GreenFleet Magazine issue 52

www.greenfleet.net

GREENFLEET AWARDS

Eco-friendly fleets and vehicles recognised

ISSUE 52

MOBILE TECHNOLOGY

How smartphone apps are revolutionising fleet management

Please turn over for Transport Business

ALTERNATIVE FUELS – Hydrogen gets closer to becoming a viable alternative fuel

2011

Enjoy going to work Even if being there is a drag

Before you get down to the taxing business of earning a living, follow best practice and get to work in a Fiat 500. As well as being great fun to drive the TwinAir Turbo 85 BHP engine is the lowest CO2 emission petrol car engine in the world*, so you pay no road tax ▲.

And if your working day starts to feel like it will never end just remember, you get to drive home when it does. Are we on the same page? The Fiat 500 TwinAir. Everyday fun.

CO2 95 g/km • Mpg 68.9 • BIK 10% fiat 500 twinair from just £169 per month for business users Email fiat.fleet@fiat.co.uk or call us on 08446 623 622 for more info.

TWINAIR fiat.co.uk †

Fiat, the car brand with the lowest average CO2 emissions in Europe. Fiat 500 TwinAir, the lowest CO2 emission petrol car engine in the world*. Fuel consumption for Fiat 500 TwinAir: mpg (l/100km) and CO2 emissions: Urban 57.6 (4.9), Extra Urban 76.3 (3.7), Combined 68.9 (4.1). CO2 emissions 95 g/km. Above rentals based on Fiat 500 TwinAir on Contract Hire payment profile of 3 rentals in advance (equivalent to £507) followed by 35 monthly

rentals of £169. All rentals exclude VAT and maintenance. Based on 10,000 miles per annum. Excess mileage charges apply. Vehicles must be registered with Fiat Contract Hire before 31st December 2011. Offer subject to status, a guarantee and/or indemnity may be required. Offer correct at time of going to press and may be varied or withdrawn at any time. Subject to availability. Fiat Contract Hire, 240 Bath Road, ▲ Slough, SL1 4DX. Under current DVLA regulations there is no charge for vehicle excise duty in the first year of registration and every subsequent year. Vehicle Excise Duty rates are reviewed annually by the government and are subject to change. †Source: JATO Dynamics. Based on Volume-weighted average CO2 emissions (g/km) of the best selling brands in Europe, year 2010. *According to NEDC standard.

GREENFLEET® MAGAZINE

www.greenfleet.net

GREENFLEET AWARDS

Eco-friendly fleets and vehicles recognised

ISSUE 52

MOBILE TECHNOLOGY

How smartphone apps are revolutionising fleet management

Please turn over for Transport Business

Comment

Dedicated to Promoting a Cleaner Environment – www.greenfleet.net

DEAR READER With the explosion of ultra-frugal and zero-emission engines coming onto the scene – together with fuel efficient driver training, a push to find travel alternatives and the adoption of green technology – fleet professionals have all the ingredients they need to make their fleet more efficient and sustainable. But it is still the human element that drives such change, and this year’s GreenFleet Award winners demonstrated that there are numerous eco-conscious fleet managers and manufacturers working hard to make their operations more environmentally-friendly. Find out who this year’s winners are and what they achieved on page 49.

ALTERNATIVE FUELS – Hydrogen gets closer to becoming a viable alternative fuel

This month, Polar, the UK’s first privately-funded electric charging network was launched. It will allow members to charge in over 4,000 charging points across the country, and also gives them the opportunity to install a home charging unit for £95 instead of £995. The network is designed to complement the government supported Plugged-in Places scheme. It is encouraging to see both private and public sector participation in installing a much needed charging infrastructure, which will –in time – give buyers the confidence they need to invest in this green technology.

Angela Pisanu, Editor

P ONLINE P IN PRINT P MOBILE P FACE TO FACE If you would like to receive 6 issues of GreenFleet magazine for £65 a year, please contact Public Sector Information Limited, 226 High Road, Loughton, Essex IG10 1ET. Tel: 020 8532 0055.

GreenFleet® would like to thank the following organisations for their support:

PUBLISHED BY PUBLIC SECTOR INFORMATION LIMITED

226 High Rd, Loughton, Essex IG10 1ET. Tel: 020 8532 0055 Fax: 020 8532 0066 Web: www.psi-media.co.uk EDITOR Angela Pisanu EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Danny Wright PRODUCTION EDITOR Karl O’Sullivan PRODUCTION DESIGN Jacqueline Grist PRODUCTION CONTROLLER Reiss Malone PUBLISHER Jade Fisher KEY ACCOUNT MANAGER Martin Freedman ADMINISTRATION Victoria Leftwich, Alicia Oates GROUP PUBLISHER Barry Doyle REPRODUCTION & PRINT Argent Media

Printed on recycled paper

© 2011 Public Sector Information Limited. No part of this publication can be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any other means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the editorial content the publisher cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher. ISSN 1362 - 2541

Volume 52 | GREENFLEET® MAGAZINE

03

CONTENTS 07 NEWS

24 ECO DRIVING

53 EVENT REVIEW

The latest news on electric and low-carbon vehicles, alternative fuels, and green transport policy

Simon Elstow shares some golden rules on how to achieve a more fuelfriendly driving style, which can result in a 15 per cent saving on fuel

The Power of 3 was a trio of energy events which showcased exciting emerging technology relevant to the fleet sector

10 ALTERNATIVE FUELS How close is hydrogen to becoming an accepted alternative fuel? Ian Williamson, president of the European Hydrogen Association, discusses hydrogen developments in the UK and Europe

14 GREY FLEET Grey fleet management can pose problems for fleet managers in meeting basic duty of care responsibilities. Roddy Graham, chairman of the Institute of Car Fleet Management, examines the issue

19 MOBILE TECHNOLOGY Mobile applications on smartphones and other portable devices have provided a springboard for innovative in fleet management, writes the Mobile Technology Association

30 DRIVER MANAGEMENT Employing drivers is big cost for organisations so it makes sense to ensure that they deliver more than just the goods in their trucks, writes the Freight Transport Association

Contents

Dedicated to Promoting a Cleaner Environment – www.greenfleet.net

57 ROAD TEST The new Toyota Yaris 1.3 is taken for a spin

60 PRODUCT FINDER A round-up of the latest fleet products and services

39 GREENFLEET SCOTLAND Fleet managers flooded to the Royal Highland Centre in Edinburgh on 1 September to test drive the latest green vehicles and attend the topical seminar sessions

49 GREENFLEET AWARDS Pioneers in environmental fleet management and green motoring were awarded at this year’s GreenFleet Awards. We review the winning projects

GreenFleet Magazine

www.greenfleet.net Volume 52 | GREENFLEET® MAGAZINE

05

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

COMMENT

£15m boost for greener cars

TRUST ME, I’M A DYNAMOMETER!

The government is to invest at least £15 million in projects to accelerate the commercialisation of low carbon vehicles. The research and development projects funded by the investment will focus on reducing costs in the supply base and make progress in areas such as energy storage and management, and lightweight vehicle and powertrain structures.

The investment will be delivered through a funding competition managed by the Technology Strategy Board, working with the Office for Low Emission Vehicles. The competition is likely to open for proposals in January 2012. It is hoped the funded projects will achieve significant cuts in road transport CO2, strengthen the UK’s capabilities and bring low carbon vehicle technologies to the UK more quickly.

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Loughborough University invests in electric maintenance trucks Loughborough University has invested in two new electric trucks for its maintenance team to work across Loughborough’s 437 acre, single site campus.

The Alke ATX 200E utility vehicles, supplied by ePower Trucks, can travel up to 50 miles on a single battery charge. One truck has been fitted with a high mesh cage, for waste collection, while the other has a fully enclosed van box body.

Clive Douthwaite, logistics manager for Loughborough University, said: “Environmental responsibility is very important to us, so we were determined to reduce emissions from our vehicle fleet. However, we wanted electric trucks that wouldn’t break the bank and still deliver great performance.”

The ATX 200E uses around 4p per mile in electricity; a saving of up to 80 per cent compared to a diesel van.

TYRE MAINTENANCE

Drivers waste £337m on fuel UK motorists are wasting £337 million on fuel every year by driving with under-inflated tyres, according to new research.

The Michelin Fill Up With Air

roadshow – which has been touring the UK since May highlighting the importance of keeping tyres inflated to the correct pressure – has revealed that a shocking 39 per cent of motorists are driving on dangerous or very dangerously under-inflated tyres, whilst five per cent are running around on punctured tyres.

As a result drivers are using an extra 244 million litres of fuel and emitting more than 600,000 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere. And this is in addition to an increase in braking distances, poor handling characteristics and reduced tyre life.

News

Dedicated to Promoting a Cleaner Environment – www.greenfleet.net

Next Green Car’s Ben Lane examines how CO2 data is assessed and communicated to the buying public Imagine: You’re in a dealership selecting models for your fleet and you sit down with the salesperson to talk through the benefits of clean diesels and hybrids. It’s really important, you remind them, that you get the spec right as your company is embarking on a high-profile carbon reduction strategy. What is your reaction to being told that the only CO2 data is the average shown on the Fuel Economy Label with no guarantee as to how the models will actually perform? Do you place your order? Or do you go and get some independent advice?

Despite the increasing demand for fuel efficient models, accurate fuel economy figures are also not readily available.

At Next Green Car, our e-post bag is dominated by comments from buyers of new cars who complain that they can’t achieve the fuel economy claimed by the manufacturer; an issue of particular concern in cases where the ‘official’ mpg figure is the main motivation for the purchase. The discrepancy between the test and real-world data is widely acknowledged; the Energy Saving Trust recommends an adjustment of around 15 per cent.

The ultimate cause of this confusion is, of course, the out of date (and misnamed) ‘New European Driving Cycle’ (NEDC), which is used to generate the familiar ‘urban’, ‘extra-urban’ and ‘combined’ official figures. Performed on a chassis dynamometer, these tests are used for emissions certification of light duty vehicles in Europe, and from which fuel economy figures are calculated (rather than measured).

While technologies have moved on, the test procedure is stuck in a seven-mile, 20-minute time-warp, one that is increasingly unrepresentative of real-world driving.

My contention is that, while this appears first and foremost a consumer issue, it should be of more concern to manufacturers. Why? Because it’s an issue of trust. While car makers are not responsible for designing the NEDC, I believe they should be doing more to improve the test and develop innovative ways to assess and communicate environmental performance. In a spirit of enlightened self interest, they should do this not only as a means of providing better information, but as part of improving customer service.

Moves are afoot to replace the NEDC, but not until 2014 at the earliest. One option on the table is the Artemis Driving Cycle (ADC) which consists of four drive cycles (urban, rural road, two motorway) all of which include the rapid changes in speed typical of driving on real roads. What’s not yet being considered, however, is an alternative approach to the use of dynamometer testing. With a digital and information revolution going on, testing in the field (as well as in the lab) is now a real option.

While the auto industry’s endorsement of the ‘Best Practice Principles for Environmental Claims’ (by LowCVP, SMMT and ISBA) indicates that the sector is starting to engage with this issue, it is less clear how this endorsement will translate to the showroom floor. Do expect your salesperson to say: “We can offer you a great discount on this model”; don’t expect him or her to say of its fuel economy or CO2 emissions, “It does exactly what it says on the tin”.

To further highlight the issues raised, Next Green Car is launching the ‘MPG Monitor’ campaign during November. ©Dr Ben Lane, Next Green Car 2011

Volume 52 | GREENFLEET® MAGAZINE

07

THE NEW RENAULT KANGOO VAN Z.E. 100% ELECTRIC.

THE Z.E. RANGE FROM RENAULT. RESERVE YOURS AT RENAULT-ZE.COM/UK

DRIVE THE CHANGE

News

Dedicated to Promoting a Cleaner Environment – www.greenfleet.net

MOTORSPORT

IN BRIEF Toyota enters hybrid to compete NEWS Lexus achieves industryleading drop in emissions in 2012 Le Mans 24 Hours Toyota is to compete in the 2012 Le Mans 24 Hours with a new race car powered by a petrol hybrid powertrain. Toyota’s return to the endurance race, held annually since 1923, will be with a new LMP1 chassis designed, developed and produced by Toyota Motorsport in Germany, and equipped with a hybrid petrol powertrain engineered by Toyota in Japan.

Toyota last competed in the Le Mans 24 Hours as a manufacturer in the late 1990s racing the GT-One, a car which established a new race lap

record in 1999. Participation at Le Mans will be one of a number of races Toyota proposes to enter in the 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship, a competition that will enable it to further explore the potential of its hybrid technology. The new team will be based at Toyota Motorsport’s Cologne headquarters and it is expected that the new car will be rolled out early in 2012 for an extensive pre-season testing programme.

Lexus has achieve the sharpest fall in average CO2 emissions of any car manufacturer in the UK. The latest cleangreencars industry survey shows that, measured across its full model range, Lexus has an average emissions figure of 130.62g/km – 22.63 per cent lower than the figure recorded in 2010.

The improvement can be attributed to the advances Lexus has made with the hybrid CT 200h, which produces 94g/km of CO2, the lowest figure for any car in its class. Cleangreencars’ CO2 industry analysis takes into account the sales figures as well as the emissions performance of each model. This means its results cannot be skewed by one particularly clean or polluting model, without that car having sold in appropriate numbers.

GOVERNMENT New Transport Secretary appointed

October saw Justine Greening replace Phillip Hammond as Secretary of State for Transport, as Hammond became Defence Secretary following Liam Fox’s resignation.

Greening, previously Treasury Economic Secretary, is MP for Putney, Roehampton and Southfields, and becomes the 14th Transport Secretary in the last 23 years. She is well known for being a strong supporter of low carbon, environmentally friendly policies.

CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE

UK’s first privately funded EV charging network launched POLAR, the UK’s first privately-funded nationwide electric vehicle charging network, has been launched by Chargemaster plc. The membership scheme allows EV drivers to charge at a network of over 4,000 charging points across the country – as well as at home, with a home charging unit costing just £95.

It also includes an iPhone/iPad app showing chargepoint locations and availability and a range of member benefits including discounts on parking, hotels and restaurants.

Membership of the POLAR charging network costs between £19.50 and £39.50 per month and a payment of 90 pence each time a charging unit is used. This provides juice for up to 100 miles of electric car driving, compared with around £16 for 100 miles in a comparable petrol or diesel car.

TO READ MORE PLEASE VISIT... www.greenfleet.net/n/014

Nissan releases green plan Nissan’s recently announced six-year environmental plan – Nissan Green Program 2016 – includes an all-new front-wheel drive hybrid model and an all-new plug-in hybrid model.

The new plan will focus on the reducing Nissan’s carbon footprint, shifting to renewable energy and an increase in the diversity of resources the company uses.

By the end of fiscal year 2016, the programme aims to make Nissan the number one in zero-emission vehicles, with cumulative sales of 1.5 million vehicles across the Renault-Nissan Alliance. It also looks at achieving a 35 per cent fuel economy improvement (compared with 2005) on a corporate average for all Nissan vehicles sold in Japan, China, Europe and the United States.

It also looks at raising the usage rate of recycled materials to 25 per cent.

TO READ MORE PLEASE VISIT... www.greenfleet.net/n/015

Volume 52 | GREENFLEET® MAGAZINE

09

Alternative Fuels Written by Ian Williamson, president, European Hydrogen Association

Dedicated to Promoting a Cleaner Environment – www.greenfleet.net

HYDROGEN-POWERED VEHICLES

DEVELOPING THE HYDROGEN FUEL INFRASTRUCTURE

As the creation of a hydrogen transport infrastructure in the UK continues apace, Ian Williamson looks at the emergence of one of the most groundbreaking developments in Europe When I wrote for GreenFleet earlier this year I talked about a number of new hydrogen powered vehicle projects, including Coventry University’s Microcab; Riversimple’s plans for a fleet of hydrogen cars in Leicester; and London’s fleet of eight hydrogen powered buses. Since then, Coventry has launched its new Microcab car and it has joined the CABLED (Coventry and Birmingham Low Emission Demonstrator programme) project that will see the newly-named H2EV vehicle driven by members of the public in the Midlands.

In the last few weeks, Midlands based Riversimple has also announced another demonstration project, this time in Shropshire and Herefordshire. The new Riversimple project puts 30 hydrogen cars in a rural area to show that hydrogen vehicles do not just have to be city cars. In addition, Honda installed a new hydrogen fuelling station in Swindon, bringing the total number of fuelling stations in the UK to 11.

HYTEC PROJECT TAKES OFF Hydrogen infrastructure is popping up more and more around the UK and new technological developments are making it easier to store, generate and use hydrogen. But perhaps one of the most groundbreaking developments in Europe is going to come together over the next few months. The HyTEC (Hydrogen Transport in European Cities) project, which is part funded by the European Commission will see a network of fuelling stations established in London and Copenhagen.

TAKING A LEAD IN HYDROGEN The creation of a network of hydrogen fuelling stations in the UK, or anywhere in the world for that matter, is going to take time and investment, but some countries are taking a clear lead.

In the US, Air Products is linking Texas and Louisiana with a new 180-mile hydrogen pipeline. The pipeline links more than 20 hydrogen plants and 600 miles of existing pipelines and makes it possible to transport hydrogen to a network of fuelling stations in these states. In Germany, there is a publicprivate partnership known as the National Innovation Programme (NIP) which is

10

GREENFLEET® MAGAZINE | Volume 52

starting to build-up hydrogen infrastructure in urban areas. The fuelling stations will be supplied with locally-produced hydrogen and plans for hydrogen pipelines are in development. The key to the German model is the belief that a hydrogen transport infrastructure can be built up gradually, through demonstration projects in urban areas around the country, before eventually being linked together in a national network.

We believe this model can work in the UK. Creating pockets of hydrogen infrastructure will allow the general public to get used to the technology while gradually creating both the fuelling infrastructure and hydrogen production facilities that can be connected together in the long-term to form a nationwide low-carbon transport system.

If the UK can learn from those countries taking a lead on hydrogen transport and establish itself as a ‘fast follower’ there is the potential for huge economic gains. The UK can position itself so that when hydrogen cars reach commercialisation (major car companies are committed to doing this by 2015) it is in prime position to take advantage, to the benefit of UK Plc. The opportunity to maximise the UK’s skill base in the automotive supply chain means the opportunity for green jobs in the sector is a real possibility.

Moreover, British industry has, for a long time, led the way in developing the fuel cell technology that sits within hydrogen vehicles.

Making the UK a leader in hydrogen transport will allow British companies to thrive in what is likely to be a very profitable industry.

The US and Germany have identified the potential benefits of being a leader in hydrogen transport and are developing the early infrastructure that gives them an advantage over the competition. The UK must ensure it is not left behind by these leading nations.

The HyTEC project aims to put the UK at the forefront of hydrogen transport infrastructure.

MORE ABOUT HYTEC HyTEC will see Air Products, along with 17 partners from across Europe, work to establish the first hydrogen refuelling networks in London and Copenhagen. There is already one Air Products hydrogen fuelling station

in London that is used to fuel Transport for London’s hydrogen bus fleet and Air Products is deploying a second bus refuelling station as part of another EU funded project (CHIC).

The station that is deployed under HyTEC will be strategically located to enable the beginnings of the UK’s first city-wide hydrogen network. The project will also see the deployment of a fleet of 15 hydrogen powered taxis and five Suzuki Bergmann scooters, some of which will be operating in time for the London 2012 Olympics. These new fleets are another opportunity to allow Londoners to experience hydrogen transport first hand.

More importantly, however, the creation of a network of hydrogen fuelling stations opens up the opportunity for multiple fleets of vehicles, with the potential to fill up in different parts of London. This project is the first of its kind in the UK, but in the long term we would foresee fuelling station networks like this in more of the UK’s cities. The build-up of hydrogen infrastructure in urban centres, in the same way we have seen in the German model, will eventually allow us to connect up our cities and create a national hydrogen infrastructure.

GENERATING LOCAL RENEWABLE HYDROGEN One of the questions that those of us who support hydrogen transport often get asked is: ‘what about the carbon emissions associated with hydrogen production?’ To be clear, most of the hydrogen used in transport today is so-called ‘brown’ hydrogen. This hydrogen is produced from natural gas reformation. It is important to note, however, that even brown hydrogen is far greener than conventional transport fuels. There can be as much as 70 per cent fewer carbon emissions associated with hydrogen than petrol when the whole process, from the well to the vehicle emissions, is taken into account and you still get the other benefits associated with hydrogen E

Ian Williamson, President, European Hydrogen Association E transport, ie no harmful emissions from the vehicle exhaust and a range and fuelling time equivalent to a conventional vehicle.

We expect, however, that hydrogen transport will come to rely on 100 per cent renewable hydrogen and there are a number of ways this can be achieved. In Orange County, Florida, Air Products recently opened a hydrogen fuelling station that draws its hydrogen from the local wastewater treatment plant. Syngas (Methane) from the treatment plant is fed into a fuel cell and reformed into hydrogen which can then be used to power hydrogen vehicles. Other forms of waste also have the potential to generate hydrogen. In Teesside in the North East of England, Air Products is planning to build an advanced gasification plant that will be able to turn municipal and industrial waste into hydrogen. The plant in Teesside will have the power to run 1,000 hydrogen buses every day.

We see no reason why, if the right incentives are in place to encourage hydrogen transport, that an energy station could not be used to supply our fuelling stations in London, or the Midlands, where there are Air Products hydrogen fuelling stations at the Universities of Loughborough, Coventry and Birmingham.

energy used in transport comes from renewable sources by 2020. It is essential that this target is met by creating a transport infrastructure that is going to be sustainable in the long term. Hydrogen offers a practical and low carbon alternative to conventional fuels and it can and will be produced renewably. The HyTec project shows industry’s commitment to this technology; now government must show the same commitment. L

Alternative Fuels

Dedicated to Promoting a Cleaner Environment – www.greenfleet.net

FOR MORE INFORMATION www.h2euro.org www.airproducts.co.uk

DEMAND FOR HYDROGEN TRANSPORT The HyTec project represents an important step forward for the establishment of hydrogen transport infrastructure in the UK. But more support from the UK Government is needed to make more of these types of projects possible.

The government should support the business case for hydrogen and help the industry ensure that the cost of hydrogen at the pump is not higher than conventional fuels. One simple change that the government could undertake quickly would be the recognition that hydrogen is a renewable transport fuel and the inclusion of it in the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation that currently supports biofuels.

The UK has to ensure that 15 per cent of the

Volume 52 | GREENFLEET® MAGAZINE

11

Grey Fleet Written by Roddy Graham, chairman, Institute of Car Fleet Management (ICFM)

Dedicated to Promoting a Cleaner Environment – www.greenfleet.net

FLEET MANAGEMENT

ENSURING YOUR GREY FLEET IS FIT FOR PURPOSE

The larger-than-imagined ‘grey’ fleet – privately-owned vehicles used by employees while at work – is of growing concern to organisations, many of whom have little or no control over it In the public sector alone, the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) estimates that nearly 57 per cent of ‘at work’ mileage is covered by employees in privatelyowned vehicles. That equates to around 1.4 billion miles a year covered by vehicles that do not necessarily comply with current law or are fit for the purpose.

The reason for the rise in the grey fleet is historical. It grew as a result of eligible employees taking ‘cash-for-car’ packages at a time when they were taxed unfairly for a ‘perk’ car. This changed in 2001 with a move to a Benefit-in-Kind (BIK) tax regime based on CO2 emissions. Thankfully, today, given the number and variety of vehicles with low CO2 emissions, there is a move away from ‘cash-for-car’ back to the company car and a proliferation of salary sacrifice car schemes.

The problem with a grey fleet today is that it makes fleet managers lives a nightmare in meeting basic duty of care responsibilities, not to mention corporate social responsibilities (CSR). They have to establish whether grey fleet vehicles are ‘fit for the purpose’, roadworthy, properly maintained, taxed and insured.

There are three main arguments for reducing grey fleet – health and safety, the environment and cost.

HEALTH AND SAFETY Organisations need to take account of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the UK Corporate Manslaughter (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) and Corporate Homicide (Scotland) Act 2007 in meeting their duty of care responsibilities.

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 requires employers to ensure, as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of all full and part-time workers ‘at work’. The Act covers all work-related journeys including drivers in company vehicles, using their own cars or vans for business use, temporary drivers, freelance drivers and agency or contract workers.

To assist organisations on the above, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) published a guide called ‘Driving at Work: Managing work-related road safety’ in September 2003.

This guide, which has since been updated,

14

GREENFLEET® MAGAZINE | Volume 52

underlines the benefits of managing workrelated road safety and suggests some ways on how it should be managed, and road risks assessed. Areas organisations need to look at include driver competency and training; driver health; knowledge of basic vehicle checks; vehicle suitability, condition and maintenance; a valid MOT certificate, where required, and safety equipment. Other considerations include proper route planning and adequate travel time allowance.

The HSE guide also covers the use of privately-owned vehicles ‘at work’.

Organisations can be liable if employees use an un-roadworthy vehicle on company business and should check employees hold a valid driving licence, monitor the maintenance history of the vehicle and ensure vehicle insurance also covers business use.

Organisations should also undertake a professional risk assessment audit of vehicles and staff, put together a comprehensive ‘driving at work’ risk management strategy and ensure its objectives are met. In the event of an at work road accident, evidence will need to be produced showing that reasonably practicable steps were taken to manage their duty of care responsibilities to their employees. This includes grey fleet drivers.

Organisations failing in their duties run the risk, in the event of an accident, of facing significant fines under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Company directors and senior management could also face large fines and even prison sentences.

The UK Corporate Manslaughter (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) and Corporate Homicide (Scotland) Act 2007 came into force in April 2008 and makes it possible for a company to be prosecuted as the result of the failings of senior management.

There has already been one high profile case involving a geological company.

Under the Act, all employers have a duty of care to ensure the safety of their ‘at work’ drivers. What the Act does is make it much easier to prosecute organisations for manslaughter following a work-related death, than previous legislation. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not have to rely on an individual being found guilty of gross

negligence. All the CPS needs to do is prove the fatality resulted from a gross breach of the relevant duty of care by the organisation.

Other relevant legislation to be taken into consideration includes Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992, the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986.

THE ENVIRONMENT As previously mentioned, the UK Government adopted a CO2 emissions-based taxation regime at the turn of the century, resulting in vehicle manufacturers now offering over 650 different models with CO2 emission levels below 120g/km. An example of the incredible advances made by vehicle manufacturers, BMW has now developed a 520d falling below 120g/km.

Operating a carbon neutral transport policy is therefore a simple, effective first step towards running a greener fleet and meeting CSR objectives. However, the majority of grey fleet vehicles are a stumbling block to this objective as they are older than company car vehicles and are higher polluters.

In the public sector, the average age of E

Today, the cheapest mile is the one never driven since the biggest fleet cost, after vehicle depreciation, is fuel.

E a privately-owned vehicle used on public sector business is 6.7 years old. This compares with the average age of a company car of around 2.5 years. And the environmental benefits of using a daily rental vehicle are better still, as the average age of daily rental vehicles is around 12 to 18 months.

The SMMT has confirmed that the average new car sold in the UK in 2010 emitted just 144.2g/km of CO2 – down 3.5 per cent on the 2009 figure, and over 20 per cent better than 10 years ago. The most recent FN50 published by Fleet News in November 2010 showed that average CO2 emissions for the FN50 vehicle parc of 1,299,295 vehicles fell below 140g/km for the first time ever.

FINANCIAL COST Research by Sewells, in association with the Energy Saving Trust, revealed that 31 per cent of companies allowed employees to drive privately-owned vehicles more than 7,000 miles a year on company business.

These employees received nearly £3,500 each. And nearly a quarter (24 per cent) of grey fleet vehicles cover more than 10,000 miles per annum on company business.

For many organisations a grey fleet can

cost them more than a company car fleet.

Employees travelling on their behalf at work are reimbursed at Approved Mileage Allowance Payments (AMAP) rates, now 45 pence per mile, compared to a more typical Advisory Fuel Rate (AFR) payment of 12 to 14 pence per mile for a company car driver. Many grey fleet drivers see business mileage reimbursement as a potential money-making exercise, costing an organisation unnecessary money and going against an organisation’s CSR commitments.

Today, the cheapest mile is the one never driven since the biggest fleet cost, after vehicle depreciation, is fuel. So measurable savings can be achieved through not only challenging the need to travel but by reducing the number of grey fleet vehicles and their usage.

Since 2007/08, organisations engaged with OGC have reduced their grey fleet mileage by 22m miles. This generated over £8m of savings and reduced carbon emissions by over 5,300 tonnes. In the 2009/10 financial year, the OGC anticipated that grey fleet mileage would be reduced by over 40m miles, resulting in over £15m of savings. L FOR MORE INFORMATION www.icfm.com

Grey Fleet

Dedicated to Promoting a Cleaner Environment – www.greenfleet.net

How to manage grey fleet Fleet policy should state that a grey fleet driver is responsible for ensuring that their privatelyowned vehicle complies with Road Traffic law; is properly maintained, safe and roadworthy; and is fit for the purpose when used at work. Regarding the latter, fleet policy should make department heads responsible for ensuring this and that the employee is capable of fulfilling the trip.

It should further state that the employee is responsible for ensuring that their vehicle has a current vehicle registration document, valid vehicle excise duty disc, current MOT certificate where necessary, vehicle insurance covering business use, and an up-to-date service handbook. All these documents should be checked on a regular basis – at least yearly.

A stricter fleet policy should insist on minimum safety standards based on European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) ratings; minimum safety equipment (eg ABS and ESC); maximum emission levels to meet CSR targets (eg 160g/km), minimum engine capacity (eg 1.2 litre); maximum age (eg six years) and maximum mileage (eg 80,000 miles).

Fleet policy should state quite clearly that the grey fleet driver should hold a current driving licence valid in the UK for the type of vehicle used and require them to advise the organisation of any endorsements.

Again, an employer should check driving licences at least once a year.

Preferably, organisations should assess the driving standards of grey fleet drivers and offer further driver training where necessary, especially when an ‘at work’ road accident is deemed their fault.

Fleet policy needs to be put into action and properly communicated.

The person responsible for fleet policy needs to ensure that employees are familiar with it, comply with it, are safe drivers and have access to a vehicle ‘fit for the purpose’ on ‘at work’ journeys.

It needs to be regularly reviewed and re-defined in line with changes to overall organisational strategy.

By managing the grey fleet through a carefully thoughtthrough fleet policy, organisations can not only meet their duty of care responsibilities but also reduce their carbon footprint and improve their safety culture.

Volume 52 | GREENFLEET® MAGAZINE

15

The neW BMW 1 SerieS. September saw the launch of the all-new BMW 1 Series Sports Hatch, the must-have premium compact for every company fleet. With new Sport and Urban models joining the popular ES, SE and M Sport, the new 1 Series line-up gives you more choice than ever before. Whatever model you choose, you’ll find more space, comfort and power, yet fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions remain class-leading.

For more information on the new BMW 1 Series visit www.bmwcorporate.co.uk or call 0800 777 113.

Official fuel economy figures for the new BMW 1 Series Sports Hatch: Extra Urban 57.6-72.4mpg (4.9-3.9l/100km).

Urban 37.2-54.3mpg (7.6-5.2l/100km). Combined 47.9-64.2mpg (5.9-4.4l/100km). CO2 emissions 137-116g/km.

BMW EfficientDynamics reduces BMW emissions without compromising performance developments and is standard across the model range.

BMW Corporate Sales

bmwcorporate.co.uk Tel: 0800 777 113

The Ultimate Driving Machine

es Noise & E c u xh d e R

issions m tE s au

ELECTRIC. TRIC. POWERFUL. ERFUL. QUIET. IET.

500ze Electric Outdoor Sweeper Whether you need to clean a busy city centre, wide open roads, a park, an airport or the parking lot of a shopping centre , school or sports stadium, Tennant offers the full range of solutions to fit your needs, featuring innovative technologies for increased productivity, enhanced operator experience and reduced environmental impact.

•

Emission-free

•

Virtually silent

•

Consumes 70% less water

•

Night & Day operation

•

8 hour operation

Tennant UK Cleaning Solutions LTD • Tel: 0800 111 4402 • Email: sales.uk@tennantco.com www.tennantco.com

FLEET MANAGEMENT

The Mobile Data Association’s Steve Reynolds explains how mobile technology has become an established and critical tool in managing fleets and ensuring greater, greener efficiencies This decade has witnessed a significant change in the application of mobile technology to the transport sector. Before this time, the most prevalent use of technology was in vehicle tracking, where solutions were used to assist businesses in making better use of their fleets. It additionally acted as a key security measure. These two benefits alone usually justified the cost of deployment.

WHAT HAS CHANGED? There are five main reasons why the transport sector is demanding more from mobile technology partners today: Road Transport working time directive (the law dictating driving break times); employers’ duty of care responsibilities; the rising cost of fuel; increased road congestion; and customers’ increasing demands.

As a result, the transport sector is demanding more creative mobile technology deployments to address this raft of issues.

Mobile applications on smartphones and other portable devices have provided a springboard for innovative development, both in the consumer space and in the enterprise. While it has taken longer for this to percolate into some sectors than others, a whole new range of efficiency benefits are

now being realised across diverse industries.

Thanks to robust new devices with more sophisticated features – such as image capture, NFC and barcode reading – as well as considerably-improved capacity for running uniquely tailored software applications, vehicle fleets are being managed better than ever before.

HELPING WITH LOGISTICS British Car Auctions is the largest vehicle remarketing company in Europe and forecast the sale of over 600,000 vehicles in the UK alone in 2011: worth more than three billion pounds. A leading provider of vehicle auctions and remarketing services throughout the UK and Europe, BCA is used by the best known automotive manufacturers and motor vehicle dealer groups, as well as rental, fleet and finance companies.

But BCA does much more than just sell cars. 850,000 vehicles are moved by the BCA Logistics division each year. It collects, inspects, prepares and delivers vehicles to the standards customers expect.

“We needed a mobile solution to grow with our organisation and be flexible enough to cope with the changing business world,” explained BCA director Jonathan Higham.

“It was clear we needed a mobile solution because 850,000 vehicles used to require at least 850,000 pieces of paper,” he said.

“TBS Enterprise Mobility is a specialist provider of mobile applications for our market sector so it was a very obvious choice.

“PDAs give the ability to capture clear images which illustrate the condition of vehicles. Whereas vehicles used to all be ‘sold as seen’, now, thanks to the technology, we are their eyes.” Images are used to assess vehicle condition and that information is passed through the chain, meaning an online buyer can make an informed decision about whether they want to purchase a vehicle.

Written by Steve Reynolds, president, the Mobile Data Association

OVERHAULING MANAGED FLEETS WITH MOBILE TECH

Mobile Technology

Dedicated to Promoting a Cleaner Environment – www.greenfleet.net

THE TECHNOLOGY ROLE Mobile technology has become a key part of the wholesale used vehicle market, both as a part of the remarketing process for sellers and as a platform for buyers. Vehicle inspection and appraisal technology is now a key component of data capture E

Volume 52 | GREENFLEET® MAGAZINE

19

Mobile Technology

Dedicated to Promoting a Cleaner Environment – www.greenfleet.net

FLEET MANAGEMENT

Mobile technology is enhancing and augmenting the workflow and management of drivers. As British roads get busier, the fleet and transport sector is increasingly under the spotlight as a growth area for mobile applications.

E that kick-starts the remarketing process.

New PDAs and software help to provide a high level of consistency, reliability and efficiency – allowing vehicles to be described accurately and swiftly before entering the remarketing arena. By using TBS TaskMaster not only have the quality and consistency of BCA inspections improved, a much quicker overall process is enjoyed.

A MOBILE SOLUTION Logistical processes around vehicle collections, inspections and delivery are now controlled with the TBS TaskMaster platform, giving greater auditability and helping to ensure workforce standards are consistently upheld by every member of staff.

Integrating tasks into an electronic workflow means vehicle handovers and associated data requirements are quickly recorded, before the information is transmitted to central databases.

Added to this is an Appraisal Engine module, which helps to give BCA extra capacity for automating operations. A vehicle’s condition is determined from the details inspected and subsequently graded.

This data allows repair methods and their costs to be instantly calculated, saving time and delivering the required information to the relevant contact as quickly as possible.

INSTANT BENEFITS TaskMaster’s integrated image-capture functionality allows appraisers to efficiently inspect vehicles using PDA devices.

While image-capture integration visually records new damage, structured picklists

20

GREENFLEET® MAGAZINE | Volume 52

enforce the guidelines for consistent and high quality reporting. On completing reports, inspection data is instantly transmitted to central databases.

This has significantly reduced the number of dispute cases when vehicles are returned.

The BCA Logistics division provides vehicle collections and inspections according to industry standards. Fleet managers are provided with a comprehensive understanding of assets’ locations, which better informs live status updates and ETA calculations, giving customers improved response times and more accurate communications.

Auditable inspection processes also means motorists can be charged in a fair and transparent way for end-of-contract damage.

“The PDA device gives us information of where we’re going to collect a vehicle and where we have to deliver it,” said Derek Cartwright, a BCA user of TaskMaster.

“We’re able to do the inspection using the device, then the information entered gets immediately sent back to base, and the customer has access to that information through their account.

“It’s made a big difference to working life. For customers, instead of waiting for paperwork to be scanned, processed and put on the system – which can take several days, they now have instant access.”

Efficiency savings help to increase the number of inspections which can be completed in a day, while the rapid transmission of data reduces the time required to populate the BCA e-commerce site with vehicle information.

Technology drastically reduces the

time taken from collection to sale.

“A key advantage of implementing the TaskMaster system to our business involves the unified inspections platform,” said Jonathan Higham. “This means that information is available to all stakeholders instantaneously, creating huge efficiency savings for our business.”

CASHING IN WITH MOBILE G4S (Group4Securicor) is the world leading supplier of security solutions. It implemented a mobile solution for Cash Services crews, boosting service levels and efficiency for the collection and delivery of cash and valuables across the UK. G4S provides each Cash Services crew with an order of events for the working day directly to their handheld device. This can be downloaded via a docking station or transmitted directly to the driver’s device.

Crews scan each cash box onto their vehicle using the barcode scanner within a mobile device, which also commands that the driver’s own ID card must be scanned, providing an audit trail between each cash box, driver and vehicle.

Customers of G4S have been able to enjoy the advantages of more immediate access to delivery and collection status information.

Integration of the mobile solution with the G4S central system allows staff and customers to access real-time data.

GOING THE DISTANCE Implementations of transportation technology have come a long way. The standard industry approach used to revolve exclusively around using vehicle tracking for location and fleet management. Black boxes have actually been synonymous with tracking larger vehicles for the last two decades.

Recent years have seen smaller white vans beginning to adopt the facility, using them for compliance, safety and security purposes.

Now the onus is on empowering drivers in every conceivable way, extending the functionality of sophisticated solutions.

Today mobile technology is enhancing and augmenting the workflow and management of drivers. As British roads get busier, the fleet and transport sector is increasingly under the spotlight as a growth area for mobile applications. Traffic congestion has led to more sophisticated Satellite Navigation systems, both for consumers and businesses, connected to real-time road information – leading to another potential technology stack which can be built into solutions.

Potential use cases span far and wide, such is the diversity of the sector and the different pockets of specialism. At the Mobile Data Association we support and encourage this development and attention as a good thing for all concerned. L FOR MORE INFORMATION www.themda.org

Eco Driving Written by Simon Elstow, IAM Drive & Survive.

24

Dedicated to Promoting a Cleaner Environment – www.greenfleet.net

TRAINING

BENEFIT FROM A MORE DISCIPLINED DRIVING STYLE

Green driving can cut carbon emissions and save costs, including some 15 per cent on fuel alone. Whether you drive petrol, diesel, gas or electric, it’s time to get into the money-saving green habit If, like me, you passed your driving test before 2008, the chances are that you’re one of the 30 million or so drivers who are not trained in eco-driving. And even though the idea was to make eco-driving as much a part of the test as the threepoint-turn, you still can’t be failed on it.

We all consider value for money and miles per gallon when we buy a car, but the answer to rising fuel prices is not just in fuel-efficient cars; it’s in the person behind the wheel.

It’s time to change our driving habits.

My first tip, which may seem odd coming from a driver training organisation, is to get out of your car. It’s the shortest journeys – less than two miles – that cause the most pollution and burn fuel. A straining cold

GREENFLEET® MAGAZINE | Volume 52

engine produces 60 per cent more pollution than a warm one. These shorter journeys are ideal for walking or cycling. If you do take the car, plan your route to avoid short regular stops. A bit of planning saves time and money. The shortest ‘cut-through’ route is not always the most economic, so experiment.

Speed humps can cause ‘slow-down, speed-up’ driving, and they are found most commonly in 20mph zones. Most drivers slow down for the hump, then accelerate, even though it should be possible to drive at a constant speed. You can cross most speed humps safely at 20mph, i.e, if you stick to the speed limit. The same goes for potholes, so plan a long way down the road, to reduce the need to take sudden, defensive action.

Sitting in traffic means you are often doing zero miles per hour so, if possible, avoid busy times and, if you are not moving and have a warm engine, turn it off.

SMOOTHLY DOES IT Drive smoothly. An obvious but often overlooked tip is to get off the throttle.

Hurtling down the motorway and stopping and starting abruptly puts a lot of stress on the engine and tyres and drinks petrol. Going easy on the accelerator to maintain a constant speed – with gentler starting and stopping – will save you money. You’ll also use the brakes less often, making for a safer drive. It’s a tip that works for any driver in any vehicle.

Try lifting off the accelerator earlier – practice seeing how early you can lift off the accelerator before a stop. The longer you can stay off the accelerator the more fuel you save. And try the same when in flowing traffic: in many situations drivers stay on the accelerator a little because they imagine that this is needed to keep going.

You can also experiment with a method I call ‘pulse and glide’ – test how much of a short burst of acceleration you need on a level road to be able to stay off the accelerator for the longest time. This is more efficient than simply accelerating gradually on roads with few steep uphill gradients. But keep an eye on the traffic behind you – speeding up and slowing down is unnerving for the driver close behind.

Choosing the right speed – of course E

E within the limits – improves fuel efficiency and road safety. For example, on a straight road where the national speed limit is in force, 50mph is the optimum speed for fuel efficiency.

ANTICIPATION You’ll use more fuel starting off and braking so improving your observation, anticipation and awareness increases your safety, and again reduces the cost of fuel and maintenance.

Don’t just check the car in front, check the road ahead. It helps to keep the car on the move and means you’ll be able to manoeuvre at the right speed. Set yourself a goal to see how far you can drive without stopping.

Get into the habit of accelerating gradually to the most fuel-efficient speed while looking ahead. There’s no point accelerating into a red light or traffic queue. Anticipating junctions and lights will also reduce the amount of time you are stopping with the engine still running.

Change gear as soon as possible, ideally at around 1,500 – 2,500 revs. You could also try block changing – changing up or down directly into the gear that’s right for your speed, rather than slavishly working your way through the gears.

LOVE YOUR CAR Check your car regularly. Properly inflated tyres alone improve fuel efficiency by between five and 10 per cent. A regular service will keep your car running efficiently.

Under-serviced engines can reduce fuel economy by 10 per cent or more.

And finally, empty the boot of all that unnecessary junk and take off the roof rack and any other fittings that might create drag.

Keep the inside of your windows clean and avoid leaving damp coats, boots etc in the car – dirty windows mist up and damp condenses on the windows meaning you use heated windows and air conditioning

than manoeuvring for ages with a cold, fuel drinking engine. Driving the car as soon as you start it is the quickest way to warm it up and make it efficient; de-frosting the windows by leaving the engine running is very expensive so buy a cheap scraper and save fuel. Electricallyheated seats are also nice in cold weather, but they will use significant fuel, so only use them when it’s really cold, not just a bit chilly – and turn them off as soon as the chill goes.

CARRY ON CRUISING On a good, straight road, use cruise control – on a motorway, setting it to 70mph can typically save at least 10 per cent. But turn it off on hilly roads – the car will have to use a lot of fuel to maintain the set speed up steep climbs, and control will be reduced going downhill. Change down a gear or two whether climbing or descending steeply to help the car out and drive safely.

This is especially important in automatics, and on the subject of automatics, ensure they’re not on the ‘sport’ setting: this increases the revs and thus fuel usage.

On rural roads particularly, avoid overtaking for the sake of it: only overtake if you can see that the higher speed can be maintained. Overtaking one car only to slot in behind another is dangerous, annoying for other drivers and a waste of fuel.

AVOID DANGEROUS DRIVING Slipstreaming – following a large vehicle closely to benefit from the reduced air resistance – is risky and doesn’t give a significant gain. Similarly, coasting – travelling with the car out of gear (generally rolling downhill) – causes you to lose engine braking and the ability to accelerate out of a situation and with modern fuel systems won’t save you fuel.

If you have one, set the in-car coach – the

Eco Driving

Dedicated to Promoting a Cleaner Environment – www.greenfleet.net

Top tips for greener driving

Avoid unnecessary trips Plan your route Drive more smoothly, accelerating and braking use up more fuel Avoid excessive speed Watch ahead and anticipate the road Change gear as soon as possible, ideally at around 1,500-2,500 revs If you are going to stop for more than a minute and the engine is warm, turn it off Keep tyre pressure at right level Take any excess baggage out of the car, and the roof racks off.

FOR MORE INFORMATION www.iamdriveandsurvive.co.uk

Properly inflated tyres alone improve fuel efficiency by between five and 10 per cent. A regular service will keep your car running efficiently. much more – both fuel guzzlers.

And on the subject of aircon – while fine to use and very economic on a long trip, adding only about 1.3 per cent to fuel consumption, it is much thirstier if it has to cool a hot, sunsoaked car on a succession of short runs – up to 10 per cent. Try to park out of the sun and open the windows for a few minutes before turning the aircon on. Around town open your windows, but when travelling at 70mph on the motorway, aircon is more efficient than the drag having the windows open creates.

And turn the aircon back off if you open the windows – aircon on and windows open is like throwing fivers onto the road.

Reversing into parking spaces means you do the fiddly bits with a warm engine rather

instantaneous fuel reading. This will inform you of how you are getting on with all of the above driving tips. But most importantly keep your attention on the road in front of you – there is nothing less eco-friendly than a collision, and driving safely should be your ultimate aim at all times.

Start doing these things today. They are not only good for your pocket, they are good for the environment and good for your safety. L

Volume 52 | GREENFLEET® MAGAZINE

25

get the full package with the euroShell card Whether your fleet is large or small, national or international, choose a fuel card that gives you the full package:

A convenient network High quality fuels at every Shell station Tight control over your fuel spend Secure transactions Great value for money Ask us for a quotation and we will be happy to explain how Shell is helping customers like you to reduce their fuel costs. www.euroshell.co.uk

euroShell card

Dedicated to Promoting a Cleaner Environment – www.greenfleet.net

FUEL MANAGEMENT

SHELL HELPS BUSINESSES CUT FUEL USE WITH SMART JOURNEY PLANNING FOCUS Fuel is accounting for an increasing share of a fleet’s total cost of ownership and that percentage is forecast to rise further The change - due to the rising cost of fuel - would represent a huge shift in fleet economics with an increased accent on reduced fuel use notably through journey management as well as a greater focus on car sharing and ‘smarter’ driving techniques.

The cost of fuel already represents on average 21 per cent of a fleet’s total cost of ownership and experts anticipate that the figure will soon reach 25 per cent, making the financial benefits of a ‘greener’ car policy even greater in the coming years.

Most people would consider that there are four dimensions of transport – road, rail, air, and water. However, advocates of sustainable travel policies consider communication as a fifth dimension.

Communicating in smarter ways reduces mileage and, in some cases, can take away the need to actually travel in the first place.

Shell is using online and mobile communications to provide fleet operators with a variety of tools to help them and their company car and van drivers reduce fleet and individual mileages.

There is a misnomer among fleet operators that a multi network fuel card is a fleet essential. However, the euroShell Card can be used by drivers at more than 850 Shell sites throughout the UK and in more than 1,600 Esso and Total stations.

To enable fleet operators to view the proximity of Shell forecourts to their offices and depots and along key routes, the company will undertake a mapping exercise to ensure that drivers never have to travel unnecessary miles to a forecourt.

Phil Williams, UK fleet sales manager, euroShell, said: “It is a red herring that businesses need a multi network fuel card.

We have the ability to highlight forecourts within a three, five or 10 mile radius from any location and invariably there are four or five Shell fuel stations easily accessible.

“However, once a business has decided on a particular fuel card it is crucial that drivers are educated as to where they can fill up their vehicle.”

To assist fleet operators and at-work drivers, Shell forecourts can be located via an online Shell Station Locator and route planner and via the official Shell Station Locator mobile app.

The interactive map allows drivers to search for a forecourt by town, city or postcode, pick up their current location via GPS, refine their search by fuel type, save their favourite Shell Stations for future reference and view Shell station addresses and opening hours.

Journey planning and fuel management starts before employees leave their homes and offices, which is why Shell has also married fuel card management reporting to an online journey management system.

Shell Card Online – www.shell.co.uk/ shellcardonline – is a fuel card management solution that provides fleet decisionmakers with greater control over fuel spend including access to a wide-range of reports detailing usage and transactions. L FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 0800 731 3131 generalcardrequests-uk@shell.com www.shell.co.uk/euroshell

Shell Card Online – www.shell.co.uk/ shellcardonline – is a fuel card management solution that provides fleet decision-makers with greater control over fuel spend.

Cabbies lead way in cutting fleet fuel bills by £1,550 a year Britain’s cabbies have led the way in showing how fleets and company car and van drivers can slash their fuel bills and collectively save hundreds of thousands of pounds a year.

Shell’s Smarter Cab Drivers’ initiative saw 18 taxi drivers from across the UK reduce their fuel consumption by an average of 20 per cent per driver in a month. This means a cash saving of more than £1,550 – equivalent to over 1,100 litres of fuel – if they retain their ‘smarter driving’ focus for 12 months. The cabbies smashed their initial 10 per cent fuel saving target by putting into practice top fuel economy driving tips (see below).

The taxi driver campaign was the latest in Shell’s ‘smarter mobility’ initiative, which delivers advice to drivers on how they can save fuel. The initiative also underpins the benefits of Shell’s FuelSave petrol and diesel, the company’s most advanced fuel economy formula designed to save fuel.

Phil Williams, UK fleet sales manager, euroShell, said: “Taxi drivers are driving professionals and if they can significantly reduce their fuel consumption, this is compelling evidence to fleet operators that driver behaviour can be a key factor in managing their fuel economy. This campaign shows that if cabbies can do it, company car and van drivers can also."

Fuel economy tips Inner city 1. Maintain momentum 2. Drive smoothly 3. Avoid over revving 4. Avoid excess idling 5. Avoid using air conditioning – open window instead 6. Avoid excess weight – reduce the load in boots

On motorways 1. Keep your distance 2. Use higher gears 3. Keep speed down 4. Use air conditioning instead of opening windows 5. Use cruise control

Volume 52 | GREENFLEET® MAGAZINE

27

Beating Fuel Price Inflation Petrol and diesel prices have increased by 15% in the last 12 months; unwelcome pressure at a time when few organisations are able to pass on cost increases in the form of higher prices.

Without doubt it’s an opportune time for reviewing how fuel costs are managed in your organisation.

Apart from your choice of low CO2 fleet cars, another reason you may want to think about your method of fuel reimbursement is driver The Energy Saving Trust believes behaviour. Nigel Underdown Head of there are some simple steps you Transport Advice at the Energy can take to control fuel expenditure Saving Trust comments: “We know and reduce your costs. from analysing driving patterns from tens of thousands of drivers that If you reimburse your staff for fuel economy varies widely. On business mileage using the HMRC’s average we know company car approved fuel rates (AFRs) you have drivers achieve the official combined a system which is simple to operate MPG figures less 15%, but the range and avoids long discussion with staff of outcomes varies tremendously”.

You will only be able to spot good over what is a fair and reasonable rate. “It’s the amount we are allowed and poor fuel consumption if you to pay without there being a tax have data on litres of fuel purchased implication”. End of debate. and miles driven. Nigel Underdown However, the rates are based on a basket of average company cars, driven by average drivers, and achieving 15% less than the official combined fuel consumption for those vehicles. How average would you like your company to be? If, like many, you have already taken steps to ensure your vehicle replacements are reflecting the exciting range of highly efficient new models now available then the mileage rates you are using may be over compensating.

It’s simple…

- VW Passat 2.0TDi 119gm/km combined fuel consumption 61.4 mpg - Driver achieves 15% less = 52.2mpg, diesel costs 140p litre (£6.36 gall) - Cost of 10,000 Business miles = 10,000/52.2 x £6.36 = £1218 - Mileage claim at AFR = 10,000 x 15p = £1500

PROFIT FOR DRIVER £282

adds; “We recognise the challenges facing fleet operators and we are convinced that fuel cards can be a valuable tool in helping to solve them. Rather than view fuel cards as simply a payment mechanism, they should also be seen as a valuable source of management information.”

A consolidated fuel card invoice shows the date, time, place, fuel type and amount of each transaction.

It also separates out the VAT element of the sale making VAT returns considerably easier. In addition to the detailed invoice most fuel card suppliers will be able to provide further management reporting.

The information generated by the use of a fuel card is at the heart of helping to reduce overall fuel costs.

The tracking of the type of fuel purchased and the purchase location can help encourage the use of lower cost forecourts and the purchase of standard, .rather than premium fuels.

More importantly it enables targets to be set for vehicles based on the official combined MPG and for actual performance to be monitored and communicated back to staff. There is ample evidence that simply ensuring staff know that their driving habits are being measured delivers fuel savings without further interventions.

It would be easy to interpret the switch to a fuel card as also a switch to free private fuel. However Nigel is keen to point out this is not the case, as long as a solution for

recharging drivers is developed.

There are two main approaches to a private fuel pay system: Take the total cost of fuel per driver for the month and divide this by the total number of miles covered by the driver for the same period. This calculation gives the pence per mile fuel cost. This figure is then multiplied by the driver’s declared private mileage to give the amount to be deducted from salary.

An alternative approach is recharge the private mileage driven at a fixed pence per mile; many use AFRs. We recommend that monthly recharges should be based on the former as it means that it is in the

driver’s own interest, (and in the company’s), to fill up with low cost fuel and drive economically in order to minimise the amount deducted from their salary for private use.

Using either approach there is the added advantage of encouraging timely completion of expense claims; no expense claim and the whole cost is assumed to be private miles.

good controls, but also winning hearts and minds. Ensure line management is on board with what you are setting out to achieve, the value to the business and why they need to take responsibility for the outcomes in their teams. Better still, support staff to deliver what the business needs (and save money on their private mileage) by booking them on an Energy Saving Trust Without doubt if you push through Smarter driving course. The cost is these changes all your staff will tell subsidised by Department for you they are excellent drivers and Transport*, costs just £20 per person will have many reasons for being and to date the 25,000 drivers unable to get more than 40mpg from trained have achieved fuel savings their very efficient company car; of 14.9%. pressure of meetings, traffic jams on the motorway being favourite. To See achieve the results you need for cost www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/ reduction requires good systems, smarterdriving

*England only The Energy Saving Trust is the UK’s leading impartial organisation helping people save energy and reduce carbon emissions. Founded in 1992, we are a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee, set up to help reduce the UK’s carbon emissions by reducing UK domestic and transport energy use.

Our mission is to find the best ways to change people’s behaviour and to introduce energy-saving measures. We do this by providing expert insight and knowledge about energy saving, supporting people to take action, working with business, government, local authorities and others to drive improvements in the energy saving market, and providing quality assurance and certification for goods, services and installers.

Driver Management

Dedicated to Promoting a Cleaner Environment – www.greenfleet.net

RECRUITMENT & INDUCTION

DRIVERS HOLD KEY TO IMPROVING THE BOTTOM LINE

Investment in good driver management practice helps operators to derive maximum value, including improved fuel performance, increased road safety and protection of their company image Employing drivers is the biggest cost that road freight providers face when operating heavy goods vehicles, closely followed by fuel. So, it makes sense to ensure that your drivers are delivering more than just the goods in the backs of their trucks.

The high cost of fuel remains the biggest cause for concern amongst haulage operators, according to the July 2011 update of the Freight Transport Association’s Manager’s Guide to Distribution Costs. Commercial vehicle operators continue to be squeezed by rising operating costs and pressure for earlier payment terms from suppliers, whilst facing downward pressure on haulage rates and lengthening payment terms from customers.

FTA’s latest update calculates that, on average, vehicle operating costs for rigid, articulated and drawbar vehicles have risen by 5.6 per cent in the year to 1 July 2011 and remain close to the all-time highs recorded as at April 1, 2011. The largest contribution to the rise came from an increase in the price of diesel, which has risen by 12 per cent in the year to July 1, 2011. In addition, tyre costs have risen by 7.3 per cent and overheads by five per cent in the same period.

It is against this backdrop of rising costs that FTA has produced its Guide to Managing Drivers, which its sponsor, Shell, believes will become an industry ‘musthave’ providing advice to companies from the recruitment and induction of new drivers to ensuring their fleets are being driven safely, legally and efficiently.

RECRUIT RIGHT Getting the best out of the drivers that we employ and those that are taken on for short-term cover is crucial if we are to operate vehicles in a cost-effective and customer-focused way. In the main, this means getting the basics right: careful interviews, reference checking, robust inductions, regular driver licence checks, compliance and performance monitoring and ensuring drivers receive the right training are part and parcel of achieving the right results.

Good driver management starts with the recruitment process. Employers need to think long and hard about the type of candidates

30

GREENFLEET® MAGAZINE | Volume 52

they want to attract and how much they want to spend in doing so. Once recruitment requirements are settled and a job description has been prepared, the company has to think about how to attract those drivers. This is not just about making your advert stand out but more about differentiating yourself from the herd of other employers looking for the cream of the crop themselves. Companies also need to know the legal parameters within which they are recruiting, for example the implications that the Equality Act has on discrimination. To streamline the recruitment process, employers may consider using a recruitment agency instead, but there will

for drivers is essential for rewarding and promoting good practice. However, fuel efficiency targets need to be credible.

To this end, operators should consider establishing targets comparing performance to the previous year rather than averages, to reflect cyclical business activity which can affect fuel performance. The age and condition of the vehicle must also be considered as these factors will have a direct bearing on fuel consumption. Needless to say, the diagnostics of under-performing vehicles can be very useful here.

To ensure that all depot or site managers are made aware of the importance of fuel saving, nominating a ‘fuel champion’ comes highly recommended. These individuals must be trustworthy and responsible as it will be up to them to monitor usage and develop a competitive culture between drivers through incentivising them to drive ‘smarter’. For example, league tables showing the best performing driver can create a competitive edge and sharpen drivers’ focus on fuel saving.

A fuel champion can also help to reduce carbon emission outputs, which reflects well in a company’s operational reporting figures.

Perhaps the most crucial element to consider when making wholesale operational and structural changes is to get buy-in from the management team. Having a fuel champion will make this process easier and

Getting the basics right: careful interviews, reference checking, robust inductions, regular driver licence checks, compliance and performance monitoring and ensuring drivers receive the right training are part and parcel of achieving the right results. be a cost involved and it is important that this is factored into any final decision.

Getting the recruitment process right in the first instance will pay dividends in the long run as not only will it ensure that you have the right people for the right job, but it will avoid the often unseen cost of having the wrong people for the job.

The principal aspects of employment legislation policy covering equal opportunities, part-time workers and equal pay can be found in FTA’s Yearbook of Road Transport Law. DRIVERS HOLD THE KEY Minimising fuel usage is the Holy Grail for all transport operators, but it starts with training the drivers themselves. For example, any new vehicles introduced to the fleet should be accompanied by training on appropriate driving style (gear changing/ braking). Regular refresher training and regular feedback on their fuel efficiency performance will help this process.

The introduction of fuel efficiency targets

foster closer working relationships between departments. It is therefore essential that the fuel champion understands how important their role is in mitigating rising transport costs. Following input from FTA’s consultancy team, one such FTA client was able to shave £420,000 off its total fuel budget in this way.

MAKING DRIVER CPC WORK FOR YOU Potential drivers should be aware of the need to gain the aforementioned Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) qualification. It requires new drivers entering the industry to complete an initial qualification in order to drive professionally. They must then complete 35 hours of periodic training within five years of the date of qualification and each subsequent five year period. To maintain one’s Driver CPC, all category C and D licence holders (including C1 and D1) will be required to undertake 35 hours of periodic training every five years. Drivers already holding a vocational licence before the September dates will not be required to E

The FTA guide to managing drivers FTA Guide to Managing Drivers covers best practice from the recruitment and induction of drivers to management of driver infringements.

Crucially, it also looks at good practice when using agency drivers and provides sample forms and checklists that will help managers in their day-to-day tasks.

The guide is available from Shopfta at £15.00 for FTA members, £25.00 for non-members, with discounts for multiple copies. When ordering, please quote code 4375.

E gain this initial qualification but will need to complete 35 hours of periodic training by September 10, 2014 for Goods Vehicles (or September 10, 2013 for Passenger-Carrying Vehicle licences). After this point periodic training will have to be repeated every five years. Obviously, some drivers will find this off putting, but if your company offers driver training then it will really help attract employees and new entrants into the industry.

To get the most out of training a company’s drivers, it is crucial that you determine what training will work for you. When considering any overarching business objectives, such as reducing carbon footprint, or meeting productivity targets, Driver CPC could make marked improvements. But it is important to evaluate your objectives. For example, if the aim is to reduce carbon footprint and increase fuel efficiency, then a module on

fuel efficiency would be an obvious choice.

How effective this training has been could be gauged by evaluating information from engine management systems on driving style (such as identifying harsh braking, for example). Equally, measuring fuel usage on a miles per gallon or unit delivered per gallon basis would help answer the question: did this training work for us? Other eminently measurable objectives that can be evaluated include improving transport safety, increasing productivity and even driver morale. All of which and more are detailed in FTA’s Guide to Managing Drivers.

USING AGENCY DRIVERS Most organisations that operate vehicles will need to rely to some extent on the flexibility of temporary drivers to cope with sudden or seasonal increases in productivity or a shortage of resources due to staff turnover and absences. However, there are obvious pitfalls that can be associated with using drivers who are unfamiliar to an organisation and its particular ways of doing things. The risks get higher if the driver will be involved in transporting high value, dangerous or sensitive loads, and there may also be additional security responsibilities which will need to be considered. The answer for some companies may be to look at ways of reducing reliance on use of agency drivers, perhaps by training other staff. Even so, the use of agency drivers is a necessity these days so a good procurement process needs to be established so that the agency knows precisely what it is you require. An Operator requirement form will really help you to pinpoint those requirements, an example can be found in FTA’s Guide to Managing Drivers.

Choosing

the agency itself is also important, and asking the right questions is an essential part of finding out if the agency can be trusted to give you what you need.

Driver Management

Dedicated to Promoting a Cleaner Environment – www.greenfleet.net

CONCLUSION The landscape the modern transport operator finds himself in is tough and challenging but extracting the greatest value from our drivers can really help the bottom line. Shell sponsored FTA’s Guide to Managing Drivers because it recognises the challenges that exist and how good advice can really help mitigate these pressures. Perrin Baker, senior UK marketing manager, Commercial Fleet, for Shell UK Oil, explains: “Over the last few years we have seen the price of fuel increase to new levels and industry experts expect this trend to continue. This means that we need to be smarter about reducing fuel consumption through journey management and driving techniques. Managing drivers efficiently is no easy task; from mandatory driver training and tachograph requirements to driver walkaround checks and health and safety, failure to comply with the law can have a devastating effect on the company involved. This guide addresses these issues head-on and is on course to become an industry-must have.” L FOR MORE INFORMATION www.fta.co.uk www.shop.fta.co.uk Tel: 08717 111111

Volume 52 | GREENFLEET® MAGAZINE

31

Peugeot introduces the world’s first full diesel hybrid. now available to Pre-order

peugeot INtRoDuCeS tHe WoRLD’S FIRSt FuLL DIeSeL HYBRID

Welcome to the future. With the new Peugeot 3008 HYbrid4 you get all the flexibility of an award winning crossover*, with high performance of up to 200bhp, 4WD and 100% Electric modes, up to 74mpg**, plus CO2 emissions from just 99g/km. When you can have all that, why compromise? Find out more at peugeot.co.uk/fleethybrid4 or call the Peugeot Fleet centre on 024 7688 4644.

peugeot

3008 Hybrid4

Official Fuel Consumption in mpg (l/100km) and CO2 emissions (g/km) for the 3008 HYbrid4 Range are: Urban 65.6 (4.3) – 72.4 (3.9); Extra Urban 70.06 (4.0) – 76.3 (3.7); Combined 68.9 (4.1) – 74.3 (3.8) and CO2 108-99 (g/km) *The Peugeot 3008 won What Car “Crossover of the Year” 2010 & 2011 and What Car “Car of the Year” 2010. **74.3mpg achieved in the Combined Cycle.

peugeot.co.uk/fleethybrid4

REducing ThE ToTal cosT of ownERship Tangibly reducing the cost of keeping your employees mobile means looking beyond headline costs and creating a clear picture of the total cost of ownership.

For example, during the last 12 months, LeasePlan has helped its corporate fleet clients to identify over ÂŁ25 million worth of realistic and achievable cost saving opportunities. As a result, without compromising the perceived value to the employee, we have been able to deliver an average saving of ÂŁ860 for every new vehicle ordered.

To learn more about how we achieved this and what it could mean for your business, simply:

Visit: leaseplan.co.uk/greenfleet Email: tellmemore@leaseplan.co.uk Telephone: 01753 802 098

CAR CLUBS

KING OF THE CITY (CAR CLUB) With low fuel consumption, CO2 emissions of under 100g/km, and exemption from London’s congestion charge, the Fiat 500 TwinAir is a particularly attractive proposition for today’s car clubs Living in the city brings many advantages you wouldn’t find living in the countryside, such as frequent public transport services.

And there are many requirements that a car which spends most of its time on congested city roads needs to fulfil, such as manoeuvrability, ease of parking and low fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. An electric car should be high on the shopping list, but the current pricing structure and range choice are just two of the reasons few customers are opting for EV. A vehicle with an internal combustion engine is still the first choice, with petrol top choice of the fuel for low mileage drivers due to premium added

THE PERFECT CHOICE FROM CITY CAR CLUB With styling to match its performance and green credentials, Fiat 500 TwinAir has established itself among the competition as a perfect city car, and has become a credible proposition in a fast growing car club business.

And there is no bigger or more successful car club today than City Car Club, the UK’s leading national car club operator, which has recently taken delivery of its 100th Fiat 500 TwinAir. The club offers self-service, hourly car rental across 14 cities for its 23,000 members. Unlike traditional car rental, there are no depots as cars are located in dense clusters across city centres in designated parking spaces.

As well as offering a unique proposition of power with low fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, the high-tech Fiat 500 TwinAir is also extremely competitively priced, costing from only £11,100 OTR to diesel variants. One vehicle that fulfils perfectly all a city driver’s requirements is the Fiat 500 TwinAir. With low fuel consumption and CO2 emissions under 100 g/km, along with the added bonus of the lowest company car tax band and exemption from London’s Congestion Charge, the 500 TwinAir is an attractive proposition for city dwellers.

An extensive list of standard equipment and a wide-ranging options list with huge scope for owners to personalise their cars, is offered to the concerned user-chooser. On top of that, every Fiat 500 TwinAir features Start&Stop and Gear Shift Indicator to help drivers achieve the best fuel economy possible.

Bookings are generally made online and cars are accessed with smartcard technology (keyless entry) – and generally made online at citycarclub.co.uk and cars are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The recent introduction of the Fiat 500 TwinAir on to the fleet has proven a great success, as City Car Club’s Managing Director, James Finlayson, comments: “We were keen to introduce a funkier model into the fleet to better tie in with our brand, demographics of our members, as well as being green. The new Fiat 500 ticked all these boxes and more. Since adding these cars to our fleet, we have had numerous positive comments from members and utilisation has increased.”

CONGESTION CHARGE FREE The largest operation the club has is in London and it has seen considerable cost savings in not having to pay the Congestion Charge, as the sub 100g/km CO2 Fiat 500 TwinAir is exempt from the levy. .

James adds: “Unfortunately Transport for London charges car club operators the Congestion Charge like anyone else, despite the proven benefits of car clubs reducing car ownership and congestion. Now, with the Fiat 500 TwinAir as a big part of the fleet mix in London, we are able to save considerable money for both us and our members.”

City Car Club, the only independent, British owned car club operator, has a fleet size approaching 600 vehicles and has plans to increase this to 1000 over the course of the next two years.

The car sharing market is at the point of moving from niche to mainstream. City Car Club’s membership base has had a combined annual growth rate of 64% over the past three years. So James and City Car Club team are gearing up for continued rapid expansion.

As well as offering a unique proposition of power with low fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, the high-tech Fiat 500 TwinAir is also extremely competitively priced, costing from only £11,100 OTR; exceptional value for money compared with rival competitors achieving much lower performance figures.

With Fiat 500 TwinAir’s success, the expansion of the business and acquiring new members has become much easier for City Car Club. L FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 08446 623622 www.fiat.co.uk/twinair Volume 52 | GREENFLEET® MAGAZINE

35

Products you trust

Innovation you demand

With the adoption of electric vehicles comes the need for a charging infrastructure to meet the demands of this growing market. Schneider Electric is committed to creating products which provide sustainable development and our chargers are no exception. From installation to charging management, you can count on us to provide innovative and future-proof charging solutions.

Our EV chargers are reliable, quick to install and user friendly, with the additional benefits of: Easy integration with other Schneider Electric solutions Compliance with all appropriate safety specifications Compatibility with all plug-in hybrid and all electric vehicles built per SEA standards

For more information call 0870 608 8 608

Learn about our electric vehicle charging systems

and be entered into a draw to win a Lenovo PC! Visit www.SEreply.com and enter: 93792T

ALTERNATIVE FUELS

CHARGING AHEAD TOWARDS A GREENER FUTURE FOR ALL

GreenFleet Scotland

Dedicated to Promoting a Cleaner Environment – www.greenfleet.net

Despite the financial and environmental benefits of electric vehicles, the majority of UK businesses remain apprehensive about this new technology. Rodney Turtle, strategic marketing director at Schneider Electric, explains why it can pay for organisations to take the lead in the EV revolution From the offset, the new coalition has positioned itself as a resoundingly ‘green government’. As a country, Britain is the first in the world to set legally binding ‘carbon budgets’, aiming to cut UK emissions by 34 per cent by 2020. Naturally the transport industry remains integral to this, given that according to the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC), it accounts for a quarter of UK carbon emissions.

In order to incentivise a transition to a low carbon transport, January saw the introduction of the Plug-in-Car Grant. This is an innovative subsidy programme whereby those looking to purchase a plug-in electric vehicle can receive a grant of up to £5,000 towards the overall cost. Both private and business fleet buyers are eligible for this grant which is received at the point of purchase. The grant has an ambitious target of 8,600 electric vehicles and it is estimated to collectively reduce CO2 emissions by 7,483 tonnes each year, the equivalent to taking over 3,600 cars off the road.

Another reason for this push is of course the cost of fuel. This summer saw petrol prices reach an all-time high. Coupled with continued economic uncertainty, there is a financial imperative to do things differently.

of electric vehicle infrastructure and recharging points. The initial outlay for an electric vehicle also puts motorists and fleet managers off.

However, the undisputable benefits of electric vehicles can’t be ignored, particularly for fleet managers where the sustainable and financial benefits are vast.

As the first point, there are the obvious environmental advantages. It is estimated, for example, that a car travelling the typical 12,000 miles a year annually leaves four-anda-half metric tons of carbon in its wake. As research suggests EVs could realise up to a 40 per cent benefit in CO2 savings compared with a typical petrol family car over the full life cycle, the potential for carbon reductions is huge.

Perhaps a more appealing feature is that these green alternatives are much cheaper.

While fuel costs rocket, economic electric motors cost almost nothing to run. Many customers will be surprised to know for example that £1 of electric can take an electric vehicle over 100 miles. Therefore, even in instances where the initial outlay may be higher, the payback is rapid

BARRIERS TO SUCCESS However, EV adoption is an issue which is yet to be adequately tackled. There are currently an estimated 30 million cars on UK roads and less than 0.01 per cent of those are electric.

And it would seem that this shockingly low take up isn’t set to change anytime soon.

In fact, a recent survey has shown fewer than one in five (18 per cent) small-medium companies would consider buying an electric vehicle in the next two years.* Plus, a separate study has shown that UK company fleets will be the slowest in the uptake of electric vehicles over the next two years compared to their counterparts in 13 other countries.** The main reason for this national reluctance is that there is a certain stigma in the UK attached to electric vehicles.

For many, there are concerns that electric vehicles can’t cope with long journey distances as well as concerns over a lack

and limitless.

It is also important to note the longevity of power. An average car in the UK, for example, travels around 20 miles a day, a distance that most modern electric cars can sustain for almost a week without needing to charge. Therefore regular recharging is only really required for long distance journeys.

INFRASTRUCTURE Despite perceptions, up and down the country more and more charging points are being installed making it much simpler for consumers to charge their vehicles. At Schneider Electric, for example, we continue to develop complete charging solutions that are safe, reliable and simple to use.

However, the issue of demand response remains paramount. Looking to the future, with increased penetration of EVs there will be much greater need to manage the potentially large increases in peak load when people come home from work and wish to charge their vehicles. It is here that companies like Schneider Electric, a global specialist in energy management, can support automotive industry by planning now for the challenges to come.

Currently, in Europe we are involved in a number of pilot projects in order to test our charging solutions under real life conditions. Through pooling such expertise we intend to contribute to the early adoption of the electric vehicle here in the UK. There is no doubt about it – the world is going green. Amid the growing pressure of mounting environmental aims and increasing fuel costs, the transition to low carbon transport is slowly descending upon us. Therefore, it makes perfect business sense for fleet managers to take action now to lead the way in the electric vehicle revolution. L *www.fleetnews **blogfleetukcover4fleetinsurance.co.uk

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 0121 456 5600 Fax: 0121 456 6040 Lyndsey.George@bright-pr.co.uk www.websiteaddress.co.uk Fast charger Roadside charger

Residential charger

Volume 52 | GREENFLEET® MAGAZINE

37

EVENT REVIEW

ELECTRIC-FUELED SCOTLAND

GreenFleet Scotland

Dedicated to Promoting a Cleaner Environment – www.greenfleet.net

GreenFleet Scotland had a distinctly electric flavour this year, giving fleet professionals the opportunity to get up close and personal with the latest electric vehicles, including the show-stopping Vauxhall Ampera, and to hear about the latest infrastructure developments in the seminar theatre Organisations that run a fleet of vehicles are under constant pressure to keeps costs down while adhering to strict carbon reduction targets. To help them achieve this, GreenFleet Scotland – which took place on 1 September at the Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh – rounded up the latest electric and low emission vehicles which represent the future of green motoring.

Supported by the Energy Saving Trust Scotland and O2, the event afforded visitors the opportunity to test drive the latest lowand zero emission vehicles and see other products and services that allow fleets to run greener. It featured over 40 exhibitors, including major players Vauxhall, Peugeot,

Citroen, SEAT and Renault. Attendees also filled out the seminar theatre, where speakers covered the latest policy issues surrounding clean motoring in Scotland, including electric vehicles and their infrastructure.

ECO DRIVING In order to focus attention on eco-driving, the fuel-efficient driving experience was designed by GreenFleet to demonstrate how driving technique impacts massively on fuel use. The experience featured ten teams from the public and private sectors, all driving exactly the same make and model of car – in this instance, the Peugeot 308 Active HDi 92s. The teams were asked

to make their way to four checkpoints in and around Edinburgh, collecting a parcel from each to simulate delivery conditions, before returning to Ingliston to have their fuel efficiency measured by Millbrook Laboratories, a world-renowned authority on the testing and development of vehicles.

All cars were fitted with O2 Drive - a new tracking device developed in conjunction with Masternaut. As well as making sure the teams stick to the route, the device gives feedback on driving style, warning drivers about manoeuvres which affect fuel use, such as harsh braking or acceleration.

Before the experience, all drivers and copilots attended a briefing session by the E

Transport Scotland’s John Curtis and the Energy Saving Trust Scotland’s Ian Murdoch kick off the fuel efficient driving challenge

Volume 52 | GREENFLEET® MAGAZINE

39

Be more fuel efficient and sustainable with O2 Drive

We can help you be greener and safer too.

While spending less on your fleet operations.

Fuel and maintenance are costly expenses when you manage large vehicle fleets. But new technology means its easier to affect change for the better. Just changing driving styles can reduce fuel costs by 20%. That's why we've partnered with Masternaut to create O2 Drive. Its a combined M2M driver style solution that saves fuel costs, is easy to install and has a positive effect on carbon emission and productivity.

Benefits?

• Reduces fuel costs and increases driver safety • Gives businesses the insight to improve business processes • Improves health and safety, compliance and customer service • Reduces accident claims, insurance premiums and overtime claims • Encourages responsible driving

O2 Drive demonstrates from day one the link between going green and cost savings; all for a monthly fee without large costs – making

How does it work?

this a product for companies running a fleet of vehicles to gain clear

• Information is taken via a small GPS unit discretely installed behind the

competitive advantage and increase their profitability.

vehicle dashboard that measures a number of driving style metrics • Data is transmitted via the O2 network

For more information about O2 Drive please contact:

• Information is made available in easy-to-understand driver, manager

o2int@masternaut.com

and company reports

We’re better, connected

EVENT REVIEW

Supported by the Energy Saving Trust Scotland and O2, the event afforded visitors the opportunity to test drive the latest low- and zero emission vehicles and see other products and services that allow fleets to run greener.

Ian Murdoch, Energy Saving Trust Scotland

Fuel efficient driving challenge: The route After attending a briefing session on green driving techniques, teams were handed a sheet with the route checkpoints and a Garmin sat-nav.

At each checkpoint, the co-driver goes into the building to pick up a ‘parcel.’ On return, every team had to report their arrival at reception and hand in the four items they had collected. The vehicles were then tested and scrutinised by Millbrook Laboratories to determine the most fuel-friendly driver.

GreenFleet Scotland

Dedicated to Promoting a Cleaner Environment – www.greenfleet.net

START

Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, EH28 8NB

CHECKPOINT 1

Scottish Motor Auctions, 1 Dunlop Square, Deans Industrial Estate, Livingston EH54 8SB Distance from start: 11.9 miles

CHECKPOINT 2

Edinburgh Zoo, 134 Corstorphine Road, Edinburgh EH12 6TS Distance from checkpoint 1: 16.8 miles

CHECKPOINT 3

Prestonfield Hotel, Priestfield Road, Edinburgh EH16 5UT Distance from checkpoint 2: 5.1 miles

CHECKPOINT 4

E Energy Saving Trust Scotland on how to drive in the most fuel efficient way. After being waved off by the head of low carbon vehicles and fuels at Transport Scotland, John Curtis, and Ian Murdoch of Energy Saving Trust Scotland, the cars then took to the road during a busy period of Edinburgh traffic.

After all teams had completed the experience, the cadres were then scrutinised for fuel consumption by Millbrook to determine which team was the most fuelefficient, and therefore the winner.

Scott Roberts from Tayside Fire and Rescue and George Thompson from Lothian and Borders Fire Safety partnered in the challenge and took home the top prize, achieving a remarkable 78.6mpg.

“It was a combination of George’s knowledge of the city and my frugal driving style that lead us to win. We chose a route that although had more miles, was more efficient which meant we could keep momentum going,” said Roberts.

“The car was terrific to drive and the O2 Drive unit, which alerted us to poor driving methods, was very useful in helping us achieve a fuel efficient driving style,” he added.

In second place was car sharing company (and last year’s winner) City Car Club, achieving 76.74mpg, with leaflet distribution firm EAE grabbing the third spot with a 74.82mpg figure.

Royal Botanical Gardens – West Gate, Arboretum Place, Edinburgh EH3 5NZ Distance from checkpoint 3: 3.9 miles

FINISH

Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston EH28 8NB Distance from checkpoint 4: 8.7 miles

SEMINARS John Curtis, head of low carbon vehicles and fuels at Transport Scotland, kicked off the day’s seminars with a lively talk on the Scottish Government’s low carbon policy, as well as its electric vehicle charging plans.

He stated: “The Scottish Government has taken a technology neutral position. There is no one solution to lowering transport carbon emissions. Instead, all low carbon vehicle types – be they electrics, hybrids, biodiesel or hydrogen-fueled – have a role E

Volume 52 | GREENFLEET® MAGAZINE

41

bringing power to the STREETS

Elektrobay, the intelligent electric vehicle recharging point for all electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles Proven, safe reliable technology Available in 3kW, 7kW, 21kW and 50kW DC rapid charge Products designed for use on-street, the work place, car parks and at home Tested and approved by the leading motor manufactures

A safe, secure, easy to use power outlet suitable for use with all electric commercial and passenger vehicles. Public access charge points with RFID card access, metering and communications with on-line access to EBConnect for transaction data, reports and billing information.

ELEKTROMOTIVE LTD., THE SUSSEX INNOVATION CENTRE, SCIENCE PARK SQUARE FALMER, BRIGHTON, EAST SUSSEX BN1 9SB UNITED KINGDOM TEL: +44 (0)1273 704775 FAX: +44 (0)1273 704499 EMAIL: INFO@ELEKTROMOTIVE.COM WEB: WWW.ELEKTROMOTIVE.COM

EVENT REVIEW

E to play in meeting our carbon reduction targets. The Scottish Government has funding and policies in place to help organisations make the change to a more sustainable fleet,” he added.

Ian Murdoch of Energy Saving Trust Scotland followed with a seminar announcing the details of EST’s Interest Free Loans. The loans, from £500 to £50,000, are being made available to support organisations in Scotland in their efforts to reduce carbon from their transport and travel arrangements. Murdoch also discussed its Fuel Efficient Driver Training programme, which focuses on teaching drivers the techniques which, if applied successfully, will result in cost and CO2 savings.

Steve Smith, project manager for electric vehicle delivery at Transport for London, lead a seminar on Source London, the capital’s city-wide charging network. The initiative will see the installation of 1,300 public charging points on streets, in supermarkets and in retail car parks by 2013. Source London will allow members to charge their vehicles at any one of these public charging points for no more than £100 annual membership fee, whereas previously drivers would have to register in each of London’s 33 boroughs in which they want to drive and use charge points.

Steve Smith explained: “The idea of creating a single brand was to unify the entire charging network in London to make it simple E

GreenFleet Scotland

Dedicated to Promoting a Cleaner Environment – www.greenfleet.net

Exhibitor list AF Noble & Son

Heatshot

Allied Electric

Inchcape Fleet Solutions

Arnold Clark Vehicle Management

ING Car Lease

Ashwoods

Lex Autolease

Autokontrol

Michelin 43

Automotive Leasing

Millbrook Proving Ground

Axeon

O2

Azure Dynamics

PD Fuel-Tec

Big Green Book

Peugeot

Charging Solutions

Phoenix Car Company

Citroën

Renault

Double A Trading Company

Schneider Electric

E-Power Trucks

SEAT

Eastern Western Motor Group

SMA Vehicle Remarketing

Elektromotive

Tennant Green Machines

Energy Saving Trust

Vauxhall 53

Environmentally Sustainable Systems

Vtec Solutions in partnership with TomTom Business Solutions

Green Motion

Volume 52 | GREENFLEET® MAGAZINE

43

GREEN ECONOMICS...

Finding new ways to reduce costs without putting longer term goals at risk is a real challenge. Many organisations find that whilst there may be a desire to create a sustainable low carbon fleet, delivering savings in the short and medium term becomes a higher priority.

So, do you have to choose between environmental goals and budgetary demands?

Not when you talk to the right people. As LowCVP's Low Carbon Champions 2010, we can help you create and implement a green fleet policy that does far more than care for the environment. It protects your drivers, minimises risk and reduces the overall cost of running your fleet.

To find out more, just call: 0844 493 5840 Text: Prove it AL to 82727 Email: marketing@automotive-leasing.co.uk Visit: www.automotive-leasing.org

WWW.AUTOMOTIVE-LEASING.ORG

EVENT REVIEW

Citroen demonstrated its fully electric C-ZERO. Powered by the latest-generation lithium-ion battery system, it reaches a top speed of 80mph, accelerates from 0-62mph in 15 seconds and has a range of around 80 miles.

E for users to identify which charge points they can use, regardless of who’s supplied them and what shape, size and colour they are.”

Continuing the electric theme, Sally Herbert from Newcastle City Council discussed the council’s plans for implementing an EV Infrastructure strategy, while Dave Gibson of South Lanarkshire Council shared his real-world experience of implementing electric vehicles into a fleet.

The O2 seminar on using technology to aid fuel efficiency was taken by Steve Thomas from Masternaut, who detailed how the O2 Drive product works.

Other seminar topics included a colourful insight into speed limiting technology by Gerry Leggatt from Autokontrol and fuel efficient driver training by Andrew Britton of the aforementioned Millbrook Laboratories.

ELECTRIC LEADS THE WAY Experts predict that by 2020, electric vehicles could account for approximately ten per cent of all vehicles sold in the UK. This equates to 260,000 vehicles being sold in 2020 alone, meaning 1.2m would have appeared on the road over the course of the decade (Frost and Sullivan/British Gas report – November 2010).

Visitors to GreenFleet Scotland were able to test drive the latest electric models such as the Vauxhall Ampera, Nissan LEAF, Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Citroen C ZERO and the Ford Transit Connect Electric.

As expected, the highly anticipated Vauxhall Ampera proved very popular on the test track.

The Ampera is the UK’s first ‘range extended’ electric vehicle and is due out next year. It works as a standard electric vehicle in that it is always driven by an electric motor. It has a Lithium-ion battery which delivers up to 30 miles on a full charge. But once the battery has depleted, a petrol engine kicks-in, driving an onboard generator to supply electricity to sustain the battery. And in this mode, the car can go on for another 310 miles.

The all-electric Nissan LEAF was also available for test drives. The LEAF boasts five

Low carbon transport loans

GreenFleet Scotland

Dedicated to Promoting a Cleaner Environment – www.greenfleet.net

EST Scotland’s interest free loans of £500 to £50,000 are available to all organisations, including government, businesses and the public sector in Scotland.

Funded by Transport Scotland, the scheme aims to support organisations that want to reduce the carbon impact and fuel costs of their transport and travel arrangements with new, more efficient alternatives.

What measures can be installed?

Loans can be used to meet installation costs of a wide range of measures including: n Video and teleconference facilities n Cycle facilities including bicycles n Grey fleet management software n Low carbon vehicles n Pool cars n Vehicle efficiency devices which do not void the manufacturer’s warranty A range of ‘soft’ measures can also be considered if implemented as part of a broader package and recommended in a travel plan for your organisation such as: n Season ticket loans n Fuel efficient driver training Consultancy costs for travel plans and green fleet reviews can also be included as part of a loan application if the costs of some measures recommended by the consultancy are a part of the loan application. The measures proposed must be able to demonstrate that they meet the following criteria: n There is a significant carbon benefit associated with their installation n The measure is recommended following a specialist assessment n The measures are transport related.

To demonstrate that these three criteria are met, EST has established the following gateways into the loan scheme. To access a loan, you must either: n have completed a travel plan, grey or green fleet review n had a visit from an EST specialist advisor to compile a sustainable transport rapid review (for smaller organisations where a larger-scale exercise is not appropriate) To find out more, or to arrange for an assessment for your organisation, call your local Energy Saving Scotland advice centre on 0800 512 012 and ask to speak to a specialist advisor about a low carbon transport loan.

door practicality, including a generous boot space, a 109-mile range and a high level of standard specification. The integrated satnav can locate a driver’s nearest charging point, and Nissan is further improving the car’s appeal to fleet users in the capital by allowing drivers free charging for 12 months at 150 points, set up by Source London. The vehicle has also been awarded the highest five star car safety rating following its performance in Euro NCAP’s stringent crash tests – the first electric vehicle ever to earn this distinction.

The Mitsubishi i-MiEV also proved popular. With a range of 93 miles and a charge time of seven hours, the i-MiEV makes use of regenerative braking, using the deceleration power to generate electricity to charge the battery.

Meanwhile, Citroen demonstrated its fully electric C-ZERO. Powered by the latestgeneration lithium-ion battery system, it reaches a top speed of 80mph, accelerates from 0-62mph in 15 seconds and has a range of around 80 miles. It can either be charged by plugging into a 220-volt socket or can be charged using a 400-volt supply for an 80 per cent charge in 30 minutes.

Multi-purpose utility vehicles also had

their place at the event, with a range of road legal electric trucks, utility vehicles, tugs, and sweepers available.

GETTING CHARGED UP One of the biggest barriers to major electric vehicle adoption is the limited national charging infrastructure. The event allowed many charging innovators to showcase their products in the indoor exhibition.

Elektromkotive demonstrated its original Elektrobay, as well as the company’s new three-phase fast charger. Charging Solutions showcased its ‘chargingcentre’ EV system, which can be fitted with various access control and payment systems.

Schneider Electric displayed its electric vehicle charging solutions for garages, shopping centres and the roadside, and Axeon was on hand to discuss its Li-ion battery systems for electric and hybrid vehicles.

Next year’s event will take place on 13 September, at the Royal Highland, Edinburgh.

Keep an eye on the website to find out which green vehicles will be available for test drive. n FOR MORE INFORMATION www.greenfleetscotland.co.uk

Volume 52 | GREENFLEET® MAGAZINE

45

Looking to change driver behaviour? ecoRoute HD™ works with Garmin’s turn-by-turn navigators to measure driver behaviour, provide active driver feedback and report mileage driven.

Simply plug into the vehicle’s OBDII port to view real-time data from your vehicle sensors and gauges. Monitor what impact driver style has on fuel consumption and provide real-time driver alerts on screen, with Garmin ecoChallenge.

For organisations that wish to measure and reduce the size of their CO2 emissions as part of their corporate social responsibility, ecoRoute HD provides accurate fuel consumption figures so that you can calculate your carbon output.

Running a greener fleet doesn’t have to cost the earth but it could help improve your bottom line.

garmin.co.uk/ecoroute

Dedicated to Promoting a Cleaner Environment – www.greenfleet.net

TELEMATICS

GARMIN: MASTER OF GPS RECEIVERS Global leader in satellite navigation and GPS technology, Garmin designs and manufactures cutting-edge GPS systems for the automotive, marine, aviation, outdoor and fitness markets.

Founded in 1989, Garmin quickly established itself as a pioneer and has been expanding its range of activities ever since.

At Garmin, innovation is our watchword and our people excel in the design of innovative solutions for all our customers.

The company has a richly diverse product line and distributors in virtually every part of the world, having built and sold millions of GPS receivers across market sectors, while gaining a strong reputation for delivering superior after-sales service. In fact, Garmin enjoys a wellestablished network of loyal customers who come back to us time and again to get the very latest navigation technology, packed with great features accessed via user-friendly interfaces.

GARMIN ON YOUR DASHBOARD Garmin takes the lead in the development of automotive sat navs and produces a range of products for cars, motorcycles and HGV – designed with and for the relevant end-users. For car drivers, the company offers a range of in-car navigators for all budgets and to fulfil all criteria for enjoyable motoring virtually anywhere in the world.

The Garmin nüvi range includes models that offer traffic alerts and a wide range of advanced navigation functions; while our nüLink! sat navs deliver live connected services – anything from live traffic camera images to fuel price comparison charts and weather forecasts. Most of our in-car sat navs can be unclipped from the dashboard mount and used as portable navigators too.

For the haulage industry, Garmin manufactures the dēzl sat nav, which has been designed in collaboration with truck drivers to meet the specific demands of their jobs. A dēzl can, for example, be exactly configured for each host vehicle, taking into account the dimensions, payload, weight and type of freight so that no aspect of logistical planning is overlooked. Finally, motorbike riders are fans of the Garmin zūmo – designed to suit their specific situational awareness of road conditions.

GREEN GARMIN One of Garmin’s core values is our commitment to delivering greener and more fuel-efficient navigation systems for all industry sectors, including fleet management service providers.

Most of our sat navs feature Garmin’s unique ecoRoute fuel-saver software,

which gives drivers the option to select a fuel-efficient route to each destination, and reports on driver behaviour to try and encourage greener motoring habits.

Earlier in 2011, the Garmin team was delighted when its ecoRoute HD accessory was awarded Product of the Year by Auto Express. Described as “a truly innovative product that will help drivers save money not only on fuel but diagnostic repairs, while giving them a better understanding of their vehicles,” ecoRoute HD provides readings on fuel consumption and carbon output data, and issues a driving score based on acceleration, braking and speed. It acts to enhance the ecologically sound driving advice provided by ecoRoute, and gives out engine diagnostic data so that action can be taken quickly if repairs are needed and before serious and costly faults develop.L FOR MORE INFORMATION www.garmin.co.uk

Fleet management with Garmin For those who work in the automotive industry, a Garmin sat nav on the dashboard of your car, van or truck is a sign of logistical efficiency.

Moreover, when these are networked as part of a fleet you can be sure that delivery schedules are met and fuel economies made within your business.

Garmin’s Fleet Management Interface is fast becoming an essential tool of the telematics industry, by helping organisations reduce costs, improve operational efficiency and increase revenues. By installing a Garmin sat nav in each fleet vehicle, managers can monitor fleet activities and take control of time and expenditure. This works via a data transponder which connects wirelessly to your telematics provider.

Garmin’s fleet management and dispatch messaging interface enables driver-to-driver communication via text messaging and provides instant re-routing instructions, saving significant time, money and fuel on deliveries and vehicle movements.

Moreover, by combining Garmin FMI with ecoRoute HD, businesses can analyse their collective fleet output.

With information gathered across individual vehicles, fleet managers can measure fuel consumption and monitor driver behaviour, thereby achieving fleet-wide efficiencies and a bottom-line saving for the business.

One of Garmin’s core values is its commitment to delivering greener and more fuel-efficient navigation systems for all industry sectors, including fleet management service providers.

Volume 52 | GREENFLEET® MAGAZINE

47

Be more fuel efficient and sustainable with O2 Drive

We can help you be greener and safer too.

While spending less on your fleet operations.

Fuel and maintenance are costly expenses when you manage large vehicle fleets. But new technology means its easier to affect change for the better. Just changing driving styles can reduce fuel costs by 20%. That's why we've partnered with Masternaut to create O2 Drive. Its a combined M2M driver style solution that saves fuel costs, is easy to install and has a positive effect on carbon emission and productivity.

Benefits?

• Reduces fuel costs and increases driver safety • Gives businesses the insight to improve business processes • Improves health and safety, compliance and customer service • Reduces accident claims, insurance premiums and overtime claims • Encourages responsible driving

O2 Drive demonstrates from day one the link between going green and cost savings; all for a monthly fee without large costs – making

How does it work?

this a product for companies running a fleet of vehicles to gain clear

• Information is taken via a small GPS unit discretely installed behind the

competitive advantage and increase their profitability.

vehicle dashboard that measures a number of driving style metrics • Data is transmitted via the O2 network

For more information about O2 Drive please contact:

• Information is made available in easy-to-understand driver, manager

o2int@masternaut.com

and company reports

We’re better, connected

Award presenter Alistair McGowan and GreenFleet editor Angela Pisanu

EVENT REVIEW

GreenFleet Awards

Dedicated to Promoting a Cleaner Environment – www.greenfleet.net

PRAISE FOR GREEN FLEET PIONEERS The 2011 GreenFleet Awards were presented to deserving public and private sector organisations and manufacturers for their efforts in environmental fleet management and green motoring There has been an explosion of ultra-frugal vehicles come onto the market and many organisations are using such vehicles, along with pioneering environmental strategies, to reduce the carbon footprint of their transport operations.

As the pace of environmental change quickens, the 2011 GreenFleet Awards, sponsored by O2, were more hotly contested than ever. The 18 awards were presented to deserving public and private sector fleet organisations and manufacturers for their efforts in environmental fleet management and low carbon motoring.

The awards ceremony took place at Twickenham Stadium on 13 October and was presented by world famous impressionist and comedian Alistair McGowan, who referred to the awards as ‘the oscars of the fleet industry’.

The GreenFleet Award for Outstanding Achievement was presented to Dr. Colin Herron, who has worked tirelessly to make the North East of England an internationally

recognised centre for low carbon vehicle innovation and education. He received the 2011 Outstanding Achievement Award for his groundbreaking work at regional development agency One North East, where he played a major role in researching and implementing an electric vehicle infrastructure, whilst promoting cultural change.

WINNING VEHICLES Fiat took the top prize for City Car Manufacturer of the Year. The ground-breaking 500 TwinAir features a low-consumption 875cc two-cylinder engine and emits just 95g CO2 per km, making it the cleanest quantity production petrol engine in the world.

The powertrain, voted the 2011 International Engine of the Year, appeals to a wide variety of customers. Despite weighing just 85kg, it rates among the most powerful mainstream A-segment vehicles on sale.

The title of Electric Vehicle of the Year went to the Nissan LEAF. The vehicle boasts five E

Volume 52 | GREENFLEET® MAGAZINE

49

Welcome to The Green.

Helping you put sustainability at the heart of your fleet.

Looking for ways to run a greener fleet? Why not visit The Green, the new sustainability website from Lex Autolease, the UK’s leading fleet management and fleet funding specialist.

Get help at The Green www.lexautolease.co.uk/theGreen Find free help and advice on sustainable issues, including: • choosing the right vehicles • tax and budget • fuel strategy and how to cut your fuel bill.

Visit The Green at www.lexautolease.co.uk/theGreen today, and see why we’re Green Fleet Leasing Company of the Year.

Or you can call us for more information on 0800 389 3690.

EVENT REVIEW

Award winners

As the pace of environmental change quickens, the 2011 GreenFleet Awards, sponsored by O2, were more hotly contested than ever.

E door practicality, including a generous boot space, a 109-mile range and a high level of standard specification. The integrated satnav can locate a driver’s nearest charging point, and Nissan is further improving the car’s appeal to fleet users in the capital by allowing drivers free charging for 12 months at 150 points, set up by Source London.

The Award for Fleet Car Manufacturer of the Year went to BMW. Due to the success of the 320d EfficientDynamics Saloon – which achieves an impressive 74mpg and emissions as low as 109g/km – the company is expanding its portfolio by launching the 520d EfficientDynamics Saloon and the 116d EfficientDynamics hatchback.

GREENER FLEETS The Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead scooped top prize in the Public Sector Fleet of the Year (below 250 vehicles) category. The council’s sub 120g/km Salary Sacrifice Leasing Car Scheme for staff was launched in April this year. Open to some 2,000 staff members, the scheme has been widely accepted and is seen as a catalyst to staff retention.

The all-electric Nissan Leaf was also introduced during 2011, and is now an integral part of the council’s pool car fleet, operating between two administrative centres. Within its manifesto, the council has committed to the installation of charging points, to be situated at various council owned car parks in partnership with a multinational supplier.

The Vehicle Selection Process Guide, first introduced by the fleet manager in

Gilli Coston, head of M2M, Telefonica UK

City Car Manufacturer of the Year sponsored by O2 Winner: Fiat

GreenFleet Awards

Dedicated to Promoting a Cleaner Environment – www.greenfleet.net

Driver Training Company of the Year sponsored by Big Green Book Winner: IAM Drive & Survive Electric Vehicle of the Year sponsored by EDF Energy Winner: Nissan - LEAF Fleet Car Manufacturer of the Year sponsored by O2 Winner: BMW Industry Innovation Award Winner: Azure Dynamics - Ford Transit Connect Electric IT Innovation Award Winner: TomTom Business Solutions

2005, has also been revamped. Before any new vehicle can be procured, heads of service must read the guide and complete an environmental impact questionnaire.

This enables the most environmentally friendly vehicle in class to be sourced.

The Award for Private Sector Fleet of the Year (below 250 vehicles) was presented to Commercial Group. Between 2006 and 2011, emissions at Commercial Group experienced a 65.93 per cent drop, and despite an increase in miles travelled this year, this has been maintained. Commercial’s biodiesel solution uses a variable computer blending system which can blend any quantity from 100 per cent mineral diesel to 100 per cent biodiesel. This allows the fuel blend to be specific to each vehicle. 24 hour access is provided for its drivers. L FOR MORE INFORMATION www.greenfleetawards.co.uk

LCV Manufacturer of the Year sponsored by Michelin Winner: Citroen Leasing Company of the Year Winner: Automotive Leasing LGV Manufacturer of the Year sponsored by Garmin Winner: Volvo Trucks Public Sector Fleet of the Year (above 250 vehicles) sponsored by Enterprise Rent-a-Car Winner: Dumfries & Galloway Council Private Sector Fleet of the Year (below 250 vehicles) sponsored by IAM Drive & Survive Winner: Commercial Group Private Sector Fleet (250-500 vehicles) sponsored by Europcar Winner: Iron Mountain Europe Private Sector Fleet Manager of the Year sponsored by Elektromotive Winner: Robert Paddock Commercial Group Public Sector Fleet Manager of the Year sponsored by Green Motion Winner: Mark Green - The Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead Rental Company of the Year Winner: Green Motion Private Sector Fleet of the Year (over 500 vehicles) sponsored by DrivingMonitor Winner: Morrison Utility Services Public Sector Fleet of the Year (below 250 vehicles) sponsored by Tennant Green Machines Winner: Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead

Volume 52 | GREENFLEET® MAGAZINE

51

RoSPA Occupational Health and Safety Awards 2012

The ultimate recognition of health & safety excellence

in two Finalist K of the U s e : categori 1 1 0 2 s ward Event A

eme and ards Sch Best Aw d/ e R se late Best Cau t ven Charity E

Why enter the RoSPA Awards?

Health and safety is core to the effective operation of any organisation. These awards are an ideal way to not only celebrate health and safety success but also prove fleet safety remains top priority by entering the MORR Trophy.

Award winners’ top reasons for entering the awards: • • • • •

Recognition of health and safety achievement Increased staff motivation Differentiation over competitors Effective benchmarking Helps to win tenders and new clients

Find out more : Call: 0121 248 2090 Email: rospa@rospa.com

Co-located with

Sponsored by

MORR Trophy Sponsor

Quote: GF/AWD10 Scan the QR code with your smartphone to be taken directly to the website!

www.rospa.com/awards

The home of safety since 1917

Dedicated to Promoting a Cleaner Environment – www.greenfleet.net

ALTERNATIVE FUELS

THREE-IN-ONE

The Power of 3 is a trio of energy shows, covering every aspect of renewable energy. Held this year at Stoneleigh Park, Coventry, the expo and conference was of great interest to organisations interested in running their fleet vehicles on alternative fuels Backed by a roster of important trade associations, the Power of 3 is a trio of renewable energy events: EBEC (European Bioenergy Exhibition and Conference), already established as the UK’s largest dedicated bioenergy event; Microgen, serving the fast-growing sub 50kw micropower generation community; and Nextgen, showcasing the future of renewable energy.

On 5-6 October, hundreds of visitors flocked to Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, to see the latest technology innovations and listen to 160 speakers deliver 190 topical and case study-led sessions.

In case you couldn’t attend, GreenFleet magazine reviews a few of the exciting emerging technologies relevant to fleet management that were on show.

EXHAUST HEAT TO WARM HOMES TESSA, the first car using stored heat from the engine to produce heat energy that can be used in homes for hot water and central heating, was unveiled to the general public for the first time at Nextgen.

TESSA, which stands for Thermal Energy Storage and Saving Automobile, is a Land Rover Freelander fitted with a prototype thermal energy storage and transfer system developed by UK based heating supplier Atmos Heating Systems.

The company has developed and patented a means of storing waste heat on board the vehicle, and a practical means of transferring the stored heat into a building for use as hot water and/or space heating.

According to Atmos, the internal combustion engine remains the power unit of choice for our road vehicles. Despite numerous advances in engine efficiency, however, this still only manages a mechanical power efficiency

averaging around 30 per cent. The remaining 70 per cent is dissipated as heat, through the radiator coolant system and the exhaust.

Although some of the coolant system energy is used to heat the interior of the vehicle, the rest is simply lost into the atmosphere.

The technology developed by Atmos can be integrated with other renewable technologies in the home such as solar thermal and heat pumps. It can also be deployed into vehicles using biofuels instead of petrol and diesel fuels to ensure additional environmental benefits.

HYDROGEN FUEL DEVELOPMENT Another clean technology company flying the flag for British innovation at Nextgen was Cella Energy, a spin out company from a government laboratory based in Oxfordshire, which is working on low cost hydrogen storage.

The company has developed a technique that safely encapsulates complex hydrides found in hydrogen-rich minerals. Hydrogen is chemically absorbed in these materials. Cella Energy uses a unique process called coaxial electrospraying, that turns these complex hydrides into liquids that are safe to handle and emit zero carbon emissions when burnt in a standard engine.

The ultimate aim of Cella Energy is to introduce low emission fuels into the supply chain without changing the existing infrastructure; the first stage is to introduce fuel additives but the second stage of development is to create a fuel for a pure hydrogen car.

With the UK’s first public hydrogen refuelling station opening in Swindon a few days before Nextgen, Cella Energy simply confirmed how viable hydrogen vehicles could become as an alternative to petrol fuelled cars.

BIOGAS The Power of 3 shows also attracted many international exhibitors including Dreyer & Bosse Kraftwerke GmbH. Exhibiting at EBEC, the German firm has positioned itself as one of the leading suppliers of biogas based cogeneration units, holding a market share of over 10 per cent in its domestic market.

The company is paving the way for biogas to be increasingly used in gas-powered vehicles or added directly to gas supply networks.

In Germany, a biogas filling station in Lüchow-Dannenberg was opened in August 2011. The concept of biogas cars is hardly a new phenomenon for Germans as they welcomed the country’s first biogas filling station five years ago. So, evidently, support for biogas-powered cars is growing in Europe and biogas companies and car manufacturers are keen to showcase such vehicle technology to harness further public and business support. Besides the environmental benefit of reduced CO2 emissions that biogas offers, the cars continue to offer comfort, safety and reliable performance. Moreover, biogas offers a low fuel price when compared to petrol which allows bio-gas car owners to achieve significant fuel cost savings.

The company has already made inroads into other European markets such as the Netherlands, France and Italy. The UK is another target market so participation at the Power of 3 show has been key to their PR strategy. L FOR MORE INFORMATION www.thepowerof3.co.uk

Volume 52 | GREENFLEET® MAGAZINE

53

ING GreenCARE: We’ll help you get the right balance

Greener, leaner fleets for a brighter future If you’re under pressure to minimise your fleet costs while also reducing CO2 emissions, then ING GreenCARE could make your life a lot easier.

Through comprehensive online reporting and analysis, GreenCARE enables you to assess the environmental impact of your fleet and identify cost savings. You can even benchmark your fleet’s performance and carbon footprint against our best performing customer fleet and the average across our 50,000 vehicles. All at the click of a mouse.

Find out more about this innovative new service today:

Call 0870 402 8242, email info@ingcarlease.co.uk or visit www.ingcarlease.co.uk and click on environment

Dedicated to Promoting a Cleaner Environment – www.greenfleet.net

TELEMATICS

A LOOK INTO THE FUTURE Jon Gilbert, director of customer services at ING Car Lease, thinks more fleets running LCVs will adopt telematics and tracking systems in the next few years With the 45 minute installation of a small box behind vehicle dashboards, a fleet manager can gain instant access to huge amounts of data that allows measurement of driver behaviour, the effectiveness of route planning and environmental performance.

So, why has this simple fleet tool taken so long to gain widespread acceptance?

Often, it is not the issue of technology, but staff relations, that can create barriers to the introduction of telematics. The adoption of such technology can be an emotive issue and it is important to work with unions and human resources departments to identify potential issues and allay any unfounded fears.

We are working to develop a telematics solution that works practically for both fleet managers, drivers and board level management. Listed below are some of the key benefits that on board technology can bring to organisations: • Visibility – telematics monitoring allows managers to ensure that their drivers are working agreed hours and in the right locations whilst drivers are given more support when alone at night, in remote locations, or involved in accidents or breakdowns • Duty of care – introducing the system shows the company is committed to driver safety • Stress reduction – by better managing routes, loads and working practices, the employer can identify those drivers doing too much and re-balance the workload • Improve environmental performance – many contracts for commercial fleets will require low emission strategies. Telematics services offer proof of this commitment to environmental best practice • Cost reduction – by improving driving standards, significant cost savings can be realised in terms of fuel, insurance premiums, wear and tear and accident reductions.

• Productivity – a telematics solution provides a valuable resource to ensure drivers are utilised efficiently throughout the working day • Proactive service and repair – by keeping an eye on the data, jobs can be booked based on mileage and warning light information which reduces maintenance costs and contributes to driver safety DO THE MATH! While many strong arguments for the adoption of telematics are based on issues such as duty of care and driver safety, the most compelling reason for fleets to use this technology is the reduction of cost. While every fleet is different, the following hypothetical case study proves

the financial argument for telematics.

Let’s say you have 100 Ford transits on the road averaging 30,000 miles per annum at 25 miles per gallon and £1.38 per litre of fuel.

Introducing telematics could bring the following savings (based on fuel costs): • More effective route planning to avoid unnecessary mileage and monitoring to prevent personal usage – a saving of about five per cent which works out at about £30 a vehicle each month • Improving driver behaviour – a saving of about ten per cent as a minimum which works out at about £60 a vehicle each month • Reducing idling by about 20 minutes per day (one litre of fuel is burned for every hour of idling) – a saving of about £10 a vehicle each month • That’s £100 saved for each vehicle each month – a saving of around £120,000 a year for your fleet of 100 Ford Transits Additionally, wear and tear will be reduced.

The installation of telematics could take around ten per cent off insurance premiums and reduce accident costs by up to a half as drivers become more conservative, resulting

Jon Gilbert

For example, driver league tables published company wide have proven effective, as have bonuses built into the driver pay plans.

The most effective solutions are those which are integrated into a holistic fleet management approach. For example,

While many strong arguments for the adoption of telematics are based on issues such as duty of care and driver safety, the most compelling reason for fleets to use this technology is the reduction of cost. in fewer accidents and fraudulent claims.

Finally, the company can make productivity savings by better allocating resources based on proximity of vehicle to job and engaging with customers to reduce waiting time to unload.

MANAGEMENT CAMPAIGNS To change driver behaviour, it is important that managers understand the reasons for introducing new systems and the information which can be collected – vehicle location, harsh braking, overrevving, speeding, idling, and so on.

The objective – duty of care, cost reduction, improved environmental performance, minimised vehicle wear and tear, more effective driver management, and so on – will affect how the scheme is communicated within the company. The culture of the organisation will then influence whether it is positively incentivised or negatively reinforced.

customers working with ING Car Lease and Masternaut (our telematics partner) are able to choose additional service elements such as risk assessments and licence checking as well as driver training to improve elements such as braking and fuel consumption.

Marry this with accident, fines and recharge reporting and suddenly the fleet manager has complete visibility highlighting risk drivers. Additionally, ING Car Lease can help manage driver incentive schemes that often lead to successful culture change. L FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information about ING Car Lease and its telematics services please call Jon Gilbert on 07768914529.

Volume 52 | GREENFLEET® MAGAZINE

55

There is an easier way to save fuel!

• Reduce total mileage • Improve your fuel efficiency • Stay out of the jams

Dispatch smartly, send the person best placed for the next job, consume less fuel by managing driving behaviour and stay efficiently on the move by avoiding congestion.

See for yourself, how your company can save on fuel cost with business solutions from TomTom. Or contact us: 020 7255 9774 | business.uk@tomtom.com

Let’s drive business™ www.tomtom.com/business

TOYOTA YARIS 1.33 CVT AUTO

Road Test

Dedicated to Promoting a Cleaner Environment – www.greenfleet.net

THE NEW GENERATION YARIS The new Toyota Yaris gets top scores for its surprisingly roomy interior, contemporary style and easy-to-drive character The new Toyota Yaris benefits from a range of engineering and design refinements, as well as weight-saving measures and aerodynamic improvements, to cut fuel consumption and emissions, without hindering performance or power.

I test drove the 1.33 CVT Automatic, which has CO2 emissions of 118g/km and a combined fuel consumption of 55.4 mpg. I achieved an average fuel consumption of 52.5mpg on a 60 mile trip which combined both motorway and town driving and was impressed to get so close to the manufacturer’s figures without altering driving style.

If you want to achieve a more fuelefficient driving style, the Yaris has an eco-indicator on the dash board which lights up under acceleration to show the most fuel efficient zone, and goes out if throttle use exceeds this zone.

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION The automatic transmission is seamless, with good acceleration from standstill, smooth gear change and minimal noise. It can however be overridden, allowing the driver to operate the car using the gearshift or paddle shifts on the steering wheel.

While the Yaris looks compact on the outside, it is surprisingly roomy on the inside.

The model I drove also boasts a panoramic roof, stretching the entire length of the car, which adds to the spacious feel and lets in additional light. The gadgets, buttons and dials are kept to a minimum, giving the interior a simple yet contemporary appeal.

The seats are also very comfortable.

The reduced weight and increased aerodynamics make the Yaris incredibly nimble and easy to drive, especially around town.

The multi-media touch screen, with radio, satellite navigation and Bluetooth, was simple to operate. The screen also displays the rear camera image when reversing which makes it much easier and safer to reverse.

THE RANGE The range also includes the 1.4-litre D-4D engine which benefits from 72.4mpg and CO2 emissions of 104g/km and a three-cylinder 1.0-litre VVT-i petrol which has fuel consumption of 58.9mpg and CO2 emissions of 111g/km.

All versions of the new Yaris are fitted with seven airbags as well as a comprehensive list of safety features, including whiplashinjury lessening seats, ABS, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, Brake Assist, Vehicle Stability Control and Traction Control.

Toyota Yaris T Spirit 5 door 1.33 CVT auto Engine: MPG:

1.33 55.4 mpg (combined)

CO2g/km: Insurance Group: Benefit in Kind: 0-62mph: Price range:

118g/km 9E 10% 12.3 secs from £11,170

Volume 52 | GREENFLEET® MAGAZINE

57

In the next issue...

A

Guide to EVs & Infrastructure

The UK government has committed to providing a national recharging network for electric and plugin hybrid vehicles. Through its ‘Plugged-In Places’ (PiP) programme, the government is offering match-funding to businesses and public sector partners to install an electric vehicle recharging infrastructure in key places across the UK, including London, Milton Keynes, the North East, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Greater Manchester, the Midlands and the East of England.

To make electric vehicles attractive to buyers, the government is putting £5,000 towards the purchase of a plug-in vehicle through its Plugged-

in Car Grant. And it doesn’t stop there as the private sector are also beginning to invest as well, up and down the country. Against this backdrop, awareness of electric vehicles is increasing, but there is still much that is unknown about the industry that is hindering buyer confidence.

Queue Charged - a GreenFleet supplement that will clear the confusion surrounding plugin vehicles. Government bodies, stakeholders, green motoring gurus and fleet industry experts have been commissioned to give updates, advice and share best practice, shedding light on this relatively new industry.

www.greenfleet.net

Product Finder

CONTRACT HIRE AND FLEET MANAGEMENT

ENERGY/INFRASTRUCTURE

ELECTRIC CHARGING SOLUTIONS

Schneider Electric

EDF Energy Tel: 01273 428635 Fax: 01273 428494 electricvehicles@edfenergy.com www.edfenergy.com/electricvehicles EDF Energy, Britain’s largest producer of low-carbon electricity actively supports the development of fully electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. We believe the take-up of electric transport is key to Britain meeting its carbon reduction targets set by government and we are working with motor manufacturers, charge point manufacturers, central and local government and investing in home, workplace and public EV charging points.

FLEET MANAGEMENT AND FUNDING

Lex Autolease Blake House, Hatchford Way, Birmingham B26 3RZ Tel: 0800 389 3690 marketing@lexautolease.co.uk www.lexautolease.co.uk Lex Autolease is the UK’s leading vehicle management and funding specialist. We have in excess of 300,000 vehicles currently under management, making us the UK's largest leasing company. But it’s through delivering World Class Customer Service and developing a true partnership with businesses and public sector organisations, to help them face the challenges of running a fleet, which gives us our competitive edge.

VEHICLE RENTAL

LeasePlan UK 165 Bath Road, Slough, Berkshire SL1 4AA Tel: 0844 493 5810 Fax: 0844 493 5820 tellmemore@leaseplan.co.uk www.leaseplan.co.uk LeasePlan UK is an award winning organisation that makes it easier for our customers to manage their fleets and focus on their core business. For example, during the last 12 months, we have helped corporate clients indentify over £25 million worth of realistic and achievable cost savings.

Stafford Park 5, Telford, Shropshire TF3 3BL Tel: 0870 608 8 608 Fax: 0870 608 8 606 gb-customerservices@ schneider-electric.com www.schneider-electric.co.uk As a global specialist in energy management with operations in more than 100 countries, Schneider Electric offers integrated solutions across multiple market segments. With the current adoption of electric vehicles, we have pooled our expertise to develop and offer you the right charging solution for today’s changing transportation landscape.

VEHICLE TRACKING

LEASING

ING Car Lease

TomTom Business Solutions

Phoenix House, Cookham Road Bracknell, Berkshire RG12 1RR Tel: 0870 4028 229 mark.gibson@ingcarlease.co.uk www.ingcarlease.co.uk ING Car Lease provides a full range of funding and fleet management services to both private and public sector organisations and can offer advice to customers on all issues relating to both car and commercial fleets. Sitting within the top 10 largest leasing companies in the UK, ING has the expertise and ability to support a full range of vehicle management requirements.

20th Floor, Euston Tower, 286 Euston Road, London NW1 3AS Tel: 020 7255 4684 uk.business@tomtom.com www.tomtom.com/business TomTom Business Solutions is the fastest growing telematics company in Europe keeping over 135,000 live connected vehicles moving every day. Our solutions keep your drivers moving and helps promote greener, safer driving whilst reducing cost by increasing efficiencies – so whether you have trucks, vans or cars there is a solution for you.

LEASING

UTILITY VEHICLES

Automotive Leasing

Green Motion

Tennant UK Cleaning Solutions

Aspen Farm, Sheep Lane, Woburn, Bedfordshire MK17 9HD Tel: 0333 8884000 mail@greenmotion.com www.greenmotion.com

Gladstone Road, Northampton NN5 7RX Tel: 0800 111 4402 Tel: 01604 583131 Fax: 0845 052 9349 (local rate UK only) Sales.uk@tennantco.com www.tennantco.com

Dominion Way, Rustington, Littlehampton, West Sussex, BN16 3HQ Tel: 0844 493 5840 Fax: 0844 493 5850 marketing@automotive-leasing.co.uk www.automotive-leasing.org

Green Motion is the World’s first fully dedicated environmentally friendly vehicle rental. Our vehicles boast the lowest CO2, alternative power and fuel saving technologies. Green Motion's achievements have been widely recognised with winning the Green Fleet Rental Company of the Year 2009, 2010 and 2011 Award. We continue to lower emissions, which currently stand at an average of 107g/km, making us the world’s leading provider of low C02 vehicle rental.

Minneapolis-based Tennant Company (NYSE: TNC) is a world leader in designing, manufacturing and marketing solutions that help create a cleaner, safer, healthier world. Its products include equipment for maintaining surfaces in industrial, commercial and outdoor environments; chemical-free and other sustainable cleaning technologies; and specialty surface coatings for protecting, repairing and upgrading floors.

Automotive Leasing specialise in delivering innovative, yet practical, vehicle leasing solutions for the public sector. As part of LeasePlan, the world's leading supplier of vehicle management solutions, Automotive Leasing delivers all the benefits you would expect from a market leading organisation.

Yet, whilst benefiting from big company innovations, the positive values of a small business have consciously been maintained.

ADVERTISERS INDEX - THE PUBLISHERS ACCEPT NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN THIS FREE SERVICE BMW Citroen Elektromotive Energy Saving Trust Fiat

60

16 22 42 28 IFC, 35

Ford Garmin Green Motion ING Kia

6 46 38 54 21

Leaseplan Lex Autolease O2 Peugeot Renault

34, 44 50 40, 48 32 8

RoSPA Schneider Electric Shell Tennant Tom Tom

52 36 26 18 56

Volkswagen Volvo

12 4