil change monitor, which can help to extend service intervals, digital clock and a gear-shift advisory message. The display can be set in 10 different languages.

Reflecting changing habits as well as new workplace legislation, the centre console ashtray has been removed, leaving behind an extra storage slot.

Prices range from £18,275 to £27,525 ex-VaT.

VolkswageN crafTer

NissaN e-NV200

Nissan will launch an electric version of the popular NV200 small van in June, joining the Nissan leaf car, which is the world’s best-selling electric vehicle.

The e-NV200 will be available as a van or as a five-seat people carrier in combi or more luxurious evalia guises.

The battery can be recharged overnight using a domestic 16-amp single-phase 3.3 kw supply, which reduces to four hours if a 6.6kw/32-amp supply is used. a dedicated quick charger can boost the battery from 0-80% in 30 minutes. although based on existing hardware, e-NV200 has undergone a full engineering development programme.

The drivetrain has been re-engineered to suit its new role, while changes have been made to the vehicle shell to ensure there is no reduction in its cargo space.

Volkswagen is the latest van manufacturer to include a euro 6 emissions-compliant engine in its range. It joins Mercedes-Benz and Ford with engines that meet the criteria well ahead of the official september 2015 start date.

The euro 6 crafter has a particulate filter and an adBlue tank, which will have to be topped up regularly. euro 6 is offered on selected crafter models with medium and long wheelbases and is available with Volkswagen’s 2.0-litre TDI engine, with an output of either 163hp or 114hp, the latter of which is new to the crafter range. additionally, the 114hp euro 6 engine can be specified with Volkswagen’s BlueMotion technology, meaning fleets benefit from fuel efficiency of up to 35.3mpg on the combined cycle and cO2 emissions of 210 g/km.

fuso caNTer

Fuso has announced a host of revisions to its 3.5-tonne canter light truck for 2014. esP and a stop/start system – in conjunction with a six-speed, twin-clutch Duonic automatic gearbox in the uK – are standard features, wheel size has increased to 16in (twin wheels at the rear), final drive ratio has been lengthened to reduce revs and the three 3.0-litre diesels have been uprated to comply with euro 5b+ emissions regulations, along with an improvement in fuel consumption.

Power and torque remain the same – 130hp/221lb-ft, 150hp/273lb-ft and 175hp/317lbft. as the 3.5-tonne canter is not going to euro 6, unlike its heavier derivatives, there is no requirement for adBlue. emissions are kept within the regulations by a combination of exhaust gas recirculation, oxidation catalytic converter and a particulate filter, which is maintenance-free and designed to last the lifetime of the vehicle.

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan April 2014 9

beNchm a rk iNg by T he f Ta - De a l er s

Dealers ‘should try harder’ to meet fleet demands Van operators’ main wish is to deal with staff with specialist knowledge

By Mark Cartwright, head of LCVs, Freight Transport Association t goes without saying that manufacturers’ dealer networks play a vital and intrinsic role in the van supply chain. When talking to van operators, it doesn’t take long for them to regale tales of fantastic support or massive frustration.

This got us thinking: what do users want to see from their dealer networks? Does their view differ from what the manufacturers or dealer principals think are priorities?

We were interested in understanding what operators typically used dealers for.

Not surprisingly, for many operators the constant factor in their dealings revolved around the role of dealers in the supply of vehicles whether as a direct purchase or, more often, via the various lease and funding providers as well as dealing with warranty issues.

I

What do you use main dealers for and how regularly?

100%

Dealers are expected to diagnose vehicle faults within a couple of hours

at the other end of the scale many operators looked elsewhere for repairs and servicing – a trend the fTa has identified among heavy fleets too. This is particularly prevalent in the larger fleets; it may be a sign of there being more specialist fleet and asset management arrangements.

What do operators feel is important at the dealerships?

We asked fleet managers to score on a scale of 1-100 how important they felt it was that dealers provided comfortable waiting areas, courtesy vehicles, a collect and return service and had knowledgeable customer-facing staff in both sales and aftersales.

0%

Is it important dealers...

10 April 2014 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

Fewer comforts, faster turnaround it perhaps illustrates the difference between the way a car dealership interacts with its customers and the requirements of a transport fleet. Van operators are less interested in some of the creature comforts in return for a quick turnaround.

Vince Dignam, transport manager at city of london corporation, says: “On the occasions we have to wait for a vehicle, such as for an mOT, i believe refreshments and a working/ waiting area are key for the drivers.”

The single most important issue, however, was the demand to be dealing with knowledgeable staff. respondents to our survey were looking for an awareness of the operating and legislative environment vans worked in and not just specific product knowledge. “it’s vital that dealerships have staff who understand not just the technical specifications of their vans but also the rules and regulations around their use,” says John blakeley, national transport manager at clancy group. “many vans are used by smes who quite possibly don’t always understand their responsibilities. Dealers are at the front-line in helping smaller operators operate safely and efficiently.”

There does seem to be encouraging signs of manufacturers taking steps to address this issue.

Van excellence has been providing training to some manufacturers’ dealer and fleet sales teams during this year, using fTa’s certificate of excellence in Van Operation as the basis.

How quickly should dealers be able to provide a diagnosis and an estimate of the time to repair without a prior appointment?

11%

7%

42%

“The fTa works with us to train our van sales specialists and aftersales teams. This new style of training course was a great success,” says alastair hemmings, national fleet manager at Volkswagen commercial Vehicles.

“We were very pleased to work closely with the fTa to develop specialist training that not only ensures our staff have the latest information and necessary knowledge, but they also have an industry-recognised qualification.”

What should a dealer be able to provide? as you’d probably expect, the requirement to maximise vehicle utilisation is key. Operators expect vehicle faults to be quickly diagnosed with a realistic prognosis.

They expect appointments for repairs to be made within reasonable timescales and for the dealer to communicate regularly and clearly with the operator. “generally dealers do well,” says Dignam. “The biggest issues i have had is communication; dealers should be updating customers. “i have had a lot of occasions where i or members of my team have spent time chasing repairs which cause operational issues to our business. The customer shouldn’t have to waste time chasing.” respondents to our survey were, in general terms, expecting dealers to diagnose and provide a prognosis of vehicle faults within a couple of hours and, where the van was unusable, for it to be booked in within a day or so.

The increasing use of hi-cube maximum wheelbase vans is not without its challenges for dealer workshops.

There are also significant issues around their ability to cope with fully-loaded vans presented for service and, particularly, with faults or breakdowns; this is especially important given that we’d estimate more than 70% of Uk vans are used as mobile workstations and are, therefore, always at least partially loaded.

Using the same scoring methods as before, respondents felt strongly that dealers must be able to accommodate large and/or loaded vans and to have the right on-site expertise to deal with the various systems and technologies involved with servicing and repairing their vehicles.

They also expected dealers to hold the right stocks of components and consumables to support the quick turnaround of their fleet. having said that, there was an understanding that, on occasions, it might be expedient to use, for example, the facilities and expertise of a neighbouring truck specialist provided there was no impact on quality or timings.

So what can we conclude?

There are clearly many instances of excellent service and support from dealers for operators. There are also clearly identifiable areas for improvement.

How quickly should dealers be expected to have the van in for repair?

31%

9%

60%

39%

38%

54%

2%

14%

How important is it that the dealership...

“It’s vital that dealerships have staff who understand not just the technical specifications of their vans, but also the rules and regulations around their use” John Blakeley, national transport manager, Clancy Group

70%

of UK vans are used as mobile workstations

For more van operator guides, visit fleetnews.co.uk/ vanbestpractice

We asked angus lindsay, head of assets and fleet at The landscape group, how he would rate the dealers it uses. “reasonable, but they would do well to listen and understand the specific needs of the customer rather than dictate on what they think we need,” he says. “every industry is different and they are not experts on all they supply.”

This sentiment was summed up by a fleet manager who asked not to be identified: “Those that have aligned themselves to the truck industry – mercedes benz, Volkswagen and iveco – perform better than those who haven’t. “mainstream manufacturers like ford and Vauxhall should do what they can to partner with a truck manufacturer in order to help with vehicle off-road time and customer expectation. you cannot treat large van fleets in the same way that you treat the retail public.”

Overall it would seem dealers scored a 7/10 with a ‘must try harder’.

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan April 2014 11

IN SIgH T - Au TO EL EC T RIC A L SER V ICE S

Changing 1950s values for the latest fleet standards Van Excellence certification drove Auto Electrical Services to update its policies

By Sarah Tooze ichard Stansfield, director of business development at Auto Electrical Services, admits that he used to have a laissez-faire attitude to the company’s fleet of seven vans and four company cars.

“My mindset was ‘we’ll worry about it when it happens’,” he says. “Now I’m very much a promoter of safety and compliance.”

His attitude changed thanks to Van Excellence, the national accreditation scheme for van operators, which is run by the Freight Transport Association (FTA).

Auto Electrical Services achieved Van Excellence last year – the smallest fleet operator to do so – and has just passed its second audit. It also recently achieved ‘Bronze’ level of the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS), which aims to improve fleet activity in London.

Auto Electrical Services is a long-established family business – it was set up in 1952 by Stansfield’s grandfather – and has service contracts with the Metropolitan Police, the London Fire Brigade, the London Ambulance Service and a number of local councils for their vehicles’ air conditioning and heating.

It also sells and fits TomTom telematics, as well as add-on fleet management software, FleetCheck.

Stansfield put Auto Electrical Services forward for Van Excellence at a meeting with the FTA.

R

‘We had the van fleet paperwork in a folder’ “It was with a bit of trepidation because we had to change a business with 1950s values into one with a modern-day ethos of health and safety and compliance,” he says. “But we took the bull by the horns and said ‘we’ll do it’.”

The company had fitted telematics in its vehicles for a number of years to send jobs out to engineers, but had little else in the way of fleet management.

“It wasn’t even as technologically advanced as spreadsheets,” says Stansfield. “We had the van fleet paperwork in a folder.”

He says a lot of the credit for achieving Van Excellence has to go to Auto Electrical Services projects manager Nicky Francis. She has taken on fleet responsibility alongside Stansfield.

“Big fleets have fleet directors with fleet managers and depot managers,” Stansfield says.

“Nicky and I are the fleet department and we’ve got other jobs to do as well.

“As an SME, you’ve got the daily running of the business to do.”

Benefits of VAn excellence Compliance/reduced risk “It took that risk away,” says Stansfield. “To know that we’re compliant is a weight off my mind. We can now stand up and say we do it right.”

Cost savings “I don’t see Van Excellence as a costcutting procedure, but if your vans are never serviced you will get a massive bill at MOT,” Stansfield says.

“If you’ve got a procedure where the cost is spread across three years, you won’t get a massive bill to get it ready for first MOT so there is a cost saving there. There’s also a resale value from being able to say we’ve maintained it properly and followed the proper servicing schedule.”

Raising company profile “Our vans have Van Excellence splashed all over them,” Stansfield says. “We do a lot of social media – Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn – promoting Van Excellence.” n Read our Fleet News Award winner interview with the FTA at www.fleetnews.co.uk/ vanexcellenceaward

“Don’t be scared by what you’re going to find.

The issues you are going to find are issues that need resolving” Richard Stansfield, Auto Electrical Services 12 April 2014 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

However, he believes SMEs shouldn’t be afraid to undertake Van Excellence.

“If you follow the pre-audit checklist and work your way through it step by step, it’s not painful,” he says. “If you use other systems to help you, like telematics with a back office fleet management system, you’re 60% of the way there.”

One of the first steps Francis took was learning how to check driving licences properly. She also created a driver’s manual and made sure every van had a medical kit, high visibility jacket, warning triangle, break-glass hammer, torch and accident log book.

Getting drivers on board with daily vehicle checks “Before, it was hit and miss whether the drivers had those things,” she says.

The next step was getting drivers to perform a daily check of their vehicles.

“The drivers have got a defect pad and they go round and check the van before they go out in them in the morning,” Francis says. “We have a health and safety officer who comes in once a week and does tyre checks.”

How did the company’s drivers react to the changes?

“Some of them did question why they had to fill in the defect sheet every day,” says Stansfield. “They said ‘nothing has changed’. Our reaction was ‘great, if nothing has changed that means your vehicle doesn’t have a defect’.

“They didn’t like the repetitiveness of it, but they’ve been re-educated – like Nicky and I have.”

Drivers also undergo an annual medical check.

Auto Electrical Services has moved from a paper-based system to an electronic one. It now uses FleetCheck to keep track of when vehicles are due for a service or MOT. “You name it, it’s on there,” Francis says. “Once you put the vehicles and engineers on the system, it does it for you. It alerts me with a traffic light system when services are due, tyres are low, if a driver needs a medical inspection or their licence needs inspecting or the vehicle’s MOT is due. It’s so easy you don’t have to think about it.”

Stansfield adds: “There are things that can get missed as an SME unless you’re being told by a fleet management system you need to have an MOT done on this day.”

The vehicle check sheets are scanned into FleetCheck, but Stansfield intends to introduce the All on Mobile app, which will pre-populate information for drivers, allow them to take photos of any damage, add any comments about work required, sign it off and submit it. The office will then receive an email to say the vehicle check has been carried out.

Auto Electrical Services has also started using a broker, Fleet Find, to source the best deals for vehicles rather than purchasing them outright or having leasing agreements direct with Renault Finance or other leasing providers.

“Fleet Find took our old vans and part-exchanged them for the new ones which lowered the costs,” says Stansfield.

All new vans are speed-limited to 68mph – a requirement of Van Excellence. getting ready for the first Van Excellence audit took about six months, according to Stansfield.

“We wanted to make sure we had all our procedures in

fActfile Organisation: Auto Electrical Services Director of business development: Richard Stansfield Projects manager: Nicky Francis Fleet size: seven vans, four cars Brands on fleet: Vans: Renault Cars: Renault, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan Funding method: lease purchase

place,” he says. “One of the questions before the FTA came was ‘do you think you’re ready?’

“Because there’s no point in the FTA doing the audit and saying ‘you haven’t done this or this’.”

In the lead-up to the audit, the FTA was always available by telephone to answer any queries and advise on any procedures that needed tightening up.

The audit itself took about two hours and required Francis and Stansfield to not only say what processes they had in place, but to demonstrate them too. For example, they had to produce records of driving licences.

Auto Electrical Services now sits on the Van Excellence governance group, which is made up of major van fleet operators that meet to discuss and agree any changes to Van Excellence.

“It’s quite interesting for us to sit there and listen to the big

‘We had the van fleet paperwork in a folder’.

Auto Electrical Services’ director of business development Richard Stansfield and projects manager Nicky Francis

fleet problems and realise they have the same problems as us, but they’ve got a lot more risk, they’ve got a lot more to do,” Stansfield says.

Auto Electrical Services also now promotes Van Excellence to its customers.

His advice to other companies thinking of undertaking it is: “Don’t be scared by what you’re going to find. Don’t just put your head under the blanket and hope for the best.

“The issues you are going to find are issues that need resolving.”

For more industry profiles, visit: www.fleetnews.co.uk/vans/case-studies/

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan April 2014 13

f l ee T vA n AWA rD S 2 014

Recognising the best in fleet

Deadline for entries

Friday June 20

This year’s prestigious awards will be bigger and better than ever before

By Stephen Briers an fleets, manufacturers and suppliers are set to do battle for the keenly-contested and highly-prestigious Fleet Van Awards.

The 2014 Fleet Van Awards will be bigger and better than previous events. Key differences include changing the winners’ luncheon into an evening ceremony, while the date now coincides with the Fleet Van Summit on September 18 at The International Centre in Telford.

Stephen Briers, Fleet Van editor-in-chief, said: “Due to demand from the van fleet sector we have decided to reintroduce the black-tie evening awards ceremony. We want to recognise and honour the best in van fleet at a befitting awards show attended by the key influencers and decision-makers in the sector. Fleet Van Awards 2014 will be that show.”

Awards judges are drawn from experts across the fleet sector, including fleets themselves, leasing experts and pricing guides, and they give up hours of their time to take part in the judging discussions. Those discussions are thorough, vigorous and exhaustive: they ensure that only the most deserving people, companies and vans are honoured in the Fleet Van Awards.

V

To enter the awards go to van-awards.fleetnews.co.uk or email kate.howard@bauermedia.co.uk for commercial and sponsorship opportunities, contact Sheryl Graham on 01733 466467 or email sheryl.graham@bauermedia.co.uk 14 April 2014 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

2014 Fleet vAn AwArds cAtegories Fleet AwArds

supplier AwArds

HeAdline AwArds

The judges will be looking for a detailed understanding of all aspects of fleet management related to light commercial vehicles. There should be clear awareness of current and future legislation and a commitment to ensuring the fleet is run as safely and efficiently as possible. Innovation and a clear plan for cost control are also important. Good examples of best practice, including gaining support within the company will be valuable and there should be a clear knowledge of most factors relating to the fleet.

Sponsored by

Van Fleet Supplier of the Year Sponsored by

Van Fleet of the Year – Construction and Building New category Sponsored by

The supplier must show that it offers a genuinely valuable service, product or other benefits to van fleet decision-makers. It needs to have been implemented well and, where possible, show demonstrable results. The judges will be particularly keen to see customer testimonials and case studies showing the benefits of any innovations.

Van Fleet Management and Leasing Company of the Year 2013 winner: BT Fleet Van Rental Company of the Year 2013 winner: Europcar

Van Fleet of the Year – Transport and Logistics 2013 winner: Tube Lines Van Fleet of the Year – Public Sector and Blue Light 2013 winner: NHS Blood & Transplant Van Fleet of the Year – Business Services 2013 winner: The AA Van Fleet of the Year – Utilities Sponsored by

Best New Product or Service 2013 winner: GreenRoad Technology Initiative of the Year 2013 winner: Bott Customer Service Awards New category

MAnuFActurer AwArds Sponsored by

2013 winner: E.On

2013 winner: The Clancy Group

These awards will be decided by a combination of deliberations from the Fleet Van Awards judges and a 12-point fleet-focused matrix which includes areas such as payload, safety, technology, running costs, fuel efficiency, reliability, aftersales service and back-up offered by the dealer network. Manufacturers can provide information using the short questionnaire designed to highlight the winning attributes of each model they enter.

Green Van Fleet of the Year Sponsored by

City Van of the Year 2013 winner: Fiat Fiorino

Van Fleet of the Year – Wholesale and Food Distribution 2013 winner: Sainsbury’s Online Safe Van Fleet of the Year Sponsored by

Small Van of the Year 2013 winner: Citroen Berlingo 2013 winner: Yorkshire Ambulance Service

2013 winner: BT Fleet The supplier must show it offers a genuinely valuable service, product or other benefit to van fleet decision-makers. The judges will be particularly keen to see customer testimonials and case studies showing the benefits of these companies’ relationship with the supplier.

Van Fleet Manager of the Year Sponsored by

2013 winner: Michael Jackson, Scottish Ambulance Service Best practice, innovation and an ability to adapt to changing circumstances are key factors. A wide-ranging understanding of the varied role fleet plays in a business will be important. Of particular importance will be the role of the fleet in the business as a whole, with transport being recognised and supported as a key department that can make a significant financial difference.

Light Commercial Vehicle of the Year Sponsored by

2013 winner: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Chosen by the judges based on the winners of the seven individual van categories.

Van Fleet Manufacturer of the Year Sponsored by

2013 winner: Ford The judges will want to see evidence of a real partnership approach from the manufacturers, with an unfailing investment of time and resource into supporting van fleet operators with new product, service innovations, a support network and availability of expertise.

Medium Panel Van of the Year 2013 winner: Ford Transit Custom Large Panel Van of the Year 2013 winner: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Pick-up Truck of the Year 2013 winner: Ford Ranger Best Van Chassis Derivative 2013 winner: Vauxhall Movano Green Fleet Manufacturer of the Year 2013 winner: Fiat Professional

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan April 2014 15

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grEEn sUr v E y

Fleet operators strive to strike the right balance Making sure vehicles are fit for purpose while cutting CO2 is biggest challenge

By Andrew Ryan alancing fit for purpose with lowering CO2 emissions is the biggest challenge facing van fleets seeking to reduce their carbon footprints.

More than half (57%) of respondents to a Fleet Van survey carried out in conjunction with the Freight Transport Association said this was their most sizeable issue.

The next biggest challenge was not enough government support for alternative fuel vans (14%), followed by reducing mileage (12%).

However, the majority of fleets (62%) are choosing lower CO2 vans to cut their emissions. This will also reduce a fleet’s fuel bill as, generally, the lower the CO2, the lower the fuel consumption.

In this area, fleets are being helped by advances in vehicle technology and manufacturers’ focus on reducing emissions as they work to meet new EU legislation.

These regulations limit CO2 emissions from new vans to a fleet average of 175g/km by 2017, with the target phased in from this year, and 147g/km by 2020. These

B

Do you measure the CO2 emissions of your vans?

62% of fleets are choosing low CO2 vans to reduce their emissions

For more on CO2, visit: fleetnews.co.uk/ van-safety-and-co2emissions/

targets represent reductions of 3% and 19% respectively compared with the 2012 average emissions of 180.2g/km.

Fleets are also taking a range of other measures to reduce CO2. Almost two-thirds (64%) of respondents said they have fitted tracking or telematics, while 60% have given drivers eco training.

More than one-half (53%) have fitted speed limiters to vans, while one-third (36%) have downsized vehicles.

Reducing CO2 has no road tax benefit Unlike cars, CO2 emissions have no impact on how vans are taxed. Instead, their road tax is based on when they were first registered and their Euro standard.

This may explain partly why not more van fleets measure the CO2 emissions of their vehicles; at present, around half (49%) do. Out of these, 52% use the manufacturers’ CO2 figures and 31% use the actual CO2 output. The remaining respondents calculate their figures based on the amount of fuel they use.

The reasons why fleets do not record emissions varies. A number of respondents have “never thought about it”, one says it has “no financial benefit”, with one simply asking “why should we?”. several respondents are planning to start measuring CO2 in the next 12 months. “We are looking at it now, but currently have no systems or processes in place,” says Lindsay Dall, transport manager at Peterson (UK).

Average fleet emissions The survey found that the mode average CO2 emissions for fleets who record their emissions was 141-161g/km, with this accounting for 35% of fleets. A quarter of fleets (25%) had average emissions of 162-182g/km, 15% 183-203g/km, 5% 204-224g/km and 10% above 224g/km.

The average emissions of fleets should decrease in the near future, as the survey also asked for the average CO2 emissions of new van orders.

These see 15% of new van orders averaging below 120g/km, while a further 40% averaged 121-140g/km.

Just 15% of new van orders were in the 141-161g/km group – the bracket where most van fleets currently in it.

How do you measure the CO2 emissions of your vans?

Choosing lower CO2 vans has biggest impact Choosing lower CO2 vans had the biggest impact on reducing fleet emissions for 21% of respondents – a figure shared with fitting speed limiters.

Downsizing to smaller vans and reducing mileage had the biggest impact for 10% of fleets.

49%

of van fleets record their carbon footprint, with most of those using manufacturers’ CO2 emissions figures

18 April 2014 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

What is your existing van fleet’s average CO2 emissions?

64%

of van fleets have fitted tracking or telematics technology to vehicles

What is your existing van fleet’s average CO2 emissions?

53%

of respondents have fitted speed limiters to their vans

“It was a combination of diffent factors as our action is not done individually, but as a collective,” said one respondent.

Scottish Power found that fitting tracking/telematics had the biggest impact on cutting CO2.

John Moore, vehicle maintenance manager, says: “The tracking identified we had a massive idling issue.

“We found that engineers who, for example, were repairing pylons in cold weather would leave the van’s engine running so when they returned to it after several hours it would still be warm inside.

“To reduce this we fitted standard night heaters which are thermostatically controlled so keep the interior of the van at a set temperature. They still use diesel but at a fraction of the CO2 which leaving the engine running would produce.”

What action will you take this year specifically to reduce your van fleet’s CO2 emissions?

Action to cut CO2 The trend of choosing lower CO2 vans will continue for the next 12 months, with 62% of fleets saying they will take this action.

Providing eco driver training was also a popular choice, with 41% of respondents saying they will do this.

More than a third (36%) are hoping to reduce mileage, with the same amount intending to fit tracking or telematics technology to vehicles.

A quarter (26%) are aiming to downsize to smaller vans.

Just 2.6% are looking to fit eco tyres.

One fleet was aiming to “promote fuel efficiency information within the business”.

More incentives wanted The Government can also do more to help reduce van fleets’ CO2 emissions.

A number of the respondents to the Fleet Van survey called for a clear, long-term policy on incentives, which would include increased grants for purchasing low-emission vans.

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan April 2014 19

grEEn sUr v E y One fleet manager says: “review the driving licence classifications. Eco vans are heavy and as such will need to get heavier in order to maintain a decent payload.”

Another adds: “reduce the vehicle road fund licence fee on low emission vans.” n A total of 57 fleets took part in the Fleet Van green survey; 30 of these are in the private sector, with 25 in the public sector. Two did not specify which sector they worked in. Just under half (48%) of respondents operate less than 50 vans, while the majority of the remainder run 50-250.

What action have you taken specifically to reduce your fleet’s CO2 emissions?

AlternAtively-fuelled vAns Almost a fifth (18%) of the 57 van fleets surveyed operated one or more alternatively-fuelled vehicles, although the total number is just 76 – a tiny proportion of the respondents’ total van parc.

Of these, 43 are fully electric, 28 are hybrids and the remaining five run on LPG. Ten of the electric vans are Peugeot Partners operated

by Scottish Power. “They are strategically placed through our depot locations and we use them as short distance vehicles,” says vehicle maintenance manager John Moore.

“For example, we’ve got one at our Cathcart base which, if I was going to a meeting in the Glasgow area, I’d book out and use.

“We’ve been pleased with them and when the time comes, we’ll replace them with 10 more electric vans.”

However, cost is a problem for another fleet which currently operates one electric vehicle. It says: “We have explored having more but the cost is prohibitive.”

Reasons given by fleets for not operating any alternative fuel vans included: n “Electric vans do not currently have the range for our needs, while there is a limited or no infrastructure for alternative fuels especially CNG or LPG.” n “Not practical for our business.” n “The main reason is operating parameters in rural south Wales.” n “Not financially viable at present.” n “Not able to carry out the work that we are required to undertake.” n “Mainly due to the extra purchase costs associated with these types of vehicles.” n “Unconvinced on cost-effectiveness, particularly for low-mileage vehicles.” n “These have been trialled and not shown any cost benefit to the council, and are more likely to increase fuel and maintenance costs.” n “Not suited to our application, lack of alternative fuelling infrastructure.” n “Lack of availability of refuelling stations on a national basis.” n “Diesel is the cheapest and most efficient product currently available.”

20 April 2014 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

Which action had the biggest impact on reducing your van fleet’s CO2 emissions?

What is the biggest challenge you face with lowering CO2 emissions on your van fleet?

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It’s not what you drive, it’s how you drive

Advertisement feature

LCV values at record level for fourth month in a row verage values for commercial vehicles reached record levels for the fourth consecutive month, according to BCA’s latest figures. Demand for LCVs remained strong throughout the month and with the best quality stock in short supply, values continued to rise.

Fleet and lease LCV values broke through the £7,000 barrier for the first time, while P/X van values rose to the third highest point since Pulse began reporting in 2005.

Nearly-new vans also posted a record value as buyers competed strongly for the stock on offer.

Values for all light commercial vehicles increased to £5,557 in March – a rise of £212 (3.9%) compared to February – as buyer demand continued at exceptional levels.

BCA’s general manager – commercial vehicles, Duncan Ward, commented: “Values remained strong in March, as the combination of limited supply and good levels of demand in the remarketing sector saw prices rise for corporate stock and older dealer part-exchange vans. LCV values have been universally strong throughout the first quarter of this year and are significantly higher than the same period last year.

“If anything, the market has been even more competitive over the past few weeks and wellpresented LCVs are routinely outperforming guide expectations – often by a considerable amount. The auction halls have been very busy across the BCA network, while the number of buyers participating via BCA Live Online continues to rise.”

“There can be little doubt that the improving economic background is giving a

A

The improving economic background is giving a boost to the used LCV market boost to the used LCV market, particularly as demand increases from the building and construction industries. Small and mediumsized enterprises (SMEs) remain positive about prospects this year, but cashflow remains a problem for some and that may impact any decision on replacing their workhorse vans.”

Ward added: “We expect demand to remain strong in April, but history shows us that values typically soften over the late spring and early summer months. There are also indications from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) that while the economy is still growing, the pace is slowing and this may be a factor moving forward.”

Fleet and lease Values for fleet and lease LCVs improved to

All LCVs – 2012-2014 £6,000

£5,000

Dealer part-exchange Values also improved in the dealer partexchange sector, rising by £65 (1.7%) to £3,690 – the third highest monthly average on record. CAP comparisons improved sharply compared to February, rising by more than two points to 106.07%, and continuing to outperform the rest of the market. Year-on-year values remain ahead by £411 or 12.5%, with the average van being three months older, but 9,000 miles less travelled than in 2013.

Nearly-new

Mar

Jan

Feb

Dec

Oct

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Sep

Aug

Jun

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Apl

May

Mar

Jan

Feb

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Apl

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£4,000

£3,000

record levels in March, rising by £239 (3.5%) to £7,049 – the highest average monthly value on record.

Year-on-year, values were up by a significant £1,142 (19.3%), as average values continued to race ahead in the light commercial sector. Performance against CAP improved by more than a point to 103.21%, while retained value against Manufacturer Recommended Price (MRP) improved to 39.22%.

Nearly-new LCV values reached record levels for the second month running, rising by £386 to £15,185 in March, with CAP performance improving to 101.48% – up two points over the month. As always, this has to be taken in the context of the very low volumes reaching the market and the model mix factor.

Europe’s No.1 vehicle remarketing company Log on to bca.co.uk or call 0844 875 3480

rem a rk e t ing

Do alternative-powered vans have a resale future? auction houses report very few electric and hybrid vans through their doors

By John Challen onvincing van operators that electric or hybrid power is the way forward was always going to be a tough sell, when compared with diesel and, to a lesser extent, petrol models.

With a product that already performed admirably, the majority of van operators chose to stick with what they knew when electric vehicles such as the renault kangoo Z.e. and mercedes-Benz Vito e-Cell came onto the market. it is perhaps unsurprising, therefore, that not many alternative-powered LCVs appear on the resale market. auction houses and leasing companies report few instances of these models through their doors and say they are unsure about how the market will fare.

“Demand for electric vans remains subdued. While businesses broadly understand the benefits this kind of technology can bring, they remain sceptical about the impact on their day-to-day operations,” says glenn Sturley, vehicle remarketing director at Lex autolease.

“For businesses that predominantly use LCVs on fixed routes in and around city centres, electric vans might provide a suitable alternative.

“But if LCV usage involves longer and more remote journeys, then conventional petrol or diesel vehicles are more attractive options.”

Duncan Ward, BCa general manager commercial vehicles, is more positive about electric vans and says when they make a rare appearance in the auction hall, buyers take notice. “there is undoubtedly a lot of interest in electric power to combat the rising cost of traditional fuels, with fleets, leasing companies and local government bodies looking for economical and environmentally-friendly alternatives in the new commercial vehicle sector,” he says. “there are obvious and clearly defined business benefits for zero-emission commercial vehicles working in the congestion-charging zone, for example. there are also benefits for some organisations to promote their ecologically sound credentials and an electric van is essentially a mobile billboard for these ambitions.”

Ward says a continued – and growing – presence of these

C

Mercedes-Benz’s Vito E-Cell failed to sway many change-resistant van operators

“The wholesale markets have still yet to see many examples of electric commercial vehicles, but the few we have seen always create interest” Duncan Ward, BCA’s general manager commercial vehicles

Renault’s Kangoo Z.E. could not compete with diesel models for most buyers

vehicles can only help their cause and people’s curiosity will ultimately turn into genuine interest in a purchase. “the wholesale markets have still yet to see many examples of electric commercial vehicles, but the few we have seen always create interest with buyers turning out in large numbers – even if it is only to be a spectator rather than a bidder. “this scenario highlights the real issue with electric vans, which is supply. new sales volumes are low and because of the high initial cost, these vehicles only become cost-effective when they have been used over long contracts – five or six years rather than three or four. this means it is unlikely that the auction sector will have seen many.”

Fellow remarketing company manheim agrees with Ward’s assessment. “the few examples [of electric vans] we have sold at auction have exceeded the book values achieved by their identical diesel cousins, solely because of their rarity value and the fact that some dealers focus on offering something different,” says James Davis, head of commercial vehicles at manheim.

“During a Hitachi Capital Commercial Vehicles auction at manheim Haydock in late 2013, two hybrid conversion vans were fought over in the hall and online, by franchised and non-

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan April 2014 23

REM A RK E T ING franchised buyers alike. Davis says the vans, both 10/10 plate Ford Transit 330 115PS SWB low-roof panel vans, were fitted with Ashwoods’ range-extending technology. One van, with 17,000 miles, sold for 131% of CAP average, equating to an additional £2,250, while the second, with 29,000 miles, sold for 125% of CAP average, or an additional £1,775.

“Looking ahead, the launch of Nissan’s e-NV200 in June 2014 will be a major landmark in the electric van market,” says Davis.

“A volume fleet order, most likely from one of the plc fleets currently on trial, will surely launch used electric OEM vans as a real alternative to fossil fuels, with a viable dealer and charging network to follow.

131%

of CAP average – the sale price of a range-extenderequipped Transit sold at Manheim Haydock in 2013

£2,250

the equivalent additional value at auction

THE ASHWOODS HYBRID SOLUTION

Ashwoods has developed a complete hybrid system that can be installed in a diesel Ford Transit in less than three hours. The electric motor/generator (above) drives the rear axle and charges the power pack, which returns power via the motor/generator to assist the engine.

■ See ‘A bolt-on alternative to hybrid’ on Page 29.

“A volume fleet order, most likely from one of the plc fleets currently on trial, will surely launch used electric OEM vans as a real alternative” James Davis, head of commercial vehicles at Manheim

2014 AND BEYOND Manheim head of commercial vehicles James Davis believes 2014 could be a tipping point for electric vans as new market volumes grow, thereby laying foundations for the used vehicle marketplace.

However, when you talk to those setting the prices, a slightly different picture emerges.

“Used examples of electric vehicles seen on the open market have been near non-existent,” says Andy Picton, commercial vehicle editor at Glass’s.

“The few that have been seen have achieved no better than diesel money on the same plate. Hybrid LCVs are still not available in the UK, so there is no data on used examples and LPG conversions are few and far between.”

Picton says when such vehicles do come to auction, their appearance can leave a lot to be desired.

“Those that do appear on the open market tend to be hard-used and typically not in the best condition. There will be a few older examples that have been out with local authorities that have fared better, but values will not reach diesel money.”

Tim Cattlin, CAP’s monitor editor for CVs, also believes alternatively fuelled vans will struggle to find universal acceptance in the used wholesale market.

“Electric vehicles are something we are asked about a lot from a forecasting point of view. We’ve seen so few electric vehicles and the ones that we have seen, generally, have been extremely unpopular.

“The trade have absolutely no interest in electric vehicles. If you put the trader’s hat on, they have a fleet of 30-40 vans and need to buy some stock, and they have to be confident they can turn the metal around and make a profit.” Cattlin says, in that situation, alternative-powered vans are not on the shopping list.

However, he thinks hybrids will generate more interest.

“We’ve seen Ashwoods’ hybrid Ford Transit go through the auction and do quite well. I think people are not quite so scared of hybrid technology, while pure electric is more difficult to comprehend. With electric vehicles, the two main issues are range and cost of the outright purchase and the batteries. As far as I know, there isn’t anything that will radically alter these two areas, so it is difficult to know how things will improve.”

And for the future? Picton predicts there will be a shift in opinion, but it will be later, rather than sooner.

“In the short term, our expectation is that values won’t change dramatically as there continues to be cautiousness towards what is perceived to be an unknown and untried product.

“Long-term, we expect to see a greater acceptance of electric vans with used values firming as more manufacturers launch their own products and improve their remarketing strategies.”

Key to this approach, says Picton, will be manufacturers getting electric vans back into their own dealer network so they can be refurbished and remarketed correctly and sold as a good quality ‘assured’ product that will maximise profit potential.

“This will not happen if one is sold in an unprepared condition via an auction or independent trader,” he says.

“The few [EVs] seen have achieved no better than diesel money on the same plate” Nissan’s e-NV200 will be a landmark for electric vans, says Manheim’s James Davis

24 April 2014 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

Andy Picton, commercial vehicle editor at Glass’s

Make the Budget work for your business In this year’s Budget, Chancellor George Osborne has made significant changes to fuel costs and emissions tax for fleet.

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in SigH T - Ec o T y rE S

Green and round: Eco tyres can save your fleet money Fuel efficient tyres can cut fuel bills and replacement costs

By Andrew Ryan yres have been brought into sharper focus for fleets through the continuing drive to reduce fuel bills and replacement costs and manufacturers have responded by producing more efficient, harder-wearing products.

Many van makers fit ‘eco’ tyres to their most efficient models as standard, with the Energy Saving Trust claiming the difference between the best and worst tyres on the market can improve fuel consumption by up to 7.5% over their lifetime.

The Fleet Van green survey (see page 20), found 9% of respondents fitted eco tyres to their vehicles.

However, fleets need to be aware that eco tyres, which are typically stiffer tyres, can result in longer stopping distances, especially in the wet. They should check all the figures before committing.

Those that have already adopted the technology report other advantages – and not always fuel savings.

T

“our on-board tracking system has shown we’ve seen a slight increase in fuel economy, but the biggest cost saving for us in switching to eco tyres is that we’re not having to change them as often,” says Steve Haigh, group transport manager of rhodar, which operates 320 cars and vans.

“We are a very high mileage fleet and in the past we were getting 25,000-28,000 miles on a set of tyres, but now we are quite easily doubling that.

“This means i used to have to buy two or three sets of tyres to every one set now, so although we are paying more for each tyre than before, we are saving money overall.”

Tandem Transport has also been impressed with the longevity of its eco tyres.

“We’ve got a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Eco Start, which came with eco tyres on, so we stuck with them and they have proved themselves. They do everything they are expected to do,” says Tandem Transport director Vincent Brickley.

“They last very well, too. We’ve just done 75,000 miles on

To compare van running costs, use our calculator: www.fleetnews.co.uk/ costs/

A tyre supplier’s view Simon Tattersall, head of national accounts, ATS Euromaster’s: “We have definitely seen an increased demand for fuelefficient tyres in the past 12 to 18 months.

“Customers are much more aware of the effect tyres have on their vans than they used to be, especially when it comes to fuel. It’s helping to drive their thoughts when they sit down with us to discuss tyre policies.

“Tyre labelling also means there is clearer information available when choosing a tyre, so more emphasis is being put on the performance of one brand or tread pattern

versus another. It means some customers are paying closer attention to what a specific tyre can do for them.

“We now stock more fuel-efficient tyres than we used to, simply due to what’s available in the marketplace and customer demand.

“The trick for fleets is working with an expert tyre supplier, which can guide them to a policy best suited to their fleet.

“Even if fuel efficiency is the primary concern, they still need to consider multiple performance factors and not just what’s on the label.”

A mAnufActurer’s view Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles: “The desire to cut fuel bills, reduce CO2 and improve wholelife costs are key to a fleet customer’s purchasing decision.

“We continually look at ways to help minimise the running costs of our vehicles for customers.

“Low rolling resistance tyres have become an integral part of this and help us to achieve reductions in CO2 emissions and improved fuel efficiency.

“All of our Bluemotion models (Caddy, Transporter and Crafter) and some of our Bluemotion Technology vehicles

26 April 2014 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

(Transporter and Amarok) are equipped with low rolling resistance tyres.

“Volkswagen continues to recommend customers replace their vehicle’s tyres with the same specification that are originally fitted.

“By fitting the same specification tyres, drivers and fleet managers can be confident that the vehicle’s characteristics can be maintained.

“However, if non-standard tyres are fitted, vehicle performance can be compromised and fuel efficiency reduced.”

eco tyre prices Tyre type

Tyre brand

Tyre description

Standard/summer Continental 195/70/15 Vanco Contact 200 Standard/summer Continental 195/75/16 Vanco Contact 200 Standard/summer Michelin 185/75/16 Agilis GRNX + Standard/summer Michelin 195/65/16 Agilis GRNX + Standard/summer Michelin 235/65/16 Agilis GRNX + Standard/summer Michelin 215/75/16 Agilis GRNX + Standard/summer Uniroyal 195/60/16 Rainmax 2 Standard/summer Uniroyal 205/65/16 Rainmax 2 Source: ATS Euromaster – all prices exclude VAT, valve, balance and disposal.

Fuel efficiency rating B B C C C C C C

Single tyre price £81.66 + vat £89.99 + vat £116.66 + vat £109.99 + vat £149.99 + vat £136.66 + vat £81.66 + vat £84.16 + vat

one set, which is partly down to adopting the right driving style and not abusing them, but this must be down to their low rolling resistance too.”

Low rolling resistance is a key attribute, but it must not be the only factor considered when making a purchasing decision, says Michelin technical manager Jamie McWhir. “generally, 20% of fuel burned is to overcome the rolling resistance of tyres, so the obvious way to make them more fuel-efficient is to reduce their rolling resistance,” he says.

“Tyre labelling rules make it easy for customers to see which tyre has the least rolling resistance, but there is no point designing a low rolling resistance tyre if it lasts only half the time of a normal tyre, or it makes braking distances worse.”

Typically wider tyres improve stopping distances but also increase rolling resistance, and therefore fuel consumption. greater tread depth also means more fuel is used; experts say that premium tyres should be run down to their 1.6mm legal limit in order for fleets to benefit from the maximum fuel savings, which increase as tread depth reduces.

Those that change earlier, for example at 2mm, are wasting money and having very limited impact on stopping distances – the tyres are designed to perform at minimum depth.

There are other tips to consider: McWhir says keeping a tyre correctly inflated will have a greater influence on fuel efficiency than simply replacing a standard tyre with an eco.

Eco tyres are made using a greater amount of silica than a standard tyre, and this reduces sidewall flexing. increased stiffness minimises energy loss caused by the tyre flexing and helps to reduce rolling resistance. rhodar is benefiting from the stronger sidewalls which are reducing tyre damage. The company started fitting Michelin eco tyres about 18 months after a tender process. “i wasn’t happy with our previous tyre arrangement, so we looked at the costs over a 12-month period and compared it to what we could do ourselves,” says Haigh.

“We came to the conclusion we could save money by managing the tyres ourselves.

“We tested a few sets of the Michelin eco tyres. The drivers were very happy with them and we were getting a better stopping distance as well.”

Another fleet which appreciates the tougher sidewalls is Speedy Services, which has a direct supply agreement with Michelin for its Premium Energy Saver tyres.

“Tyres are not just black and round; i believe Michelin has the strongest van tyres because of their reinforced sidewall and the brand is great,” says group fleet manager ian Leonard.

“The energy saver is the icing on the cake. We damage a lot of tyres due to the nature of our business and we found it was cheaper to go direct to Michelin.”

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan April 2014 27

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Our easy-to-use running cost calculators are also available for vans Calculate and compare your van fleet selections, and find out how much theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll cost you to run. www.fleetnews.co.uk/vanrunningcosts

IN sIGh T – h y BRID s

The Emerald T-001 – the first true hybrid van

Will hybrid vans go the distance with UK fleets?

Manufacturers hope hybrid LCVs will succeed where pure electric has not

By Trevor Gehlcken lectric vans have been slow to make an impression on the UK commercial vehicle market.

Little more than 1,000 were registered in 2013 in a total van market of 227,427, despite the Government investing in charging points in cities and offering incentives such as money off the front-end price and zero road tax. As reported last month, Iveco launched an electric Daily four years ago and has yet to sell a single model.

While the price of larger panel vans has seemed prohibitive (the Daily electric retails at more than £60,000, compared with £25,000 for a diesel equivalent), many smaller vans are more affordable. The Renault Kangoo ZE is offered with a separate monthly battery lease, although some fleets and leasing providers are not comfortable with that arrangement, while Citroën and Peugeot now offer electric versions of the Berlingo and Partner.

Choices will broaden this summer with the launch of the Nissan e-NV200, but for many the limited range, especially in winter when heating and other electrical functions can

E

£63,000 The retail price of Iveco’s electric Daily van

232mpg The fuel efficiency of Emerald’s hybrid van

“If the Royal Mail replaced all its vans with [Emeralds], it would save £250m a year on fuel” Emerald chief executive Andy Tempest

deplete the charge more quickly, has been a barrier preventing them from selecting electric vans.

While councils wishing to be seen as ‘green’ or fleets operating in inner London may be tempted to invest in a few electric vans, when most organisations weigh up the cost and convenience they want vans that will do more than what pure electric power can offer.

This offers emerging hybrid technology an opportunity to provide vehicles that are both environmentally friendly and can travel a ‘normal’ distance. such technology is already due to hit the market this year in the shape of the British-designed and built Emerald T-001. so far, only two examples have been built – and Fleet Van has already tested one of them. however, while the Emerald team talked a credible story when Fleet Van interviewed chief executive Andy Tempest back in June 2012, we did wonder whether such a small outfit had the financial clout to bring this vehicle to market in any great numbers.

That doubt has been blown away with the news that the company has been taken over by Chinese automotive giant Geely, which has promised to pump an extra £120 million into bringing the T-001 to market this year.

Tempest describes the buyout as a fantastic opportunity and added: “We realised that we needed a strategic partner for parts, supply chain and financial resources. I am delighted that an original equipment manufacturer saw the technology the team has brought together for low-emission vehicles.”

The Emerald uses an electric motor and a

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan April 2014 29

IN sIGh T – h y BRID s diesel engine that cuts in when battery power gets low and in tests has returned 232mpg and more than 400 miles on a six-gallon tank of fuel, while emitting just 31.4g/km CO2. The diesel engine doesn’t power the wheels, however – it is there purely to charge the batteries.

Payload is 1,400kg and load volume is 5.2 cubic metres.

Tempest is confident the van will achieve five stars in Euro NCAP crash tests.

Although the vans were designed in Britain, production is taking place in Missouri in the UsA and it is expected models will be “flat-packed” for assembly in the UK. Tempest says: “We are expecting a price of around £32,000.

With the incredible fuel economy offered by this van, fleets will get a payback within 24 months and that is what they have all told us they expect from a low-emission vehicle.

“And that figure doesn’t include such things as going into the London congestion charge zone or possible Government grants.

“We don’t count things like that in our equation. We reckon if each van drives 100 miles per day, it will save £7,200 a year in fuel. If the Royal Mail replaced all its vans with these, it would save them £250 million a year on fuel.”

Where are the major manufacturers’ hybrid models?

With such large fuel and emissions savings possible, the assumption may be that the major van manufacturers are all lining up new hybrid vehicles, but this does not seem to be the case.

Market leader Ford, for example, does not offer any electric or hybrid vans. In fact, the only true hybrid commercial vehicle currently available is the 7.5-tonne Fuso Canter.

Citroën and Peugeot are both in the process of bringing hybrid cars to market, but does that mean hybrid vans will follow?

Jeremy smith, Citroën UK head of commercial vehicles and business sector operations, says: “At this stage, I cannot say whether there will be a hybrid Citroën LCV in the future. however, in addition to its wide choice of fuel-efficient, low emissions diesel engines and the Berlingo Electric van, Citroën does offer a micro-hybrid LCV choice.

“There are three Berlingo Airdream micro-hybrid vans available, with a choice of manual or advanced new ETG6 automated manual gearboxes. They are the most fuel-efficient and lowest emissions models in the Berlingo range, with combined cycle fuel consumption of up to 62.8mpg and CO2 figures as low as 118g/km.”

A micro-hybrid does not use electricity to drive the wheels, but can recapture energy during braking and using sophisticated stop/start technology can switch off the engine just before the van comes to rest.

Hybrid petrol-air vans a better bet, says Peugeot A spokesman for Peugeot said designing hybrid vans presented several problems with drivetrains and price and that the manufacturer had no plans to produce one.

But he said PsA’s hybrid-air system, which is scheduled to make an appearance in 2016 in a car based on the 208, was much more likely for small vans in the future.

The system works by using a normal internal combustion engine, special hydraulics and an adapted gearbox along with compressed air cylinders that store and release energy.

This enables it to run on petrol or air, or a combination of the two. Air power is used solely for city use, automatically activated below 43mph and available for 60 to 80% of the time in city driving.

The air compression system can re-use all the energy normally lost when slowing down and braking. The motor and a pump are in the engine bay, fed by a compressed air tank underneath the car, running parallel to the exhaust.

Peugeot estimates the system could reduce fuel bills by up to 80%.

30 April 2014 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

A bolt-on AlternAtive to hybrid

Jeremy Smith, Citroën UK head of commercial vehicles and business sector operations: ‘I cannot say whether there will be a hybrid Citroën LCV in the future’

Compare van costs at: fleetnews.co.uk/ vanrunningcosts

Ashwoods Automotive has developed an alternative to hybrid that is already on the market. The bolt-on system can be installed in a diesel van in less than three hours or can be supplied already added to new vehicles.

An electric motor/generator communicates with the vehicle through the standard vehicle diagnostic socket and the Hybrid Control Unit activates the electric motor to assist when the engine is under load.

This is usually in urban traffic and at speeds below 60mph, when the engine is at its least efficient.

Once the engine is not under this load, the motor adjusts to act as a generator to charge the battery, using the energy that’s normally wasted during deceleration and braking. This creates a self-sufficient hybrid vehicle system that requires no plug-in charging.

Ashwoods estimates fuel savings of 15% and a big reduction in NOx and particulates.

Islington Council runs 66 of these vans on its fleet and estimates it is saving 33 tonnes of CO2 from being emitted and saving £48,000 in diesel over three years.

Chris Rutherford, fleet and depot manager at Islington Council, says: “Islington has been fully committed to greener purchasing for many years. With these hybrid vehicles we can green our fleet in a way that also reduces the burden on the public purse by lowering fuel spend.”

Islington was one of the pioneers in the use of hybrid vans, investing in eight Ashwood vehicles back in 2009.

Rutherford says: “The vehicles perform well, reduce our fuel use and therefore save us money and lower our emissions. The drivers like them because they are hassle-free. There is no extra maintenance required, or extensive operator training. To the driver, they run just like normal Transits.”

The 3.5-tonne vehicles – a mixture of panel vans and tippers – are used by Islington’s parks and environment team, in a range of operations from grounds-keeping to waste and recycling collection.

“With the incredible fuel economy offered by this van, fleets will get a payback within 24 months” Emerald chief executive Andy Tempest

Citroën’s Berlingo Airdream micro-hybrid van – the French manufacturer does not offer a hybrid LCV

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FOLLOW THE LEADER A B E S T PR AC T I C E G U I D E

This year’s Follow the Leader van best practice report highlights five key industry sectors.

We’ve teamed up with a major supplier in each to provide you with in-depth and informative articles revealing the type of advice they offer to fleets. Drawing on their own experiences in the field, these experts offer best practice guidance to help you run a more effective fleet operation.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Rental: Europcar Incident reduction: FMG Fleet management: LeasePlan End of contract: Lex Autolease Telematics: TomTom Telematics Fuel efficency: Trimble

F O L L OW T H E L E A D E R : R E N TA L

Finding the right rental solution: getting under the skin of business A supplier needs an understanding of a company’s processes and requirements to deliver the best service to a fleet

By Stuart Russell, Specialist Vehicle Director, Europcar

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usinesses often work with a provider that claims to offer solutions that meet their needs – but how can that be achieved if a supplier doesn’t have the fullest understanding of a company’s business needs? At Europcar, we believe that getting under the skin of a business and all the different factors that go to influencing how they use our van rental services is absolutely fundamental to us delivering the best possible solution. That’s why we focus on information – at every stage of the customer relationship.

At Europcar, we have aligned our van rental proposition to focus on three core areas – data, intelligence and insight. Through this simple but fundamental ethos, Europcar is able to meet the challenge of reducing costs head-on, with many customers experiencing significant savings after just a short time.

Cost reduction has been the maxim of nearly all fleets in recent years, but cost reduction isn’t just about finding the cheapest supplier. Indeed, that approach can often lead to false economies.

Instead, cost reduction can be achieved via a number of avenues – from modifying vehicle usage to improved fleet reporting.

Europcar’s customers have benefited hugely from its structured, systematic and disciplined approach to customer relationship management. By working with customers to target the costs that are avoidable, through providing detailed management information and analysis of usage, the majority of customers have been able to positively change their behaviour to reduce cost, while at the same time improve efficiency and satisfaction.

Why Europcar?

Working with Europcar provides customers with a number of benefits: n Access to a vehicle anywhere in the UK at a moment’s notice n A ‘green’ fleet which supports an environmentally-friendly company image n Electronic bookings facilities where the status of vehicle requests can be tracked and approved by all levels of a team n A Vehicle Status Report that includes Live Hire and Motor Insurance Database (MID) n Tailor-made management information to help analyse and proactively manage costs n The ability to supply and fit a wide range of additional equipment to vans such as tow-bars and racking In addition, Europcar’s ability to offer both short- and long-term rental products at a competitive price provides total freedom to adjust a fleet upwards or downwards according to business demands.

Keeping up momentum A perfect example of how Europcar works with its customers to meet business challenges is leading retail implementation agency Momentum Instore. Providing award-winning retail support services for some of the UK’s largest retailers, including Sainsbury’s, Proctor & Gamble and L’Oreal, means that the company is constantly focused on exceptional service.

Momentum Instore’s business means it has a large number of bookers and fluid client requirements, so a booking and reporting system which allows the supplier to react quickly to changing requirements, combined with a large network, was key to the service partner it chose.

Contact Europcar and leave feedback by callin

Perfect partnership Helen Brislane, Fleet Administrator for Momentum Instore, says: “As a major supplier to the retail sector with a network that covers the UK, we needed a partner that boasts a similar profile – Europcar fits that bill. Our business demands are can be extremely changeable and, as such, our rental needs can change at a moment’s notice, requiring perhaps 30 vehicles within two days.

“But that wasn’t the only reason Europcar was chosen. Its excellent online reporting system, Europcar.biz, makes bookings and amendments easy. We often use the ‘Live Hire’ reporting system and MID reporting to help us maximise our efficiency and reduce fleet running costs by making sure vehicles are delivered and collected at prefixed times. We also use Europcar.biz so we can authorise any new bookings or extension requests centrally.

“The nature of the work we do means we often have large, awkward-sized retail units to transport and install.

Europcar’s excellent backroom staff are able to provide detailed vehicle specification data, including load space and weight, head clearance and number of passenger seats. It’s this sort of invaluable assistance that has ensured we continue to deliver on a number of key projects and enable us to get it right first time.

“But what really stood out for us was Europcar’s understanding of our business needs. Europcar listened to us and looked at our business, then tailored our rental profile to make sure we got the

right vehicle, our administration so that we saved time, and Europcar.biz to ensure the right data was captured at point of order.”

Excelling in efficiency Since working with Europcar, Momentum Instore has reported fleet utilisation levels at an all-time high, due to the simplicity and functionality of Europcar.biz. In addition, exception reports have allowed the company to identify and resolve operational issues immediately.

In addition, Europcar’s extensive network has paid dividends for the company, with the young fleet enabling Momentum to benefit from the latest in fuel-efficient technology, reducing its carbon footprint and minimising downtime due to vehicle breakdown.

Brislane concludes: “Using Europcar has made our business more efficient as we have been able to modify our method of invoicing to bill each reservation to a specific job. Europcar’s young fleet also negates the need for booking services so there is no VOR time, meaning our workers can concentrate solely on delivering excellence to our clients without the distraction of vehicle maintenance.

“In the future we can see a growing demand for management information from our clients, as well as improving our fleet performance while at the same time reducing CO2. We believe Europcar is perfectly positioned to help meet these challenges and look forward to the continuation of a successful relationship.”

“Cost reduction has been the maxim of nearly all fleets in recent years, but cost reduction isn’t just about finding the cheapest supplier”

ng 0871 384 0201 or visit http://blog.europcar.co.uk/

F O L L OW T H E L E A D E R : I N C I D E N T R E D U C T I O N

Look after your drivers and your business Reducing risk will boost performance, protect your people, cut operating costs and improve your company’s image

By John Catling, CEO, FMG

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usiness driving is changing and drivers are facing more demands on their time, patience and skill than ever before. The increasing professionalisation of drivers as part of a company’s day-to-day operations has to be a good thing. In the future, companies will be judged on how they help their drivers to achieve better, safer driving practices.

As we all know, managing vans and commercial vehicles presents a unique challenge for businesses, but the signs are that there is an appetite for better driving across the board.

Telemetry, technology and data capture are tools which are allowing businesses to make the necessary changes to their fleet operations to support their wider business goals. Businesses know that corporate reputation is vital, so are looking to protect and enhance their brand. This applies as equally to the way their vehicles are driven, as to the way they answer the phone or the promotional material they send out.

Businesses, more so than ever before, are seeking to align their values in everything they do and, in some instances, the way they drive is a key area for improvement.

Ask yourself this: if someone comes to fix your phone line in an

unbranded van, with obvious damage to several panels, wearing jeans and a T-shirt – are you going to trust that business? It’s not a case of customer snobbery, but the increasing professionalisation of van fleets and van fleet drivers is a reflection of the importance, and trust, that businesses are placing in their front-line staff.

Businesses are thinking harder about ways they can win and retain customers and they realise that customer loyalty should last well beyond the conclusion of a sale.

Smarter driving, smarter drivers In the past five years in particular, vehicles have got smarter, but some businesses have lagged behind the curve. The opportunity now exists to integrate your van fleet into the heart of your business operations, rather than as an arm’s length hassle that you hope doesn’t cause too many issues.

Van fleets vary widely. Their use can range from light urban driving to intensive construction based activity and, therefore, no two fleets can be treated the same.

This is where FMG’s approach to treating individual challenges with bespoke solutions comes into its own. The one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work for any vehicle class – let alone one with the complexity and diversity of van fleets.

That’s not to say that we start every contract with a blank sheet

To find out more please visit www.fmg.co.uk, e

of paper. We work with a business and its drivers to understand their fleet and the challenges they face.

We can also benchmark performance against data we’ve accumulated over decades of fleet incident management. We’ve worked with van fleet customers ranging from construction companies to couriers and from service providers to the emergency services. We know the challenges facing different fleet types and we know that, sometimes, the contents and fitting of the vehicle can outstrip the cost of the vehicle itself.

Data is at the heart of what we do, but without the systems and processes in place to analyse the outputs, it can be more of a headache than a panacea.

By giving a fleet manager the right tools to access, analyse and action information, at the right point, we seek to reduce their workload and allow them to do their day job – improving efficiency and reducing incident rates.

dangerous – or, in some cases, illegal – driving, the majority of drivers will benefit from, and be open to adopting, the safer practices encouraged by reducing risk.

Telemetry has a role to play, and has achieved some impressive results for the van fleets we work with. Typically, the improved driving encouraged by telemetry systems can promote fuel savings of around a fifth. Meanwhile, incident rates can be sliced in half.

But it is only by aligning telemetry to a well-defined vehicle policy that the most substantial savings can be made.

“The business case for de-risking a fleet is obvious. The challenge is to communicate this to your drivers and to bring them with us on a journey to a safer, more efficient fleet”

Reducing the risks FMG’s suite of risk reduction services start with the driver at the heart of the equation. By working from within, to truly understand businesses, we can offer the insight and understanding needed to communicate the right message in the right ways.

Buy-in at board level is vital, but no more so than buy-in from the drivers themselves. By working with drivers, whether that be with online training, face-to-face discussions or through employment bodies like the unions – it’s a collaborative effort to effect change.

A lot is made of the carrot or stick approach to driver behaviour.

In truth, this is far too simplistic. While there needs to be checks for

Appetite for better driving It’s a reality of business that there is pressure to reduce the cost of incidents, but the best policy can be to see those costs as a direct result of high incident rates.

Fewer incidents mean less risk and greater savings. It seems so simple, but you’d be surprised at the number of businesses still looking at the shortterm goals of a fleet, rather than the long-term impact that incident reduction can have.

By looking after your drivers, you’ll be looking after your business.

The business case for de-risking a fleet is obvious. However, where the challenge truly lies is to communicate this to your drivers and to bring them with us on a journey to safer, more efficient fleet.

The appetite for better driving exists in the workforce of businesses across the country. It’s never been about big brother for us.

It’s quite simply a route to business improvement. And that’s a message we can all agree on.

email info@fmg.co.uk or telephone 0844 243 8888

F O L L O W T H E L E A D E R : F L E E T m A n Ag E m E n T

How to meet the unique challenges of running commercial vehicles Being able to quantify whole life costs is an essential step

By Mark Lovett, Head of Commercial Vehicles, LeasePlan UK ommercial vehicle fleets are never cheap, never simple and often fraught with problems. At least that’s what traditional wisdom would have you believe. So why is this the case? Why is it so complicated? And, is there an easier way of looking at things?

First, it has to be said that commercial vehicles bring with them a unique set of challenges and so simply adjusting solutions that were originally developed for the car market is not good enough.

That’s why we took the time to talk to some of the biggest experts in

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commercial vehicle fleets today, our customers. And what they told us has shaped our entire approach.

It’s clear that with commercial vehicle fleets, everything is magnified. Costs are higher, risks are bigger and the impact of getting it wrong can spell disaster for your company and the customers you serve.

To illustrate the point, let’s walk through some of the stages in the lifecycle of just one vehicle and consider the key issues being faced today.

Although it might seem obvious, one of the first things is to clearly define the actual job need for each vehicle, together with the risks and rewards associated with getting the job done – or not, as the case may be.

While this might seem straightforward enough, there are some points worth thinking about. Because business never stands still, day-to-day operational needs may have changed since the last time the vehicle was replaced and so just opting for ‘the same again’ could mean sacrificing both safety and efficiency without ever really knowing it. Alternatively, maybe the needs are the same but there are now far better options available from specialist converters and ancillary equipment providers (if only you knew about them).

In fact, this process is worth going through right across the board because it could be that your overall fleet profile has become mismatched with the current operational needs of the business.

Let’s now say you have reached the point of ordering the vehicle and need to ensure that it is appropriately converted and type approved if necessary, so that it is fully fit for purpose. The challenge here is that there are already multiple companies in the chain and they need to work together to deliver a vehicle you can actually use. So what happens if there are delays or issues with the specification, who will take responsibility and what impact will it have on your ability to service customers? now let’s move forward to a time when the vehicle is fully operational. What is it actually costing you to run? After all, commercial vehicles will always represent a significant investment for any business, so being able to quantify the whole life cost of each vehicle is essential.

Some of this is easy, such as the cost of finance or a particular service such as vehicle maintenance. However, some costs can be

Web: www.easiertoleaseplan.co.uk Tel: 0844

more difficult to calculate. For example, if the vehicle is off the road due to an accident or unscheduled repair, can you easily quantify the amount of employee downtime involved while tools are transferred from one vehicle to another? How much potential income has been lost and did productivity levels drop because the driver was using a temporary vehicle which wasn’t 100% fit for purpose?

The list can and does go on, but as an example of what this means in real terms, our research has shown that just one day of downtime can cost upwards of £700.

But of course, with every vehicle comes a driver and as a result, a whole new set of challenges. So, how sure are you that the training you’ve provided and the procedures you put in place are actually being applied in practice?

The obvious answer is some form of telematics to track vehicle usage and driver behaviour. Although the difficulty here can be ensuring you get all the information you need in a format that can be easily interpreted. Does it combine fuel and emissions data?

Does it cover the performance of ancillary equipment? And, is the data being provided in real-time so that you can make the right decision at the right time?

In fact, generating a complete, up-to-date and unambiguous view of your entire fleet is perhaps one of the most challenging issues for commercial vehicle operators today. Primarily, this is because there are so many companies involved in the process. And so dealing with the supplying dealers, converters, specialist breakdown services, telematics companies, ancillary equipment providers and

fuel card operators not only takes a huge amount of time, it also creates a mass of information which can be almost impossible to interpret.

Even then, the picture which is created is one without any real context.

Because to do this you would need to have expert knowledge not just of your own fleet, but that of other companies with similar challenges but different ways of approaching them.

You would need to be able to monitor the impact of the decisions they made and establish what worked and what didn’t. Only then would you be able to say what best practice looks like, how you measure up against it and what you could do differently to decrease risk, increase efficiency and achieve your company’s key objectives.

Thankfully, since we created our dedicated commercial vehicle

department, that’s exactly what we have been doing. In fact, we have been using all their expert knowledge to analyse and interpret data from across our 37,000 commercial vehicles which are currently operated by companies of all sizes and from almost every business sector.

This has helped us create a whole new way of looking at commercial vehicles. An approach which starts with the needs and challenges you face and enables us to offer new solutions to some of the thorniest of problems. And the good news is, we’re getting ready to share some of their most important findings.

To whet your appetite, you can download a new eBook on our four step approach to your best commercial fleet policy by visiting easiertoleaseplan.co.uk, or if you really can’t wait, why not just get in touch.

“Generating a complete and unambiguous view of your entire fleet is one of the most challenging issues for commercial vehicle operators”

371 8032 Email: hello@easiertoleaseplan.co.uk

F O L L O W T H E L E A D E R : E N D O F C O N T R AC T

How to smooth out the process at the end of a lease A clear and robust driver guide can help fleets avoid any issues when it comes to defleeting vehicles

By Tom Lander, Term End Manager, Lex Autolease

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ithin the fleet industry, the issue of end-ofcontract charges can cause disagreements among fleet operators and fleet leasing companies. However, issues can be avoided with a little forward planning – here’s how...

The biggest issue we discuss with our customers is around fair wear and tear. We understand that normal usage causes deterioration to a vehicle, no matter how carefully it’s looked after. The majority of vans returned to us have damage which falls within the BVRLA fair wear and tear guidelines – despite their usage, many drivers take reasonable care of their vehicles and, in our experience, the better drivers are informed, the more care they take.

These guidelines can be purchased from the BVRLA’s website, and are available free of charge for Lex Autolease customers.

The biggest issue comes with damage that clearly falls outside the policy – damage which occurs as a result of a specific event (or series of events) such as impact, inappropriate stowing of items, harsh treatment or negligent acts.

So how can you manage the unexpected? Gary Banister, Senior Manager, Commercial Vehicles from Lex Autolease, is a man with a plan: “Our most prudent customers have a very straightforward and robust driver guide which not only lays out the standards that are expected, but also contains a clear code of conduct to manage their vehicle’s condition throughout their life.

“An important part of this is encouraging the reporting of incidents – a fully-informed fleet manager can take action and make good decisions that impact positively on their fleet, no matter how big or small.

“Also key is the management of vehicle mileage. For some customers with fuel cards, we can provide reports for all vehicles

showing the last recorded mileage based on information supplied by the driver at the latest fill-up. We also recommend a weekly or monthly audit – a quick walk around each vehicle can quickly identify unreported damage, and the mileage can be verified at the same time.”

So as the end-of-contract date approaches, what happens next?

Tom Lander explains: “It’s really important that each vehicle is inspected in good time so any remedial action required can be undertaken before it is collected. n Appraise the vehicle as honestly as you can – be objective. n Choose a time and place with good light. n Make sure that it is thoroughly clean and dry (water and dirt on the paintwork can mask faults) n Examine each panel closely – observe where the light is reflected differently from dents and scratches. n Crouch or kneel down at the front and rear of the vehicle and look along each side. This will help you see scratches and dents that may otherwise be difficult to spot. n Inspect lamps, lenses, windows and mirrors for chips, cracks and holes.

“The biggest issue comes with damage that clearly falls outside the BVRLA fair wear and tear guidelines – damage which occurs in an impact, for example”

Call: 0800 389 3690 web: www.lexautoleas

n Check the tyres (including spare) for damage and uneven wear.

Inspect wheels and trims for deterioration. n Check upholstered areas for odours, tears, burns, stains and wear.

And finally inspect all controls, including audio equipment and accessories – they should be present and fully functional.

In summary, it’s not just about the end of contract then? Gary Banister says: “No, not at all. It is behaviours throughout the lifecycle of the vehicle which will have the greatest effect. Having a clear and robust driver guide, encouraging the reporting of incidents and regularly checking the condition and mileage all have parts to play. If this is followed, then the final inspection should confirm what is already known, resulting in no surprises – and money saved!”

A slice of luck…

There have been many unusual items left in vehicles when they have been returned to the leasing company – a prosthetic leg (left), television sets, a tailor’s dummy (complete with Burlesque outfit) and ammunition! A favourite was a high roof, long wheelbase Renault Master van racked from front to back and floor to roof, and filled with every conceivable type of…. bread. Rolls, paninis, French sticks, medium sliced, you name it. All in date, the customer declined to retrieve his stock, and with his permission, the vehicle was picked clean, needless to say.

e.co.uk email: marketing@lexautolease.co.uk

Five top tips n Have a clear and robust driver guide n Encourage reporting of all incidents n Conduct regular training and inspections n Inspect prior to collection n Remove all personal items!

Fast facts n 3,706,351 vans on the road* n 1,717,755 are company-owned, and 1,988,596 are privately owned* n 1 in 19 new van registrations is a Lex Autolease vehicle** n 7,504 vans sold at auction every month*** * SMMT 2013 data. ** Based on total Lex Autolease car and light commercial vehicle registrations and total UK car and light commercial vehicle registrations published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, January to December 2013. *** Average based on Oct. 2012 to Oct. 2013 data from the National Association of Motor Auctions report – LCV November 2013

F O L L OW T H E L E A D E R : T E L E M AT I C S

Telematics is the future for smart fleet decision-making Technology can help create new levels of operational efficiency, even greater standards in customer delivery and significant cost savings

By Giles Margerison, Director, TomTom Telematics

T

he rate of technological change is now accelerating at breakneck speed, resulting in a constant stream of innovations designed to help fleets work smarter and more efficiently.

Telematics has ridden the crest of this wave, developing solutions that create a seamless link between office and field, giving management ever greater control over their mobile workforce.

Vehicles and drivers no longer exist in a vacuum and new possibilities are being discovered for the use of fleet data to improve disparate areas of a company – from HR to sales and customer service.

Business needs have changed, with increasing importance being placed on systems integration as a means of achieving harmony between the different elements of an operation. Consequently, the focus in telematics has changed from a box used to track drivers to a Software as a Service (SaaS) platform that achieves seamless connection between drivers and management.

This is achieved through integration with a range of software and hardware, from mobile printers and barcode scanners to routing

and scheduling, CRM and ERP platforms.

For example, Zebra mobile printers – paired by Bluetooth to the telematics box in the vehicle – can be used to print receipts, invoices, barcodes and RFID labels enriched with data such as GPS location and job information, generated by WEBFLEET. In the back end, integration is possible with routing and scheduling applications PTV Smartour and Paragon for industry-specific needs and other applications, such as those designed to reduce the risk profile of a fleet for insurance purposes, as is the case with Zurich Fleet Intelligence.

The result is seamless end-to-end business systems which connect office to field in ways never seen before, allowing all required data to be brought together by one single platform. This unlocks new levels of operational efficiency, the possibility for even greater standards in customer delivery and response, as well as significant cost savings.

Leading IT and network specialist exceeds customer expectations Even prior to recent developments, a number of van fleet operators have successfully implemented telematics in order to give themselves an edge over the competition.

The ability to monitor driver behaviour is key in the battle to reduce fuel costs and improve efficiency. By introducing a safer driving style, companies can also reduce road risk and the associated insurance costs.

This, aligned with greater visibility of the mobile workforce allowing smarter workflow management and better job allocation, has put firms in a position to deliver market-leading levels of service and value for money.

Sanctuary Maintenance – part of Sanctuary Group, a leading provider of housing and care homes across the UK – successfully reduced fuel bills by 25% and improved response times after implementing TomTom fleet management technology.

The company operates an in-house fleet of 600 LCVs and a customer service centre, based in Hull, which is open 24 hours, every day of the year and is responsible for the allocation of jobs to the maintenance teams operating in six regions throughout the UK. As such, its core aim was to provide a top-quality service for the

TomTom Telematics – website: www.tomtom.com/telem

customers of Sanctuary Maintenance clients. Fuel and maintenance costs were an additional consideration, as higher fuel prices resulted in an escalation in spend.

With this in mind, a decision was made to consider telematics as a means of driving down costs and improving service. TomTom LINK units and PRO navigation devices were installed in each vehicle to determine optimum routing for each job, as well as EcoPLUS for accurate MPG and fuel management.

EcoPLUS proved to be a key feature in changing driver behaviour as managers were able to use the Optidrive tool to monitor and score driver performance, while drivers themselves received direct feedback on their behaviour via Active Driver Feedback on their navigation device.

“Driving standards improved immediately, in particular, our drivers’ speed awareness increased almost overnight,” said Managing Director Dennis Evans.

“The ability to monitor driving standards encouraged drivers to adopt more considered driving styles and also enabled a vehicle’s whereabouts to be monitored at all times.”

To ensure clear communication to the drivers, the Sanctuary Maintenance fleet management team toured the UK with a roadshow to explain the benefits both to the business and to drivers, as well as clarifying any misunderstandings.

TomTom WEBFLEET gives real-time insight into fleet operations.

This is presented in a dashboard format with KPIs that can be customised according to individual requirements. Bespoke reports using historical information can also be tailored via a state-of-theart reporting suite and accessed according to user rights in an information hierarchy.

The customer service centre has seen dramatic improvements in customer service as a result. “WEBFLEET enables us to pinpoint the location of an operative in real-time. We know when an operative arrived at a resident’s premises, enabling more accurate recording of response times to jobs,” added Evans.

deploying a TomTom system to ensure adherence with strict industry service level agreements (SLAs) and reduce costs.

The utilities giant, which supplies gas to 5.8 million customers and includes subsidiaries Southern Gas Networks and Scotland Gas Networks, has improved response times to ensure its engineers can respond to call-outs within an hour, in line with industry safety standards.

All 1,506 of the company’s vehicles and 100 contractor vehicles are monitored using the TomTom system, guaranteeing the most appropriate engineer is sent to each job and allowing the company’s Operations Control Centre (OCC) to monitor progress remotely.

The TomTom system uses a combination of live traffic data and historic road use data to generate accurate ETAs for every journey.

This means the most appropriate engineer can be selected based on who will arrive on site quickest rather than simply who is closest.

Directions can then be sent automatically to the engineer’s in-cab navigation device, allowing them to follow the most efficient route, avoiding traffic along the way.

“The TomTom system has provided a significant boost to service delivery, providing the necessary tools to make sure we meet our safety targets and exceed our customers’ expectations,” said Chris Stone, Finance Manager, SGN. SGN has also made a commitment to improving driver safety and reducing maintenance costs by monitoring driver behaviour.

A trial of TomTom’s ecoPLUS device resulted in an increase in the average efficiency of 2.1mpg, which would be worth more than £1million to SGN if rolled out across its entire fleet.

Meanwhile, the TomTom Optidrive indicator has allowed drivers to be profiled according to four key elements of driving behaviour, speeding, driving events, idling and fuel consumption.

Since implementation of the system, driving events (incidences of harsh steering, braking or acceleration) have decreased from 1,600 a day to less than 400.

Safer, more efficient driving has also contributed to a 15% reduction in tyre replacements and greater durability of brakes, clutches and gearboxes.

“The ability to monitor driver behaviour is key in the battle to reduce fuel costs and increase efficiency. By introducing a safer driving style, companies can also reduce road risk”

SGN hits industry targets and saves on maintenance Scotia Gas Networks (SGN) achieved equally impressive results,

matics email: uk.business@tomtom.com Tel: 020 7255 9774

F O L L OW T H E L E A D E R : F U E L E F F I C I E N C Y

The path to fuel efficient field service Simple steps can reduce fuel consumption, response time, vehicle maintenance bills, CO2 emissions and cut costs

By Trimble Field Service Management

W

ith the continuing volatility of crude oil prices across the globe and the related unpredictable fuel pricing, fuel continues to be a major concern in meeting field service priorities. According to the Freight Transport Association, fuel accounts for almost half of the day-to-day running costs of a van. Indeed, the annual fuel cost of a typical van covering 25,000 miles was found to be around £7,000, a significant sum.

Field service companies can’t stop using their vehicles, so taking steps to improve the efficiency of their fleets by reducing operating costs tied to fuel use is essential to remain competitive. The first step must be to understand the challenges tied to excess fuel consumption. These include: n Vehicles travelling outside of planned routes n Unauthorised side trips or after-hours vehicle use n Speeding or excessive engine idling time n Lack of proper maintenance/inefficient engine operation.

According to Aberdeen Group, these challenges can be addressed through investment in field service management and fleet management technology. Such technologies have proven to decrease fuel consumption by up to 22%, reduce vehicle idling times by up to 25% and cut daily mileage by up to 31%, by allowing businesses to optimise schedules and route planning, helping to reduce unnecessary mileage and improve fuel efficiency and driver proficiency.

for workers. For example, if an urgent customer request comes in, the technology can detect the closest vehicle to a call-out to reduce fuel use.

Pre-planned routes can also be reviewed in real-time, permitting dispatchers to quickly identify vehicles that waste fuel by deviating from the most direct path between scheduled stops. According to Aberdeen Group, fleets that are equipped with GPS monitoring average a 13% reduction in fuel costs.

Fleet management technology can also pick up on any unauthorised stops and after-hours vehicle use by determining how close a vehicle stays to a designated parking location or by identifying significant stops that are not associated with customer locations or other company-set landmarks.

A case in point: Miller’s Vanguard Trimble recently deployed its GeoManager Fleet Management solution to Miller’s Vanguard, the UK’s premier service, maintenance and equipment supply company within the food service industry, to help the business streamline its operations. The real-time location intelligence and trip management tools provided by the technology has allowed Miller’s Vanguard to optimise route planning, reduce unscheduled stops and allocate tasks to a technician closest to a call out. This helps them to respond to customer requests as quickly and as efficiently as possible while reducing travel time between jobs and saving on fuel.

“The Energy Saving Trust estimates that if the UK’s drivers switched off their engines for one minute rather than idling on every journey, this would save more than £500 million in fuel costs annually”

Manage vehicle routes Fleet management technology can help companies cut excess fuel use and reduce operating costs through a number of efficiency enhancing features. The technology allows dispatchers to monitor the exact location of their vehicles, helping them to optimise scheduling by planning the most efficient routes

Curb engine idling Vehicle idling is a common issue and a major contributor to excess fuel use.

According to the Energy Saving Trust, idling wastes up to 5% of the fuel pumped into vehicles and estimates that if the UK’s drivers switched off their engines for one minute rather than idling on every journey, this would save more than £500 million in fuel costs annually. Excessive idling can also damage engine components,

For more information, call 01473 696300, email fsm_

adding to maintenance costs. Fuel is only partially combusted when a vehicle idles because the engine is not operating at its optimal temperature. This leads to a build-up of fuel residue that can damage engine components and increase fuel consumption.

Fleet management technology can help to lower vehicle idling times. The technology generates real-time data of each vehicle to help fleet managers accurately ascertain where fuel is being wasted and reports on faults and performance behind the wheel, which can help to lower vehicle idling times by up to 90%.

Initiating programmes to raise awareness of excessive idling will help remedy the problem also. Tom Gorman, president of opXL, LLC and a field service expert, said: “One of our goals was cutting fuel costs and we coached supervisors on how to reduce idling.

Typically when a technician finished a job, they got in their vehicle and turned on the engine for 15 minutes while filling out reports. At lunch, they might eat in the vehicle while the motor is running.

These were habits that needed to change. It was just a matter of raising awareness and once technicians became aware of the costs of idling, the idling went from two hours to 30 minutes a day.”

Keep on top of vehicle management and utilisation Fuel utilisation can vary significantly between drivers due to the health of a vehicle. Keeping on top of vehicle component wear and tear will help significantly in reducing fuel costs. The emergence of vehicle diagnostics takes routine maintenance checks a step further by providing real-time data so information can be drawn directly from the vehicle, helping improve vehicle maintenance, service scheduling and uptime by getting fault codes and alerts about engine difficulties before they become a major problem. Information can also identify how a vehicle is being driven and provide real-time data on fuel consumption, so exact fuel use can be monitored which helps identify poorly-performing vehicles. Taking steps to proactively service underperforming vehicles minimises vehicle breakdowns or unscheduled downtime which could considerably mitigate fleet costs.

25% more fuel than at 70mph. It also found that by adopting a nonaggressive driving style, a driver could improve their fuel efficiency by up to 30%. For example, by not accelerating too quickly and then having to brake hard etc.

Driver safety technology can monitor and review driving behaviour and identify any aggressive manoeuvres, such as hard acceleration, braking, turns and speed, offering real-time feedback to the driver as well as a complete analysis for the back office. With this data at hand, trends in driver behaviour can be highlighted and analysed, allowing organisations to understand areas for improvement. Training can then be provided to individuals to improve their driving style. This will help reduce accidents and vehicle downtime and will ultimately help reduce the fleet’s fuel consumption.

RSPCA goes green with Trimble The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) recently deployed Trimble’s fleet management and driver safety solutions across its UK fleet. The charity calculated that it could save 80,000 litres in fuel annually for its vehicles now that they have technology in place to detect which of its inspectors is nearest to a call-out emergency. Accidents due to excessive speed have also been mitigated by 50% due to driver safety solutions being installed.

CO2 emissions have been reduced significantly after utilising fleet management trip reports that detail fuel use based on travel and idle times. The RSPCA will now be saving around 60,500kg in CO2 emissions, with further savings per vehicle expected through eliminating engine idling.

Smart drivers are more efficient drivers The faster you drive, the greater your fuel consumption. Department for Transport figures state that travelling at 80mph can use up to

_enquiries@trimble.com, or visit www.trimble.com/fsm

Software

Top tips on making the most of your software It pays to spend time tailoring your system to your requirements Get the spec right...

Trial different systems to work out what is the best fit for your fleet – it’s vital to get the specification correct.

Some fleets take 6-12 months to decide the type of functionality their software system needs to fulfil, bringing together the best of various products into one ‘best-of-breed’ package.

Neil Williams, group IT manager at Days Contract Hire, said: “The implementation of a functionally rich system has given us a platform through which we can introduce exciting new products and services, further driving cost-saving efficiencies and compliance for our customers.”

1

...and make sure the supplier sticks to it It’s important to ensure that your supplier provides everything you have asked for. Interpretation can be an issue so you have to be clear about what you need. If you don’t go into fine detail, you could end up with something you didn’t expect and the supplier could turn round afterwards and say: “Tough, that’s what you said you wanted.” You could be hit with a hefty bill to change it.

2

Visit existing customers Rather than relying on a demonstration from the supplier, go and see other companies using fleet management software. Steve Cole, deputy MD at Seven Asset Management, said: “Make site visits and take references from existing users. These help identify the capabilities of the system in their particular environments and give confidence that you are making the right decision.”

3

Consider navigation One of the key aspects of a software system is navigation. With some systems you have to log out of one area and log into another one. With the best systems you can simply click from one area to the next without signing out.

4

Get the costs explained Suppliers often use jargon and you need to get them to speak plain English. A full cost breakdown should include installation, configuration, data conversion, on-site training, ongoing support and third-party licence fees.

5

Recommended companies for 2014 n Jaama

n Chevin

n Tranman

Agree a schedule Agree dates for the consultation and development phases and the final delivery. Having a schedule allows colleagues to know where you are at and what has been agreed. The risk is that costs can increase if a supplier does more consultation than expected and charges for additional work. Check for clauses in the contract about this.

6

Check who owns the data If you’re switching software companies, make sure that your current supplier will transfer the data. There may be a clause in the contract that the data is theirs. Marie Jarrold, fleet manager at BCA, said: “Fleet managers need a one-stop database that can hold and manipulate a volume of fleet data to improve overall management, efficiency and control and meet the needs of duty of care. This will also bring in cost savings, as data can be pulled on the life of the vehicle from vehicle acquisition to vehicle disposal, giving the fleet manager the opportunity to monitor, review and recommend vehicle choices on the fleet and monitor suppliers.”

7

Understand whether the system is web-based or web-enabled A web-based system is built to operate in a web environment whereas web-enabled uses third party add-ons to allow the system to function over the web. Web-enabled should offer greater performance with minimal ongoing support and licence requirements.

8

Think about integration Compatibility with existing systems within the fleet department is important and it is something that should be considered carefully. You should integrate all the various facets you have outsourced as well as possible with the in-house functionality.

9

The system is only as good as the data that’s put into it While fleet software might take away the admin burden, fleet managers still need to monitor the data that goes into the system, such as the mileage figures drivers provide when they pay for fuel using their fuel card. And they need a system that can develop over time. As Martin Evans, MD of Jaama, puts it: “The fleet industry is always changing so it is vital that a system is bought that is also constantly evolving. It is no good investing in software that will become obsolete tomorrow which will leave the business behind and not achieve what is intended.”

10

Advertisement feature

Innovation gives Jaama the edge aama celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, but more importantly is delighted to once again be recognised as the most recommended provider of fleet and asset management software in the UK. Jaama won the much coveted Fleet News Reader Recommended award for the sixth successive year in 2014.

The award can only be judged on innovation, technology platform, investment, ease of use and ultimately success and customer recommendation.

In each area, Jaama succeeds with a track record of innovative fleet management and compliance solutions which is driven by a continuous programme of investment in technology that to date averages around £1 million per year.

Cutting-edge technology is at the core of Jaama’s online Key2 software solutions for fleet operators and rental and leasing companies and critically this technology has the capability to seamlessly interface with many third-party customer software systems used by finance, HR and procurement departments as well as systems operated by organisations such as the DVLA and HM Revenue and Customs.

J

Key2 increases fleet efficiency Amey Fleet & Plant, which went live with Jaama’s Key2 Management system in August 2010, is the vehicle and plant asset management business unit within Amey.

Last year Amey doubled its UK presence with the acquisition of Enterprise. A major integration project that will see the combined companies’ fleet of about 10,000 vehicles and 75,000 items of plant on to a single Key2 platform is due to go live at the end of April.

Introducing Key2 enabled Amey to replace separate vehicle fleet and plant equipment management systems and thereby benefit from a more robust solution delivering significant efficiencies in terms of asset visibility and maintenance; data management and manipulation; a clear compliance audit trail; and enhancements to transactional processes.

Paul Hyne, head of finance, Amey Fleet & Plant, said: “The more management information generated

by Key2, the more efficient we will become in terms of operational capabilities. That will generate benefits in many areas and streamline fleet operations.”

Continuing demand for cutting-edge fleet management software solutions from Jaama has already led to a 10% growth in employees in 2014 and Jaama also expects to at least replicate its customer base growth from last year which was 18%.

Customer confidence in both Jaama and its products is one of the key reasons why the organisation has achieved Fleet News Reader Recommended status for the sixth consecutive year.

Another big factor is the continual functionality advancements in the Key2 software system which takes advantage of emerging technology and ensures excellent customer retention.

Managing director Martin Evans said: “Our continued hard work and commitment to supply class-leading products and services has resulted in a fantastic first decade providing fleet and asset management solutions to a wide range of organisations, including many blue chip companies.”

He added: “Jaama’s long-term commitment to the industry and our appetite for further expansion remains strong.

“Now more than ever, fleets need cutting-edge software systems to drive improvements and efficiencies across their operations as well as ensuring legislative compliance.

“Our single platform approach means that all Key2 users operate at the forefront of fleet management best practice.”

Web: jaama.co.uk Call: 0844 8484 333 Email: enquiries@jaama.co.uk

Advertisement feature

SMR expertise you can count on H

aving all the service, maintenance and repair (SMR) work on your vans and light commercial vehicles carried out by a franchised dealer may not be the most sensible bet.

ATS Euromaster has been providing tyre and vehicle servicing solutions to fleets of all sizes, nationwide, for nearly half-a-century. Combined with investment of more than £12 million in further extending its skills base over the past four years, the company’s service offering has never been stronger – so there’s little wonder it’s been voted as Fleet Van 2014 Reader Recommended independent SMR provider.

No less than 176 of ATS Euromaster’s centres offer menudriven servicing for light commercials, while 128 can carry out Class IV MoT tests and 33 can carry out Class VII MoT tests.

And those numbers are increasing all the time.

This is on top of centres equipped to conduct fault diagnostics, error-code reading, recharging a vehicle’s air conditioning, and changing exhausts, shock absorbers and batteries – or simply servicing a vehicle’s brakes if that is all that is required.

More than 95 per cent of ATS Euromaster locations can

Health check-up With van service intervals lengthening considerably, one area where ATS Euromaster is delivering a noticeable benefit for fleets is through interim vehicle safety checks.

Seasonal inspections give fleets the reassurance of a technician inspecting their vehicles in between scheduled services, helping to protect against unexpected and costly downtime whilst boosting duty of care.

ATS Euromaster’s 20-point inspections costs £20, checking tyres, operation of the air-conditioning system, horn, lights, drive belts, wiper blades, washer jets and cooling system. Technicians also inspect the dashboard for warning lights, remove all wheels for a thorough brake inspection, plus clean and lubricate battery connections where required. And they include a levels check for oil, clutch fluid, brake fluid, power-steering fluid and screen wash, with free top-ups as appropriate.

“The scope of these inspections reflects our position as one of the country’s largest independent SMR providers,” says Fairlie.

“We do everything in our power to add value to our customers – drawing upon our expertise and the latest technology to give van fleets total confidence in their vehicles.”

accommodate long-wheelbase high-roof panel vans and the company offers a whole host of tyre-related services for vehicles varying in size from cars to heavy trucks. As well as stocking budget, mid-range and premium brand rubber, the latest computerised wheel alignment systems mean that its expert technicians can check and adjust rear wheel caster and camber alignment as well as the more-usual front wheel alignment.

Peter Fairlie, Group Sales Director at ATS Euromaster, says: “We’re thrilled to have been nominated as a Fleet Van ‘Reader Recommended’ supplier.

“It’s a truly fitting compliment, and recognises our commitment to being straight talking and honest in everything we do – always going the extra mile to deliver on our promises to customers.”

Simon Tattersall, Head of National Fleets, explains: “ATS Euromaster’s DNA is all about B2B. The fleet sector accounts for nearly 80 per cent of our business and we meet the needs of our customers via a sophisticated network of approximately 345 centres, staffed by technicians with an average of 16 years’ experience.

“We are also a wholly-owned company,” he adds, “so there is a consistent and standard level of service across the UK. This is a very important and powerful tool for us, and one which is appreciated by the businesses we serve.”

Web: www.atseuromaster.co.uk/business ATS Customer Services - 08700 663 621 Email: customer.relationship@ats.euromaster.com

DRi v EN

LWB hi-ROOF 129 EURO 6

MERcEDES-BENz SpRiNTER The first Euro 6 van on sale in the UK is worlds ahead of most of its rivals Need To kNow

SpeC

n euro 6 technology reduces Nox by 80% n More expensive but more economical than euro 5 version n Co2 emissions of 206g/km

Price (ex-VAT): £33,120 GVW (kg): 3,500 Power (hp/rpm): 129/3,800 Torque (lb-ft/rpm): 225/1,200-2,400 Fuel (combined mpg): 35.8 CO2 emissions (g/km): 206 Cargo volume (cu m): 14.0 Payload (kg): 1,116

By Trevor Gehlcken egislation has been passed dictating that all new vans sold after September 1, 2015, must comply to Euro 6 emissions standards. After that date, new vans will emit fewer particulate and NOx gases, but they will also cost more to buy.

This is because as emissions criteria become ever tighter, the van manufacturers need to pour millions of pounds into R&D, which customers end up paying for.

At present, only two vans on the road comply with Euro 6 – certain variants of the new Ford Transit which are due to go on sale soon and the van on test here, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Euro 6, which was launched last year.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of Euro 6? For starters, this van costs £1,120 more than its Euro 5 cousin

L

verdICT This Sprinter is worlds ahead of most of the opposition in terms of build quality, safety, environmental friendliness and general drivability. One day all heavy panel vans will be like this.

and thanks to the tank for Adblue, which it needs to meet the Euro 6 standards, it loses 35kg on payload. Adblue will cost about 20p per 100 miles, which means a £160 outlay over an 80,000-mile lifecycle.

This van returns 35.8mpg on the official combined cycle as opposed to 32.1mpg for the Euro 5 model. At current diesel prices, this is a saving of £1,604 on fuel over the van’s life – a net saving of £324. There are the lower emissions to consider too – cO2 is down from 227g/km to 206g/km, NOx is reduced by 80% and particulates are cut by 50%.

The new Sprinter is about much more than just a tank of Adblue though. This van leaves the opposition standing in terms of safety systems.

Before this update, it was already the safest van on the roads, with standard features such as adaptive electronic stability control, ABS brakes, and acceleration skid control.

Our test model also had crosswind Assist, collision prevention Assist, Blind Spot Assist, Lane Keeping Assist and high Beam Assist, adding £1,090 to the list price.

Options of today tend to be standard fixtures of the future, so we can assume that in near future, most other van manufacturers will be offering this level of sophistication.

Sprinter is among the safest vans on the road

behind the wheel The first thing to note about this van is that the driver won’t feel any difference between euro 5 and euro 6 engines.

This technology is all about emissions and doesn’t affect engine running, ride or handling.

But whatever euro standards the

Sprinter adheres to, it’s a mighty performer and deservedly holds the Fleet Van van of the year award.

It’s a big step up into the cab, and the elevated driving position gives a great view of the road ahead.

The cab itself is bigger than that of the new Ford Transit, giving it a much airier ambience.

The driver’s seat is massive and

comfortable, fully supporting every area of the back. we managed a 200-mile trip with no lumbar twinges. despite its size, the Sprinter handles like a big car once out on the road, although reversing and parking can prove tricky. we could have done with reversing sensors for such a large

vehicle, but they weren’t included on our test model.

In the back, there’s headroom aplenty for six-footers, a wipe clean floor, full ply-lining and a total of 12 load lashing eyes.

A nice touch, too, is a handy grab rail near the rear doors for drivers to swing themselves up into the load area from the ground.

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan April 2014 47

DrI V En

COnCEpT

VOlKswAGEn E-CADDy Data from electric van trials makes a strong case for operating electric vans Need to kNow

speC

n e-Caddy concept will not go into full-scale production n touchscreen displays driver information n Cargo space of four cubic metres matches diesel model

Power (hp): 85 Load volume (cu m): 4.0 Payload (kg): 550 Maximum range (miles): 68 CO2 emissions (g/km): 0 Price (ex-VAT): n/a

By Maurice Glover osses of Britain’s second biggest van brand are convinced that electric mobility is set to play a major role in urban transport.

But Volkswagen has still ruled out putting a full-electric version of one of its best-selling vehicles into full-scale production.

Data gathered from an extensive trial of E-Caddy models is making a strong case in favour of battery power for delivery operations in areas of heavy traffic congestion, but the popular workhorse will continue to be driven by traditional internal combustion engines for the immediate future, Fleet Van can reveal.

One of the stars of a major exhibition staged to highlight electric vehicle technology at the German company, the electric Caddy’s polished performance impressed everyone who drove it through the streets of Berlin.

However, a spokesman for the Volkswagen AG commercial vehicles division told us: “The economics of manufacturing mean this is not going to be a production reality.

“The electric drive system in the latest Mk7 Golf has been developed to operate with vehicles that use MQB, our new group modular platform. As the Caddy is based on the Mk5 Golf, we can’t transfer the technology.

“This is something that can be done only when a completely new vehicle is developed. It would be far too costly for us to import the technology to the present Caddy line – we are already building 90 versions of this vehicle and it takes time to recuperate all the investment this involves.”

The Caddy saw a 22.5% leap in sales in the UK last year to 14,800 registrations, giving it a 19.1% share of the small

B

40 e-Caddy vans are currently taking part in trials in Germany

48 April 2014 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

e-Caddy has the same 4cu m cargo space as the standard Caddy

68

maximum range (miles) from a full charge

550

payload (kg) of the e-Caddy – 100kg less than the standard van

van sector. Observers had been expecting Europe’s leading vehicle manufacturer to compete with electric versions of the renault Kangoo, Citroën Berlingo and nissan’s E-nV200 after staging long-term pilot projects.

In the past two years, electric Caddy models have been in service with local authority departments in Hanover, the city’s building and housing association and DHl, which now runs Germany’s denationalised postal operation.

Developing 85hp and limited to 75mph, the vans have a 550kg payload – 100kg less than the standard van – but retain their four cubic metres cargo space. The underfloor batteries provide a range of up to 68 miles.

“At present we have a fleet of 40 vehicles involved in this research and they are producing a mass of data,” said the spokesman. “Universities are helping us make a thorough analysis of the findings and the feedback is positive. we have gained a lot of valuable experience.” looking ready to roll into the showrooms, the E-Caddy concept keeps much of the standard dashboard layout and control gear and neatly incorporates a large colour touchscreen information display that shows how power is being deployed as well as keeping the driver informed about remaining range.

In acceleration, animated graphics use blue arrows to track the energy flow from battery to wheels. These turn to green and move in the opposite direction to highlight energy regeneration when the brakes are applied.

The absence of a clutch pedal means the concept drives like an automatic once ‘ready’ has flashed up on the instrument display after turning the ignition key.

Operating it is as much fun as it is effortless. no acceleration figures are available, but the concept zooms away from rest and the general lack of noise makes performance seem particularly brisk.

“Our research is making it increasingly apparent that electric mobility is primarily an urban matter. I can’t give you any information relating to the timing of an E-Caddy for production – but it’s not a case of if, it’s when,” said the spokesman.

e-Load Up looks much the same as the standard Up car from the outside

COnCEpT

VOlKswAGEn E-lOAD Up City car-based van expected to be manufacturer’s first electric commercial vehicle Need to kNow

speC

n electric Up van expected to be launched in september n Model aimed at urban delivery fleets n eight years/100,000 miles battery warranty

Gross vehicle weight (kg): 1,470 Power (hp): 81 Torque (lb-ft): 155 Load volume (cu m): 1.4 Payload (kg): 306 Maximum range (miles): 100 CO2 emissions (g/km): 0 Price (ex-VAT): n/a

By Maurice Glover t measures less than four metres in length, but the next small van from Volkswagen is expected to be a big performer for businesses operating in cities.

Just unveiled as a concept but due to be revealed as the German group’s first commercial vehicle powered solely by electricity, the E-load Up model could soon be solving many of the daily problems facing delivery firms, officials claim.

“The solution is simple, really. we think that a very small van that carries correspondingly small loads is able to operate more efficiently than a larger vehicle if, when bigger volumes need transporting, the operator can rely on a fleet of sister vehicles,” said a Volkswagen spokesman. “what we’re talking about here is collective intelligence and the advantages are obvious: vehicles that are small and agile are ideal for large, congested cities and with electric power, our vehicle is also able to be used in zero-emissions zones.” set to be launched as a production model at the september IAA commercial vehicle show in Hanover, the 3,540mm long E-load Up puts a fresh slant on urban delivery transport.

Based on the group’s successful city car, it looks much the same from the outside but replacing the rear seat with a flat load floor and mesh bulkhead transforms the interior into a practical cargo area with enough space behind the driver to cope with load volumes in excess of 1.4 cubic metres – 0.45 more than can be accommodated in the car version.

Equally surprising is the the little van’s ability to carry cargo weighing up to 306kg, a performance the company claims

I

e-Load Up can carry cargo up to 306kg

100

maximum range (miles) of the e-Load Up

1.4

loadspace (cubic metres) of the e-Load Up

makes it suitable for a variety of transport roles in meeting the needs of technicians, couriers, pizza delivery drivers and social services workers, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles product marketing manager Jenny Maeckelmann told Fleet Van. “This concept is positioned in a very small market segment that accounted for only 9,000 total registrations in Britain last year, but even though the numbers are low, our view is that there is clearly an opportunity for it.

“In city operations, the distances covered on daily delivery work is often a secondary consideration – the primary focus is on the environment and there is little doubt that electric vehicles have a role to play in this respect.

“Volkswagen is spending a lot of time and money to understand and develop an electric drivetrain proposition to make sure that when the market demands vehicles of this type, we will be able to deliver them.”

The workhorse version of the Up proved capable of holding its own on a test drive out in the hurly-burly traffic of rushhour Berlin. with maximum torque on tap from the first spin of its silent motor, this is a city slicker away from standstill and it’s all too easy to depart from rest in a blur of vivid acceleration.

Backed by easy steering action and lightweight controls, the van also makes child’s play of threading through congested streets and negotiating the tightest parking spaces.

Due in no small part to a low overall weight of 1,164kg, the miniature van is capable of covering up to 100 miles on a full charge, although continued exploitation of the peppy performance – top speed is 81mph – inevitably takes its toll on range.

Using panasonic cells, Volkswagen’s lithium-ion battery module carries an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty, helping alleviate potential concerns over the battery’s lifetime performance.

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan April 2014 49

LONG -T ERM T E S T

1.6 CDTI LWB

VAUXHALL COMBO Build quality, efficiency and performance puts small van in ‘premium’ territory NEED TO KNOW

SPEC

■ Average test fuel economy is 46.8 mpg ■ Oil has needed an unusual number of top-ups ■ Low lip allows easy cargo loading

Gross vehicle weight (kg): 2,350 Power (hp/rpm): 105/4,000 Torque (lb-ft/rpm): 214/1,500 Load volume (cu m): 4.0 Payload (kg): 1,000 Comb fuel economy (mpg): 52.3 CO2 emissions (g/km): 141 Price as tested (ex-VAT): £15,800

By Trevor Gehlcken here was a time when we talked about ‘premium manufacturers’ – meaning anything from Germany (i.e. Mercedes or Volkswagen) – and ‘the others’.

But lately the lines between these two groups have become blurred. The new Ford Transit Connect is certainly a premium product, while MercedesBenz has climbed into bed with Renault, not traditionally regarded as premium, to make its new small van, the Citan.

The build quality of the Vauxhall Combo, meanwhile, is up with the best of them. Under the badge, it’s a Fiat Doblo Cargo and justly won this magazine’s Fleet Van of the Year award when the model launched in 2010.

As the world of light commercial vehicles becomes ever more complicated, I am really having to reappraise my attitudes. Each new van that comes along impresses with its build quality, smoothness and excellent road handling.

As the weeks go by with our Combo, I am admiring it more and more and will be quite sad to see it go in a month or two.

I have been piling a great number of miles on the van’s clock lately, thanks to a decision by my partner and I to buy a holiday home in Devon.

This has meant several trips from our home in Essex, a six-hour motorway run each way, which would easily have shown up any shortcomings in the seat department.

Vauxhall will be pleased to hear that there are no complaints at all – my partner and I both emerged unscathed and twinge-free in the lumbar area.

I have also been mightily impressed with the general ride

T

The cab is comfortable over long distances

“The build quality of the Vauxhall Combo is up with the best”

and handling of the Combo – it’s a willing performer with plenty of power.

I have, however, had to top the oil up a couple of times, which is unusual with our test vans.

The downside of all this motorway driving was that the stop-start system didn’t kick in very often – and that is one of the ways in which this van saves fuel.

I was hoping to increase the fuel economy figure from last month’s figure of 46.8mpg, but it has remained fairly static.

It’s not a bad total, however, expecially as motorway driving doesn’t offer the van the chance to deploy some of its fuelsaving technology.

I’ve also been moving some heavy items of household furniture around in preparation for the move and once again the Combo proved a star.

It is a small van, but as it is the long wheelbase variety, it’ll swallow four cubic metres of cargo, which is easily enough for all our various spare white goods. The van has a nice low lip on it, too, so items can be slid in and out easily.

Our Combo is a willing performer with plenty of power

50 April 2014 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

running c o s t s

F L ee t ne w s.c o.uK / Va n s

Best in cL a ss – LwB sMaLL Vans

By Trevor Gehlcken ong wheelbase small vans are a fairly new phenomenon in Britain and have very much blurred the lines between small and medium vans, offering almost as much cargo space as their bigger brothers but at a cheaper price to buy and run. the first rule of thumb when buying new vans is not just to look at their front-end prices, but to compare their wholelife running costs. these are a mix of front-end costs, fuel economy,

sMr (service, maintenance and repair) costs and residual values. these figures can be accessed for free at www.fleetnews.co.uk/vans.

For fleets which contract hire their vehicles, we’ve used www.comparecontracthire.com to highlight the best models for monthly deals.

For our comparison, we have chosen fouryear/80,000-mile replacement cycles. in this sector we have eight vans in the running – the citroën Berlingo, Fiat Doblo cargo, Ford transit connect, Mercedes-Benz citan, Peugeot

Partner, renault Kangoo, Vauxhall combo and Volkswagen caddy. the Berlingo and Partner are basically the same vehicle, as are the Doblo and combo, and the Kangoo and citan, but this doesn’t mean they have the same running costs.

Looking at our group, all running costs are very close to each other, but the combo and citan just miss out on our top six. our figures show the transit connect has the lowest wholelife costs, thanks to its superior fuel economy figure and higher residual value.

CiTroËn BerlinGo

FiaT DoBlo CarGo

ForD TransiT ConneCT

l2 1.6HDi 90X

Maxi MultiJet 90

210 l2 1.6TDCi 95

L

leasing price: £241.66 Purchase price: £14,527 load volume (cu m): 3.7 Fuel costs (ppm): 14.62 Maintenance costs: 3.01 running costs (ppm): 29.75

leasing price: £253.86 Purchase price: £15,135 load volume (cu m): 4.2 Fuel costs (ppm): 15.20 Maintenance costs: 3.59 running costs (ppm): 29.60

leasing price: £249.48 Purchase price: £15,525 load volume (cu m): 4.4 Fuel costs (ppm): 14.42 Maintenance costs: 3.51 running costs (ppm): 28.14

our verdict: the Berlingo has consistently pleased fleet buyers since its launch back in 1995 and continues to innovate. a trafficmaster sat-nav and stolen tracking unit are standard.

our verdict: the Doblo cargo has more cargo space than some of its rivals and offers superb build quality and road manners. it was a leap forward for Fiat when it was launched in 2010.

our verdict: the transit connect is the newest van in the sector. it is the most economical of the models compared here and has amazing build quality and drivability too.

PeuGeoT ParTner

ren aulT K a nGoo M a X i

VolKswaGen CaDDy Ma Xi

l2 1.6HDi 90

1.5dCi 90

102 startline

leasing price: £243.70 Purchase price: £14,472 load volume (cu m): 3.7 Fuel costs (ppm): 14.55 Maintenance costs: 3.11 running costs (ppm): 29.78 our verdict: Basically the citroën Berlingo without the sat-nav, the Partner never grabbed the headlines like its gallic twin but is a rock solid performer worthy of its place here.

leasing price: £255.86 Purchase price: £14,945 load volume (cu m): 4.0 Fuel costs (ppm): 14.71 Maintenance costs: 3.43 running costs (ppm): 29.16 our verdict: the Kangoo has just been facelifted to keep it competitive with its rivals. noticeably, it beats its brother the Mercedes-Benz citan on running costs.

leasing price: £304.00 Purchase price: £16,055 load volume (cu m): 4.2 Fuel costs (ppm): 14.85 Maintenance costs: 2.79 running costs (ppm): 29.11 our verdict: the caddy has the highest frontend price, but its frugality at the pumps and superb residual value predictions keep it well in the running on pence per mile costs.

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan April 2014 51

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