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rage Porsche Win a sat-nav

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FleetNews
10.01.08
£2.25
fleetnews.co.uk

HELRPINGA
N
YO EAUPER
U
CH ANER
CLE FER Business motoring strategy and finance
SA ET
FLE

Fleet alert over Phone use

increases

‘neglected’ cars
Drivers tempted by non-maintained lease contracts to get prestige cars
BY DANIEL ATTWOOD
As many as one-third of grey fleet drivers
who lease cars without maintenance cover
are failing to have vital safety work carried
out.
The findings follow on-site inspections of
almost 6,000 cars – both company and private
– being used for business.
“If non-essential service and repair costs
are not covered by the allowance, our
evidence shows that cars are neglected,”
said Simon Hill, of fleet consultants Total
Motion. “We estimate that around a third of
drivers surveyed were in this position.”
The problem stems from drivers being
tempted to take non-maintenance contracts
provided by brokers when they are not enti-
tled to a company car or have chosen to opt
out and take cash.
The difference between a contract with
full maintenance cover and one without is
typically around £60 to £80 per month. By
opting for a non-maintenance contract, an
employee can easily upgrade from a Ford
Mondeo to a BMW 3 Series.
A fully-maintained Mondeo 2.0-litre diesel
estate from one internet broker costs £491 a
month on a 36-month/60,000-mile contract.
The same company offers a BMW 320d
Touring for £474 a month on a non-main-
tained contract.
“But when a driver discovers that new
tyres on a prestige car cost £250 each and
brake discs can add another few hundred
pounds, they find they can’t afford the work,”
said Mr Hill. “It is the brokers that are creat-
Drivers opting for non-maintained lease contracts are causing fleets a headache
ing this problem. If a driver has £300 a
month, he should be sold a fully maintained
contract, but then he is told he can afford a
prestige brand, but what he is not told is the
additional maintenance costs he faces.”
Mark Sherry, of internet broker Car
Partner Fleet Solutions, which advertises all
its vehicles with non-maintained contracts,
said the industry was becoming aware of the
issue. “This is definitely a problem,” he said
“We find that employees of small companies
generally take non-maintained contracts.
They are more price sensitive.”
Mr Sherry says he now advises anyone
driving more than 20,000 miles a year to take
a contract with maintenance cover included.
However, the decision lies with the employee.
“And they often don’t think about the main-
tenance costs,” he said.
ACFO chairman Julie Jenner said more
stringent checks or a move back to company
cars were the only answers.
“ACFO has always recommended that
fleet operators ensure that service records
and MoT certificates, where required, are
provided to the company – and on a regular
basis,” she said.
“In reality, though, I am not sure that this
happens as it can be an administration
burden where companies have a large
number of opt-outs. Of course, this problem
doesn’t arise when company cars are
taken.”
daniel.attwood@emap.com
road delays
The argument for banning employ-
ees from using hands-free phones
while driving is gathering momen-
tum after new research proved that
motorists on mobile phones
contribute to traffic congestion
because they drive more slowly.
The research found that motorists
talking on mobile phones while
driving on dual carriageways and
motorways were slower and less
likely to overtake.
“The average person’s commute
is longer because of that person
who is on the phone in front of
them,” said University of Utah
psychology professor Dave Strayer.
“If you talk on the phone while
driving, it’s going to take you longer
to get from A to B, and slows down
ever ybody else on the road,”
explained researcher Joel Cooper, a
doctoral student in psychology.
The findings back previous
research that using a hands-free
phone is as dangerous while driving
as using a hand-held phone
because it is the conversation itself
that is the major distraction.
Earlier studies also found that
mobile phone users followed at
greater distances, were slower to
brake and to regain speed after
braking.
Strayer said it was important to
show how mobile phone use affects
traffic. “When people have tried to
do cost-benefit analyses on whether
we should regulate phones, they
don’t factor in the cost associated
with increased commuting times,
excess fuel used by stop-and-go
traffic and increased air pollution.”

NEWS P5 DAILY RENTAL P17 CAREERS P19 TOP STORIES ONLINE

Police trials of Low-carbon Getting drivers to ■ Help compile Fleet News/
electric one-person cars like the complete paperwork CAP report (TomTom up
transporters like the diesel-power- is a constant battle for grabs as an incentive)
Segway (pictured left) ed Volks- for Katy Warren, ■ Ford 2008 calendar
as an environmen- wagen Polo fleet administrator competition winners
tally-friendly replace- BlueMotion for Cancer Research ■ Apply online for our
ment for patrol cars, (pictured) are gradually being introduced UK. Find out more Februar y business forum
are receiving mixed by rental companies but there are about her in our
reactions. economic reasons why progress is slow. Fleet CV column.
NEWS

IN BRIEF
Decline in fleet Tired driver
dangers are
highlighted

Smart move
market predicted
Coventry City Council has BY DANIEL ATTWOOD
taken delivery of a fully
electric Smart car as part of The fleet market will decline in
a 100-car market trial prior the coming years as managers
to the introduction of the enforce stricter policies to reduce
two-seater vehicle. The car annual mileages and ultimately
will be made available on a acquire fewer cars, according to
lease arrangement to the operations manager of Lloyds
selected UK corporate TSB Autolease.
customers. David Kershaw told Fleet News
that the European Commission’s
Master stroke decision, which will ultimately
Cliniser ve has taken force carmakers to cut average
deliver y of 27 new CO2 emissions to 130g/km within
Renault Master 120.35 four years, will result in at least
vans through Renault another 5% being added to the
Trucks distributor MV cost of a new car. “As always, it
Trucks. The vans will will be the customer who will pick
replace the company’s up the bill,” he said.
remaining Iveco vehicles. This additional cost, coupled to
By the end of the year, rising fuel bills and growing pres-
Cliniser ve will have an sure to reduce carbon emissions,
all-Renault fleet of 70 will force fleet managers to reas-
vehicles. sess downwards the size of their
vehicle fleets.
Porsche hybrid
Porsche’s forthcoming four-
door Panamera will come
with a hybrid option. The
technology seen in the
Win a sat-system with Fleet News
Cayenne Hybrid prototype Fleet News and its sister company
will enter the market at the CAP, the vehicle data specialist,
end of the decade, after the would like to hear from fleet oper-
launch of the regular ators.
Panamera. We are preparing a feature and
report on fleet operators’ experi-
Engine changes ences, and CAP is offering a
TomTom satellite navigation unit
as an incentive to take part. One
lucky respondent will be drawn at
random to win the sat-nav system.
All responses will be treated in
strictest confidence and your
Peugeot and Citroën name/company will not be
have added a new engine published, but we do need your
to their MPV offerings.
Both the Peugeot 807
and the Citroën C8 now
offer a 2.2-litre HDi EVENTS ROUND-UP
diesel engine with
173bhp and 295lb-ft of
torque. It returns
42.8mpg with CO2
Finishing touches being put to Europe conference
emissions of 191g/km. Final preparations are being
made for the seventh annual
Fleet News Europe Conference
in Brussels next month.
UK FUEL The event chairman will be
PRICES Christopher Macgowan, a
former chief executive of the
ppl/ppg
Society of Motor Manufacturers
DIESEL..............................108.4/492
and Traders in the UK and now
SUPER UNLEADED........109.4/497
UNLEADED......................103.4/468 vice-chairman of the Motorists’
FOUR STAR......................105.2/478 Forum.
LPG......................................52.2/237 There is a record speaker
David Kershaw, operations
manager, Lloyds TSB Autolease
“There will be a decline in the
fleet sector,” he said. “Companies
are now taking seriously the need
to adopt technologies such as
teleconferencing and cut unnec-
essary car journeys. Companies
will reduce business mileages and
therefore will need fewer cars.”
In addition, it is going to be
increasingly difficult to confi-
details for you to be eligible to win
the prize draw. We have three
questions for you:
 Have you changed your fleet
car supplier in the past three
years on the grounds of unsatis-
factory ordering processes or
customer care in general during
the configuration and ordering
stage? (Yes or no)
 Have you experienced prob-
lems configuring cars with the
exact combination features and
options that you require? (Yes or
no)
line-up for this year’s event,
sponsored by Hyundai and BCA,
which has already attracted a
number of top-level directors as
delegates.
Issues covered at the event
include green fleet in Europe,
market expansion, the future of
dently predict residual values of
models as they adopt different
solutions to reduce emissions.
This means fleets could be caught
out if they favour one technology,
such as biofuels, over another
before they have proven them-
selves in the market.
“We are not convinced about
biofuels,” said Mr Kershaw,
whose company has more than
130,000 vehicles under its
management. “Biofuel is like LPG
– it is not a long-term solution.”
The new rules will also have an
impact on fleets that opt for diesel-
only vehicles. Most carmakers
agree that diesel engine technol-
ogy has been developed as far as
is practical, with any further
developments being too costly.
Therefore, fleets should expect
the popularity of newer, cleaner
petrol engines to take hold.
daniel.attwood@emap.com
 What percentage of your time
as a fleet manager is spent solving
vehicle specification and configu-
ration issues? (Answer as a
percentage)
Please email your answers to:
fleetnews@emap.com and put
“FN/CAP response” in the subject
line.
Responses must be received
before January 25, 2008, and the
name of the lucky TomTom
winner (but not their responses!)
will appear on the Fleet News
website – www.fleetnews.co.uk
residual values, fleet safety,
technology, the manufacturer
viewpoint and an international
perspective.
Among the speakers will be
Vincent Rupied, international
director of the Corporate Vehicle
Observatory, Steffen Schick,
chief operating officer, Fleet
Logistics, and Pascal Serres,
vice-president, ALD Interna-
tional.
One in 10 employees who drive
for work admitted they fell asleep
while at the wheel during the
past 12 months. During the same
period, 2% fell asleep three times
or more while driving.
The consequences of nodding
off while at the wheel can be
devastating. An estimated six
people die each week in crashes
caused by tired drivers.
The figures, from research by
road safety charity Brake and
breakdown recovery firm Green
Flag, are from a survey of 4,640
drivers including 2,510 who drive
for work. The poll was conducted
at random and included a range
of motorists, including company
car, LCV and HGV drivers.
“It’s crucial that companies
introduce thorough procedures
to ensure employees are not
endangering themselves and
others when driving for work,”
said Cathy Keeler, head of
campaigns for Brake. “But
drivers themselves must also
take responsibility. Getting
behind the wheel when you’ve
not had enough sleep is deadly.”
The research found that people
who drive for work are more
likely to drive after insufficient
sleep. Half of employees who
drive for work say they some-
times drive after less than five
hours’ sleep.
According to the Department
for Transport, drivers who get
behind the wheel after less than
five hours’ sleep have only a one
in 10 chance of staying fully
awake on a lengthy journey.
David Richards, marketing
director for driver training
company DriveTech, said:
“Driving tired is a very serious
issue and journey planning is the
key to being safe.”
This year’s event takes place
at the Marriott Hotel, Brussels,
on February 7.
For information, ticket sales
and sponsorship enquiries,
contact Luke Clements on 01733
468325 or email luke.
clements@emap.com.
 Full details of the conference
are available on the dedicated
Fleet News Europe website at
www.fneuropeconference.com

2 10.01.08 www.fleetnews.co.uk
New safety system increases pedestrian protection
Bosch has developed a new safety
system that provides increased
protection for pedestrians and
cyclists.
The electronic system – Elec-
tronic Pedestrian Protection
(EPP) – detects an impact with a
human and activates systems to
cushion the victim.
The new technology consists of
acceleration sensors fitted to the
front of the vehicle and a control
unit used to trigger actuators that
raise the vehicle’s bonnet within a
fraction of a second.
This offers the impacting body
Bosch’s Electronic Pedestrian Protection reduces the risk of injury
a more efficient deformation zone
and reduces the risk of injury to
pedestrians.
Bernd Hergert, head of the
occupant safety business unit at
Bosch, revealed that the system is
IN BRIEF
about to feature in two new cars.
He said: “Two vehicles with the
Bosch EPP system are now in
series production and additional
applications will follow soon.”
Further developments, includ-
ing the use of airbags, are also
being considered as added
measures for use in impact
protection.
Vehicle manufacturers can Green Ireland
provide active impact protection Smith Electric Vehicles has
with an independent control unit, secured an order for 100
or it can be integrated into the zero-emission vans and
airbag control unit already present trucks for the Republic of
in the vehicle. Ireland. The vehicles will
be supplied through an

P11D form could be

Irish importer to both
commercial and private
fleet operators.

People investors
Ai Claims Solutions has

scrapped in review
BY DANIEL ATTWOOD
The Government is considering
scrapping the P11D form.
It has been criticised by the
Institute of Payroll Professionals
and the Administrative Burdens
Advisory Board as being one of
the most costly administrative
burdens for employers – a finding
borne out by the KPMG Adminis-
trative Burdens HM Revenue &
Customs (HMRC) Measurements
Project.
The P11D is a detailed benefit-
in-kind (BIK) form that highlights
all benefits, such as a company
car or fuel, made available to an
employee. Currently, many
companies operate under an infor-
mal arrangement with HMRC
enabling them to deduct and
account for the tax due on BIK as
The entire P11D process could
be abolished by the Government
well as expenses in the payroll.
However, these arrangements
have no statutory basis.
Now HMRC is proposing
changes to the current reporting
structure that includes scrapping
the P11D form.
The proposal is to include all
benefits and expenses in the
payroll. “Collecting the tax due on
all benefits and expenses through
the pay-as-you-earn (PAYE)
scheme provides scope to simplify
the current reporting require-
ments for benefits and expenses,”
said an HMRC spokesperson.
“The overall amount of informa-
tion that an employer needs to
provide to HMRC about benefits
and expenses could be reduced
significantly and the entire P11D
process, which is currently sepa-
rate from the PAYE process, could
be abolished.”
However, while HMRC’s move
will be welcomed, concerns
remain over the training of payroll
staff and what powers they will
have. There are also other issues
that need HMRC’s attention, as
Julie Jenner, ACFO chairman,
explained: “Unless everyone gets
their new/replacement vehicle on
April 6 (start of new tax year), the
BIK will need to be pro-rata, which
will cause further issues. There
will be a fine balance in the saving
of costs, time and administration
in removing the once-a-year
reporting compared to the addi-
tional workload, training and
resources potentially required by
payroll teams to cope with the
change.”
Such concerns should be raised
during the current consultation
process, which is also looking at
the removal of the £8,500 earn-
ings threshold for BIK below
which tax is not paid on benefits.
The consultation ends on
March 14. HMRC does not expect
implementation of payrolling of
expenses and BIK until at least
April 2011, although it said the
£8,500 threshold change could be
implemented sooner.
daniel.attwood@emap.com
received recognition
from the Investors in
People scheme for the
third consecutive term.
Ai Claims Solutions is a
provider of ser vices for
the motor insurance
claims market.
Best route
Tele Atlas will integrate
Ordnance Survey’s digital
road routing information
into its digital map database
to help identify the most
appropriate road routes for
HGVs. It says the system
will enable HGV drivers to
calculate the most suitable
routes based on road
height, width and weight
restrictions.
Venson contract
Venson Automotive
Solutions has supplied
112 company cars to
Headcount Worldwide
Field Marketing. The
solus Ford diesel fleet is
largely composed of
Fiestas with some Focus

The long and the short of it Traffic peaks on Fridays
Norwich City Council is to force
residents who require on-street
parking to pay depending on the
length of their car.
While cities across Europe
introduce charges based on emis-
sions, the Norfolk city took the
step of getting out its tape
measure to penalise residents
who drive long vehicles.
The charges, due to be intro-
duced in March, are aimed at
reducing pollution as well as
creating more parking spaces.
However, short cars (less than
3.92m) such as the MINI Cooper
S, which produces 149g/km of
CO2, will be charged at the lowest
level of £16. But longer cars, such
as the Ford Focus 1.6 TDCi,
which produces just 127g/km of
CO2, will receive a £22 annual bill.
Cars longer than 4.45m, such as
the Ford Mondeo 1.8 TDCi, which
produces just 3g/km of CO2 more
than the MINI, will be charged at
the maximum £30 per year.
The council said: “As well as
taking up less space, smaller cars
also produce, on average, less
greenhouse gas emissions and
air pollution than larger cars. So
small cars are also better for the
environment.”
January is the quietest month
on the roads, with traffic
volumes 10% below average
levels for the year.
Despite this, motorists are
warned that traffic levels are at
an all-time high on Fridays,
with the afternoon scrum
starting to develop from
noon. This makes Friday the
most dangerous day to be
driving, with casualties hitting a
peak of 3,766 at 5pm, compared
to an average of 3,426 on other
weekdays.
According to new analysis by
the RAC Foundation, drivers
should also be on their guard
on Saturdays, when traffic
volumes peak at noon – also
the peak hour for casualties, at
2,799. Failed breath tests are
also most common on a
Saturday, with 1,599 drivers
and riders caught over the limit
on Saturdays in 2006. Drink-
driving is at its highest in the
small hours and early evening.
Sundays are the safest days
to drive, with some 12,000
fewer casualties than Friday’s
total.
and Mondeo models all
on two-year contract hire
leases. Venson is also
providing fleet manage-
ment and accident
management.
Reflex deal
Reflex Vehicle Solutions has
appointed Kwik-Fit Fleet to
its network of suppliers of a
range of fast-fit services,
including tyre and brake
repair and replacement.
Customers will have access
to Kwik-Fit Fleet’s 200-
strong mobile repair fleet,
as well as a network of 670
centres.

www.fleetnews.co.uk 10.01.08 3
NEWS
Fuel prices
expected to
remain high
As company car drivers hit the
roads again after the Christmas
break, their fuel cards will take a
beating with petrol now almost
15 pence per litre more than this
time last year. Diesel costs 14.2
pence per litre more.
For an average fleet of 100
diesel-powered cars, each of
which covers 20,000 miles a year,
the additional cost over 2008 at
present pump prices compared
to just 12 months ago is £32,400,
or an extra £324 per car.
The rises have been attributed
to the price of crude oil, which
peaked briefly at $100 a barrel at
the start of year, prompting fears
of further rises at the pumps.
“High-priced oil is here to stay,
and companies need to ensure
that their fleet and travel strate-
gies are able to cope,” said Mark
Sinclair, head of Alphabet.
“Even though oil prices will
almost certainly fall back into
double digits for a while, the
trend for 2008 will be for much
more costly oil.
“Although this will drive up
business costs across the board,
fleet will be the key area where
firms can directly mitigate the
impact on the bottom line.”
As the new year arrived, the
average price of unleaded petrol
hit 103.3 pence per litre – a record
that is predicted to be shattered
in the coming days, according to
the AA. Diesel prices fared a little
better at 107.95 pence per litre,
which remains marginally below
the record of 108.00 pence per
litre, set on December 6, 2007.
“Vehicle acquisition policy will
be critical, because today’s
purchasing decisions lock in fuel
consumption and CO2 emissions
for typically three years ahead,”
said Mr Sinclair.
“Maximising the fuel effi-
ciency of all vehicles used on
business will be a vital element of
management.”
Additional bad news to the
expected rises in the coming
days will be a two pence per litre
fuel duty increase that will come
into effect in April.
Police split over
trials of Segway
BY STEVE MOODY
Police fleet managers are refus-
ing to trial electric one-person
transporters as an environmen-
tally-friendly replacement for
patrol cars, despite calls by a
group of MPs and the Police
Federation to do so.
However, several police forces
have already trialled the vehicles,
such as the Segway, or plan to in
the near future despite their fleet
managers’ stand.
At least one London police
borough – Sutton – has already
tested the vehicles and another is
about to start. In addition, officers
in Scotland have used the vehicles
to patrol a shopping centre in
Glenrothes, Fife.
The trials have the support of a
dozen MPs who signed a House
of Commons early day motion.
They claim it could lead to a
notable drop in emissions as part
of the Government’s commitment
to cutting transport’s impact on
the environment.
The Police Federation, the
body that represents the core of
Drivers struggle after ignoring advice
Thousands of business drivers
ignored advance warnings to
prepare their cars for the first day
back at work, and were forced to
call for help.
The past few days have been
AA Business Services’ busiest
period of the last 12 months for
attending breakdowns.
Almost 15,000 drivers had prob-
lems starting their cars on
January 2, which was 58% more
than on a typical Wednesday.
Of that figure, 40% were busi-
ness drivers facing their first day
back at work.
One of the main reasons for
call-outs was flat batteries.
IN BRIEF
Views sought
A new enquir y into road
safety has been estab-
lished by the Commons
Transport Committee.
The committee is calling
on interested parties,
such as fleets and road
risk training firms, to
submit written evidence
before Februar y 18 on
areas of road safety they
feel need targeting.
Green appeal
Two thirds of UK motorists
would now buy a car with
better green credentials to
avoid paying higher road
tax, says Motorpoint.
Operations director Paul
Photo: Sutton Guardian
Winfield said: “Feedback
from customers suggests
that they are increasingly
putting a car’s green
Police officers trialling the Segway in the London borough of Sutton credentials higher up their
lists of important features
the UK force, has also recently roads and pavements. and benefits.”
called for the Segway to be According to Martin Davis,
assessed. fleet manager at Devon and Corn- Nobilas contract
But the National Association of wall Constabulary, who has been National Mobile Wind-
Police Fleet Managers (NAPFM) looking at their viability, the lack screens has signed a
said the Government’s own rules of lights, tested braking system deal worth more than
on personal transporters mean and the fact they cannot be £400,000 per year with
such tests are not possible. insured or registered for on-road Nobilas, which provides
NAPFM said the vehicles do use means there is little chance of accident management
not comply with construction and them taking over from the tradi- ser vices for insurers,
use rules for electric vehicles, and tional panda car on police fleets leasing and rental
are currently illegal to use on for local patrols. companies and corporate
car fleet owners. The
deal follows the compa-
ny’s recent appointment
as sole supplier to Total
Accident Management in
a contract worth more
BATTERY ADVICE than £100,000.
■ Avoid running car electrics any longer than necessary – turn the heater fan Deal clincher
down and switch the heated rear window off once it is clear. A-Plant has taken delivery
■ If the car stands idle for most of the weekend, a regular overnight trickle of 38 Mitsubishi L200 pick-
charge is a good idea to give the battery a chance to revive. ups. Operating nearly 1,600
■ When starting up the car, ensure that non-essentials like lights, the heated vehicles in the UK, A-Plant
rear window and wipers are turned off. has an ongoing programme
■ Use the starter in short five-second bursts if the engine doesn’t start quickly, of renewal and decided that
leaving 30 seconds between attempts to allow the battery to recover. a mixture of single and
■ Batteries rarely last longer than five years, so replacing them near the end of double-cab L200s will
their life can save a lot of time and inconvenience at the side of the road when replace its existing pick-up
they finally fizzle out. fleet. It chose the L200s as
they were one of only two
Now the AA is urging business to avoid facing a battery or pick-ups that could be fitted
drivers and fleet managers to take electrical problem in the coming with a digital tachograph.
a number of straightforward steps weeks.
www.fleetnews.co.uk 10.01.08 5
EUROPEAN NEWS
Green rule for
German cities
BY DANIEL ATTWOOD
Managers operating pan-
European fleets must ensure that
all their vehicles have new emis-
sion stickers displayed before
driving into German cities.
Three of the country’s main
conurbations – Berlin, Cologne
and Hanover – have introduced
new laws stipulating that the stick-
ers must be displayed. They
reveal what levels of nitrogen
dioxide (NO2) and particulate
matter (PM) a vehicle emits. Red
stickers indicate the highest
levels and green the lowest.
The stickers will be introduced
in other urban centres across
Germany later this year.
Diesel powered vehicles
produced more NO2 and PM than
vehicles powered by petrol. As a
result, there are three stickers for
diesel vehicles – red, orange and
Cars must display emission stickers in Berlin
green – but only two for petrol
vehicles – red and green.
Vehicles displaying any of the
three stickers can currently drive
into all areas, but from the start of
2010, only the cleanest – ie those
displaying the green sticker – will
be allowed into the new zones.
Drivers of vehicles without a
valid sticker displayed in the
windscreen risk a fine.
Foreign vehicles must also
display the stickers, which are
available from Germany’s vehicle
registration offices, exhaust emis-
sion testing centres and autho-
rised garages in the cities. They
cost £3.60 (€5).
FleetNews
Europe
www.fleetnewseurope.com
Congestion charging in Milan
Fleets operating in Italy must now pay congestion charges in Milan
after it followed London’s lead by introducing financial penalties
rather than banning the most polluting vehicles, as Germany will do.
Cars entering the new three-square-mile zone on working days
between 7.30am and 7.30pm will be charged between £1.50 and £7.50
(€2.2 to €10) depending on engine type. Electric and hybrid vehicles
can enter for free.
However, some Italian drivers have already discovered novel ways
of evading charges applied in other urban centres. One report said
motorists were reversing into congestion zones so that on camera
they appeared to be leaving.
Masterlease reaches 17 countries
Masterlease has launched in Norway and Denmark, giving the
company a presence in 17 countries. It will operate in the two
countries via a partnership with DnB Nor Finans, which operates
under the brand Autolease.
“This is another step towards offering Masterlease customers full
pan-European leasing,” said Nick Brownrigg, CEO of Masterlease.
Fleet News Europe is sponsored by
www.bca-europe.com
www.fleetnews.co.uk 10.01.08 7
��������
Mazda eyes public sector
BY JULIAN KIRK
Mazda is aiming to target public
sector fleets with its new
supermini challenger.
The manufacturer is hoping to
attract local authority and NHS
Trust fleets, as well as driving
schools, with its new Mazda2
offering.
Mazda’s national contract hire
and rental manager, Steve Tom-
linson, said: “Contract hire compa-
nies and outright purchase fleets
have been attracted to the Mazda
range in recent years by strong
residuals and low wholelife costs
and sporty models packed with
standard equipment.
“We are bringing these same
credentials to the supermini
segment and we believe that will
make the Mazda2 attractive to
fleet operators. We believe it will
become the car of choice in the
sector.”
Initially available with a
choice of three petrol engines, a
THINKING CAP
Hardworking Martin Ward scours the globe for the week’s insider fleet intelligence
WEDNESDAY
Down to Toyota’s plant in
Burniston, near Derby, to drive
the all-new Land Cruiser V8
diesel, which replaces the
Amazon. This monster is huge,
has seven seats and is powered
by a 4.5-litre V8 twin-turbo
diesel engine that produces
286bhp – 40% more than the
Amazon.
The V8 has new suspension
and ride height control, and a
new chassis frame for increased
strength and reduced noise and
vibration. The new Land Cruiser
has lots more standard kit over
A whole lot better – the new
Toyota Auris SR180
12 10.01.08 www.fleetnews.co.uk
This week’s vehicle market news and information Edited by Julian Kirk
The Mazda2 is being targeted at local authority and NHS fleets, as well as driving schools
1.4-litre diesel will join the range
in the next few months, offering
68bhp and claimed average fuel
economy of 65mpg.
As well as gaining more expo-
the Amazon, including 20-inch
alloys, adaptive suspension,
traction control, four-zone-
climate control and downhill
assist control, but costs £56,000
– £7,000 more than the Amazon.
There will only be 500 in the UK
this year and Toyota says that
despite the price, they will all be
sold before they get here.
While we were at the factory,
Toyota showed us the Auris
SR180 which replaces the T180,
and looks as it should have done
when it was launched. It now
has lowered suspension, privacy
glass, everything is colour-
coded, an imitation rear-diffuser
and an exterior styling make-
over – it is a whole lot better,
and makes you wonder why it
wasn’t done in the first place.
The SR180 is powered by a
2.2-litre diesel engine which has
loads of torque, is quiet and has
more than enough power. This
Auris is now, at last, a real
sure among fleets, the Mazda2 is
also proving popular in show-
rooms, helping the Japanese
manufacturer to a record run of
sales in the UK.
competitor to the Volkswagen
Golf GT TDI, Megane Renault-
Sport dCi 175 and the Peugeot
308 GT HDi.
FRIDAY
A few figures from the
industr y were invited to
BMW’s headquarters in
Bracknell to have a look at
the new X6. I had seen the
official photographs and
really thought it was either a
publicity stunt or a concept
car that would never see the
light of day.
But when we saw it in the
flesh, my first reaction was
“What on Earth?”. It is
slightly larger than the X5,
so a big thing – 4,877mm
long, and costs around
£2,000 more. BMW
describes it as a Sports
Activity Coupé as it has a
sloping rear roof-line,
which has a dramatic effect
To the end of November Mazda
had sold 4,820 units, helping it to
record its largest ever sales
volumes in the UK.
Jeremy Thomson, sales direc-
Standing out – the new BMW X6
on the styling, but reduces
luggage space.
It is a strict four-seater, as
the centre rear does not have
a seatbelt, but all four seats
are ver y comfortable and
luxurious. The X6 has a
more technically advanced
4x4 system over the X5
called Dynamic Performance
Control – which was
explained to us but I was lost
halfway through.
Apparently, it “ensures
unsurpassed levels of agility
and stability, while the driver
can keep an eye on proceed-
GM’s blue light fleetpxp p12
tor at Mazda UK, said: “Even
before Christmas we had already
exceeded our biggest ever sales
year of 50,166 units set in 2006.
“Our growth has come through
retail sales which were 10% higher
than the same point in 2006.
Mazda2 retail sales exceeded the
Nissan Micra in November and
we have very strong orders for it
this year.”
Mr Thomson predicts 2008 will
be another record-breaking year
for Mazda in the UK, with sales
likely to exceed 55,000 units.
He said: “With the old Mazda2
we were selling about 4,000 a year
but in 2008 we are looking at sales
of between 12,000 and 15,000
units.”
The firm will also be buoyed by
the arrival of the new Mazda6
upper-medium model.
Most models went on sale on
December 26 last year, but the
volume models such as the diesels
and estates are not due to arrive
until next month.
ings via a schematic readout,
allowing you to visualise just
how your X6 delivers such a
satisfying drive”. So there
you go, although I’m sure it
will work perfectly.
After the initial shock,
some could see the potential
and the reason why BMW
has created the X6, but
others were not so sure. It is
different and will attract
loads of attention. If you
want to be bold, stand out
from the crowd and make a
motoring statement, then
form an orderly queue, as
there will only be 2,500
coming to the UK per year.
The X6 goes on sale on
May 31, with prices from
£41,955. It did grow on me
as the day went on and I can
now see the attraction.
Martin Ward is
CAP’s manufacturer
relationships manager
 For a full road
test archive, visit
fleetnews.co.uk
IN BRIEF
Long-term update p14 Porsche Cayenne V6 driven p15

Gearbox debut
The latest version of
Volkswagen’s DSG twin-
clutch gearbox will make its
debut in the Golf
1.4 TSI and 1.9 TDI.
Sporting seven gears, the
new ’box reduces CO2 by
Peugeot’s new Partner van promises versatility Citroen’s Berlingo Multispace mini-MPV
10g/km and improves fuel

2008 debut for Peugeot/Citroën twins

economy by 3mpg in the 1.4.
Prices start at £15,982.

Peugeot and Citroën have
announced that they will launch
new small vans this year, both
based on the same platform.
The Peugeot Partner and the
Citroën Berlingo update both
firms’ successful small van
offerings, and will also be
featured in MPV form for
passengers.
Both vans promise versatility,
value for money and a new best
load capacity in the small panel
van segment. They have a load
volume of 3,300 litres and a
maximum payload of 850kg.
The load area length is
extendable from 1.8 to 3m
thanks to a modular cabin
arrangement (called MultiFlex
by Peugeot and Extenso by
Citroën), which allows three
people to sit in the front – a
sector first.
Peugeot has said the Partner
will be powered by the 308’s
HDi diesel engines. Citroën has
not released engine details, but
has said that ESP and hill start
assist will be available.
Both vans will have MPV
siblings. The Peugeot Partner
Tepee includes three individu-
Five-star ratings
ally folding rear seats and a
“multi-purpose roof” designed to
let more light into the passenger
compartment.
Citroën’s Berlingo Multispace
features an independ-ently
opening tailgate window and Renault’s new Laguna
promises lots of storage inside. and the latest C-Class
Both brands will launch the from Mercedes-Benz
vehicles in the second half of (pictured) have both
this year. scored the maximum five
stars in their EuroNCAP
crash tests.

Toyota gives flagship Auris a sportier edge Greener Ibiza

Toyota has welcomed the New
Year with a revised flagship model
Auris – the SR180.
Designed to add a sporting
edge to the hitherto demure
hatchback and replace the under-
stated T180 model, the new SR
version features a lowered suspen-
sion set-up from Toyota
Motorsport and a rear spoiler.
A set of 17-inch five-spoke
alloys are also included, as is
tinted rear glass.
The main difference, however,
is the 2.2-litre D-4D diesel engine.
It will make 175bhp and 295 lb-ft
of torque, which can propel the
car to 62mph from standing in 8.1
seconds, while it can still come up
with impressive returns of
45.6mpg.
Vehicle stability control (VSC)
with traction control is provided
as standard, as is dual-zone air
conditioning, automatic head-
lights and wipers and cruise
control.
The SR180 is available now in
both three and five-door form,
priced from £17,995.
SEAT has unveiled a new,
greener version of its Ibiza.
Called the Ecomotive, it
emits just 99g/km of CO2
and returns 74mpg from its
1.4 TDI engine. The Ibiza
Ecomotive is on sale now,
priced from £10,995.
Sportier Civic

Honda has added a new

Spyshot After all the attention surround-
ing the launch of the XF, Jaguar
is now turning its thoughts to
the XJ range, spotted here in
test mule form.
Carr ying on the look seen in
the XF, the production XJ is
due in late 2009 with an edgier
design. XF designer Ian Callum
cites the Mercedes-Benz CLS as
an inspiration to modern large
saloons, so expect a similar
low-slung look but with Jaguar’s
new squarer grille and jazzy
LED lights.
Under the surface, things
aren’t likely to change much.
That means the existing chassis
and the acclaimed 2.7-litre
spec level to the Civic.
The SE+ features 16-inch
alloys, side skirts and a
spoiler for a sportier
look. Designed to appeal
to younger drivers and
powered by a 1.4-litre
i-DSi engine, the SE+ is
limited to 1,000 exam-
ples. It costs £14,900.
Match added
Volkswagen’s Polo range
has been broadened by the
introduction of the Match. It
replaces the S trim in the
line-up, and features 15-inch
alloys and front foglamps, as
well as leather steering

XJ gets an edgier look

TDVi V6 diesel engine will stay. wheel and either a six-CD
changer or an iPod
Powered by... connection. Prices start at
£9,315.

www.fleetnews.co.uk 10.01.08 13
LONG-TERMER: VOLKSWAGEN TOURAN 1.4 TSI SE
Making up for lost time
Despite giving some rivals a four-year head start, Volkswagen’s small MPV is proving to be a big hit
BY JOHN MASLEN
If you search Google for the
Volkswagen Touran, it returns 2.3
million potential web pages, which
is pretty impressive considering it
was so late to the MPV party.
Arch-rival Vauxhall gets nearly
four million hits for the Zafira,
which had a four-year head start
after it launched in 1999.
It’s a pretty basic test, but it
shows the clear in-roads made by
Volkswagen into this key terri-
tory. And with 4,000 miles fast
Business talk: here to help
A regular series that offers help, advice and assistance to fleet decision makers on a variety of current industry issues
Creating a choice list to
suit every requirement
I S
ʼm thinking about expanding our
company car choice list. What is the
best way to proceed?
I D
f youʼre thinking of including more
vehicles in your choice list, there are a
couple of things to bear in mind.
Firstly, if you are moving from a
restricted list to one with a larger number
of makes and models, you could find it will
lead to an increase in the administration
you will need to provide: new suppliers
and dealers and their associated
relationships, may have to be set up.
Also, it is crucial to pick the right
models to keep control of your fleet costs.
If your previous fleet arrangement was
a single brand deal, you may well have
been able to obtain better volume-related
discounts. Conversely, the more makes
and models you offer the more evenly
spread will be your residual value risk.
Some model sectors, for example the
MPV and SUV classes, generally enjoy
improved RVs compared with established
‘fleet’ models giving you the opportunity to
maximise returns at disposal.
A wider choice of models also is likely
to make employees happier, especially as
more drivers want niche vehicles that suit
their particular lifestyles, or may prefer to
downsize.
14 10.01.08 www.fleetnews.co.uk
approaching on our long-termer,
it is simple to see why the Touran
is such a strong contender.
It easily looks smart enough for
the company car park, although
it’s hardly a babe magnet. In fact,
it is more of a baby magnet thanks
to its third row of seats.
Over the holiday period, the
Touran was filled to the gunwales
with relations and their
squawking offspring.
Some of the seatbelts are quite
a fiddle when it comes to using
child seats. Most seats are OK but
Should I diversify fleet policy to allow MPVs and 4x4s on our choice list?
I
ncreasingly, drivers ask me
whether they can have SUVs
and MPVs but Iʼm reluctant to
add them to the choice list for cost
reasons. Should I allow these cars?
T
hereʼs no reason to think that
giving drivers the option of sport
utility vehicles (SUVs) or MPVs
should be more expensive in running
cost terms.
For a start, the residual values of
many SUVs are often stronger than
the centre seat in the middle row
and one of the third row seats
have a twin buckle arrangement
that creates a three-point seatbelt
from a single overhead reel.
I found the best way to get
passengers in the back comfort-
able was to open the boot and lean
in to reach the buckles properly,
which provided bags of amuse-
ment for passengers.
With children in the rear two
rows there is plenty of room, but if
you throw in an adult who will
want to slide one of the middle
seats back on its runners to make
room, then space is at a
premium.
And as with all medium-sized
MPVs, the result is barely any
space in what’s left of the boot for
all the stuff the passengers bring.
Still, I had no complaints once we
were underway.
This is partly down to the bril-
liant ride and handling, which
offers a perfect balance of compli-
ance and body control. The
Touran takes whatever the road
those of upper or lower-medium cars
which means competitive leasing rates.
Other costs should not be markedly
higher as many modern SUVs use
advanced technology derived from
similar ʻtraditionalʼ vehicles anyway.
Take the Honda CR-V as an
example. It is a hugely popular choice
as a company car thanks to its generous
interior space, including boot capacity of
955 litres, making it as practical as the
biggest estate cars.
And in BIK tax terms it is highly
throws at it and even the impacts
of potholes are filtered away
before they reach driver and
passengers.
It is also very quiet at speed,
despite the small 1.4-litre petrol
engine working hard in the back-
ground.
The 140bhp unit, which packs a
punch thanks to its supercharger
and turbocharger, coped well with
all seven seats filled, although you
can predictably feel a drop in
performance when carrying five
adults. That may also be why fuel
economy has fallen to 34mpg.
I spoke to another Touran
driver in the company car park to
get her thoughts on the car. She,
too, loved the back seats in her
TDI model, although she wasn’t
sure how long it would be before
the children outgrew the rear-
most ones.
She liked the high seating posi-
tion because she said it managed
to avoid a “mum’s minibus” feel. I
also helped her with the on-board
computer, which offers an “over-
With RVs of around 40% over three
years/60,000 miles, the Honda FR-V
EX diesel offers low whole-life costs
competitive, too. The CR-V 2.2 i-CDTi
manages 43.5mpg on the combined
cycle with CO2 emissions of 173g/km
– comparable with many large estate
cars meaning costs for driver and fleet
manager need not be prohibitive.
In the MPV sector, models such
as the Honda FR-V, with its six seats
and car-like driving experience, offer
drivers the best of both worlds. With
CAP Monitor currently predicting RVs of
around 40% after 3yrs/60,000 miles, it
will perform well on running costs too.
FACT FILE
Price: £18,262
(£20,147 as tested)
Mileage: 3,750
CO2 emissions 176
Company car tax bill (2008)
22% tax-payer: £73 per month
Insurance group: 9
Combined mpg: 38.2
Test mpg: 34.0
CAP Monitor RV: £6,800/37%
Contract hire rate £366
Expenditure to date: Nil
Figures based on three years/60,000 miles
speed” warning that can be set to
sound an alert when the car
reaches a specified speed to avoid
accidental speeding. Unfortu-
nately, hers was set at 20mph and
she thought it was a serious
problem with the car, which meant
she drove into work at 19mph.
A couple of clicks later and it
was sorted, but it’s useful seeing
how modern safety devices can
actually have the opposite effect
for some company car drivers.
For and against the
downsizing debate
hould I be encouraging the
trend among company car
drivers to downsize?
rivers do seem to be moving
out of ʻtraditionalʼ family
saloons and hatchbacks and
into smaller cars. One of the reasons
is that over the years smaller cars
have got bigger, meaning a lower-
medium hatchback often has more
than enough interior space for many
driversʼ needs.
In almost all cases, drivers
choosing to downsize and pick
a smaller model with higher
specification and, perhaps, lower
BIK tax liability should not present
problems. But you need to ensure
their choice is still fit for purpose
and they are not selecting it simply
to save money at the expense of
practicality or the viability of their role.
Allowing drivers to downsize
should also reduce costs and
improve your fleet’s carbon footprint
as smaller cars generally are cleaner
and more economical, especially if
they are diesel.
Produced in association
with Honda Corporate
Sales
 ROAD TEST: PORSCHE CAYENNE V6 TIPTRONIC S

Cayenne takes its THREE RIVALS TO CONSIDER

first green steps  Audi Q7 3.6 FSI

quattro Tiptronic

P11D PRICE
 Mercedes-Benz
ML350 Tiptronic

Unsurprisingly, the Porsche is the Touareg

 VW Touareg
3.6 V6 Tiptronic

£36,182
Improvements to SUV make it more efficient than before most expensive and the Volkswagen ML350
Q7
£37,867
£37,975
is the cheapest, reflecting the level
Cayenne £38,860
of prestige behind the badges.
Interestingly, both models are based Benz and Audi look good value with
on the same chassis. The Mercedes- plenty of kit and a prestige badge.

EMISSIONS AND TAX RATES

All four are taxed at the highest ML350 279g/km/35%
level thanks to their emissions. Most Q7 304g/km/35%
people choose a diesel-engined SUV, Cayenne 310g/km/35%
preferring the extra economy and Touareg 324g/km/35%
better driveability. Company car tax 40% taxpayer in the Volkswagen to
bills range from £422 a month for a £453 a month in the Porsche.

BY JULIAN KIRK
For a relative minnow in the auto-
motive world, Porsche is a
company punching well above its
weight.
It may “only” be a small
sportscar manufacturer, but such
is the level of desirability of its
cars and the efficiency of its
systems that it is the most profit-
able car company in the world,
and it owns a fair chunk of
Volkswagen to boot.
And pushing much of this is the
success of its biggest-selling, and
most controversial, model – the
Cayenne.
Launched four years ago, the
Cayenne was criticised from the
outset for a) being ugly, and b)
not being a proper Porsche
because it is an SUV (and a
Volkswagen one in disguise, no
less) weighing more than two
tonnes.
But like it or not, the Cayenne
has “done a job” for Porsche –
high sales in the US have allowed
the company to fund development
of its core 911 sportscar range.
And Porsche has recently
revised the Cayenne family in an
attempt to make it less ugly and
also more viable in this
environment-focused world.
While a two-tonne-plus petrol-
engined SUV will never be seen
as remotely green, Porsche has
made it more aerodynamic and
average of 21.9mpg in Tiptronic
FACT FILE automatic mode, but at least
things are heading in the right
P11D value
CO2 emissions (g/km)
£38,860
310
direction. And when Porsche
unveils its hybrid Cayenne next
BIK % of P11D in 2008 35%
Graduated VED rate £300 year, things will be better still.
Insurance group 19 But for the moment the V6 is
Combined mpg 21.9 the most affordable and viable
CAP RV (3yr/60k) £17,150/44% Cayenne to run, priced on a par
Monthly lease (3yr/60k) £598 with entry-level models such as
 Porsche badge the Audi Q7 3.6 FSI and Mercedes-
  Strong RV
Equipment level
Benz ML350.
Where the Porsche scores
above them is in driving dynam-
 Thirsty ics. Although it is still a tall SUV,
  Conspicuous
Still no looker
the Cayenne does well to hide its
bulk and provide strong perform-
ance. Although it isn’t in the same
more fuel efficient. The new head- league as the awesome Turbo
lights and revised air intakes version, the 290bhp V6 Cayenne
make the Cayenne more slippery teamed with the Tiptronic trans-
through the air than before, while
in the V6 model on test a new
mission makes for a strong combi-
nation for real-world driving.
3.6-litre direct fuel injection With the Porsche badge on the
engine has been used. This offers front, a strong RV forecast and a
290bhp – 40bhp more than the old decent level of equipment, it
3.2-litre unit – yet is up to 15% makes a strong case for itself if
more fuel efficient. one of your drivers desperately
OK, so it still only returns an wants a petrol-engined SUV.
SMR COST
The Volkswagen, Audi and ppm/60k total
Mercedes-Benz are closely matched Touareg 5.18/£3,108
on service, maintenance and repair Q7 5.23/£3,138
ML350 5.87/£3,522
costs, costing between £3,000 and
Cayenne 6.32/£3,792
£3,500 over 60,000 miles. The
Porsche is well off the pace, despite the Touareg – due to much higher
being mechanically very similar to labour rates at Porsche dealerships.
FUEL COST
With claimed combined fuel ML350 18.22/£10,932
economy of 24.1mpg, the ML350 Q7 19.78/£11,868
leads this sector, and will cost just Cayenne 20.05/£12,030
under £11,000 in petrol over 60,000 Touareg 21.41/£12,846
miles. The Audi is second on trails, returning 20.5mpg. The
22.2mpg, while the Volkswagen Porsche returns a claimed 21.9mpg.
DEPRECIATION COST
The Audi and Porsche have a
significant advantage here, with CAP
Q7
Cayenne
34.95/£20,970
35.85/£21,510
estimating both will retain 44% of Touareg 36.05/£21,630
their cost new after three years/ ML350 37.82/£22,692
60,000 miles. The Mercedes-Benz 40%. The Audi’s low front-end price
and Volkswagen will both retain sees it lose the least cash.
WHOLELIFE COST
The Audi enjoys an almost two Q7 59.96/£35,976
pence-per-mile advantage over the ML350 61.91/£37,146
second-placed Mercedes-Benz. The Cayenne 62.22/£37,332
Touareg 62.64/£37,584
Q7’s main advantage comes in
depreciation, where its high RV and least cash. The Porsche’s high RV
low front-end price see it lose the sees it outperform the Touareg.
VERDICT
In the real world no-one is going to choose any of these cars – instead they
will opt for the diesel versions. But if petrol is a must, the Audi makes a
strong case for itself. It is the cheapest to run and is competitive with the
others on tax bills. The Porsche drives very well for a car of this type and is
worth considering for its badge appeal and strong RV.
 WINNER: Audi Q7 3.6 FSI quattro Tiptronic

www.fleetnews.co.uk 10.01.08 15
DAILY RENTAL: GREEN ISSUES
Cost puts brakes on
green rental growth
Fleets are not willing to pay extra fees involved in renting hybrids and low-carbon cars
BY PHILL TROMANS
Y
ou may have
picked up on the
message that
green is good.
Across the fleet
industry the environment is
more of a concern than ever, and
much is being done to reduce
the impact that business opera-
tions have on the planet.
Within the fleet world, there
have been many high-profile
developments to reduce emis-
sions, from improved journey
planning to more restricted,
greener company car lists.
But the world of daily rental –
a significant part of business
road travel in the UK – is finding
the going tough.
If you look hard enough there
are green options to be found,
but there are economic reasons
why there aren’t more.
The way things are
Historically, most rental cars
have been petrol-powered, but
that’s changing, according to
Tim Anderson, fleet advice
manager at the Energy Saving
Trust.
“There are a lot more diesel
vehicles than ever before, which
is certainly positive.”
Car club StreetCar has 25
diesel-powered Volkswagen Polo
BlueMotions available to hire
around London.
Low-carbon cars have an
obvious benefit in the capital, as
hybrid and alternative-fuel cars
are exempt from the congestion
charge.
StreetCar co-founder Andrew
Valentine says: “There has
always been a desire for green,
fuel-efficient cars but there is no
doubt that this desire is strength-
ening over time as the problems
associated with global warming
become more apparent.
Volkswagen Polo
BlueMotion
“It was a natural evolution to
move towards a fuel efficient
fleet when it became practical.”
Some alternatively-powered
cars are also available, as Tim
Bailey, fleet director of National
and Europcar UK, explains.
“We have a number of Toyota
Prius on our fleet. They are
predominantly in the London
area although there are a few
around the country,” he says.
Roger Grainger, sales director
at Avis, says: “Between 40% and
50% of Avis’s fleet in the UK has
CO2 emissions below 140g/km.
We aim to increase that percent-
age by bringing in more small,
low carbon-emitting diesel cars.
“Alternative technology is also
being trialled. Avis UK has had
20 Toyota Prius hybrid vehicles
on its fleet for six months.”
Why aren’t more green
cars available?
The simple answer is cost.
“It’s great to have the hybrids
and people are constantly asking
for them, but they’re not prepared
to pay,” Tim Bailey says. “They
cost significantly more to buy
and operate.”
National also runs Volkswagen
Polo BlueMotions, but not many
because of the extra expense.
“People expect it as part of the
offering but in reality you have to
pay for it,” Mr Bailey says.
Tim Anderson adds: “Daily
rental is usually where vehicles
which manufacturers need to
move quickly end up. As a result,
they are quite highly discounted.
“With emerging technology,
you don’t get the same level of
discounts so those vehicles look
less attractive to daily rental
companies. Hybrids in particular
have that challenge. A lot of
money has been spent on devel-
oping technologies and manufac-
turers are not going to be overly
keen on offering big discounts.
“As for alternative fuels, there
are already some challenges with
misfuelling and communicating
with customers. People don’t
want to spend ages being told
what fuel to use – they just want
to pick up the keys and go.”
What can be done?
“Investing in some of the tech-
nology may be more bother than
it’s worth, economically, for daily
rental companies,” says Mr
Anderson.
The opportunities in providing
alternative-fuelled vehicles and
advanced technologies are
limited.
“It is right that they have them
in small numbers for customers
that particularly request them.
There is more opportunity to
provide them but it will be
demand led. It has to be fleet led
– the daily rental industry is very
responsive to what customers
want. Pressure from fleet opera-
tors looking to reduce their
emissions and costs will drive
demand.”
Rental firms also have a role
to play.
“The bigger the car hired, the
more profit daily rental compa-
nies make, so staff are incentiv-
ised to upgrade customers,” he
says. “We would generally
recommend downsizing where
possible, which is diametrically
opposite. There is opportunity
for a cultural change on both
sides to act responsibly.
“The daily rental industry has
a lot of work to do in a number
of areas, mainly in vehicles, their
culture towards vehicle size and
their own operation. Delivering
and picking up cars from loca-
tions away from the branch is
very fuel intensive and I’m sure
that could be improved.”
National is looking at group-
ing its cars by CO2 emissions,
but there is no getting around
the cost to rental companies of
newer technology.
www.fleetnews.co.uk 10.01.08 17
Toyota Prius
“These vehicles are at the
cutting edge of technology and
the cost of research and devel-
opment is part of the cost of the
car. There are also not as many
of them,” says Mr Bailey.
“Corporate entities renting
cars need to prepared to pay
more. When that happens,
volume production can step up.
It’s not going to be done by
Government or taxes forcing
people one way or the other.
“It needs to be a conscious
decision from fleets and their
companies. It will mean a short-
term rise in costs, but for the
benefit of the long term.”
There are signs that the
demand is already growing in
certain areas.
Oz Choudhri, UK sales
manager at Enterprise-Rent-A-
Car, says: “Over the last 18
months we have seen a signifi-
cant rise in the demand for
greener fleets among our
customers.
“This growth is expected to
continue.”
 Edited by Adele Barry

Your views, your queries, your chance to get involved Find your
favourite

Workplace red tape

s
FLEET CV
Letters – p23

hitting productivity
Katy Warren
Fleet Duty of care issues mean
administrator company car drivers are
Cancer starting to be mollycoddled
Research UK like children, says Graham
Hurdle.

Describe your fleet.
Our fleet consists of 218
cars, 54 light commercial
vehicles and two fork-lift
trucks. It mostly consists of
Vauxhall Astras and
Movanos.
What is your career
histor y?
I previously worked in
customer services for
NatWest before going
travelling. I then took the
job as senior fleet adminis-
trator at Cancer Research
UK.
What do you enjoy most
about working in fleet?
Solving the daily challenges
that crop up, providing good
customer service and,
importantly, keeping the
drivers happy.
What is your greatest
challenge at work?
Getting drivers to submit
paperwork on time – it is a
constant battle.
What would make your
life easier at work?
Encouraging drivers to
submit mileage forms more
regularly. In the long run
we hope there won’t be the
need for constant chasing of
forms.
Do you have any hobbies?
I play the violin and enjoy
travelling to far-flung places
around the world.
BY EMMA COOPER
Fleet managers are struggling to
hit targets and productivity is
slowing as workplaces are becom-
ing more bureaucratic.
A poll of nearly 1,000 managers
has revealed that the most
common management styles
exhibited in the transport and
logistics sector, including fleet,
were “bureaucratic”, “reactive”
and “authoritarian”.
The findings were released in
the Quality of Working Life report,
from business consortium Simply-
health and the Chartered Manage-
ment Institute (CMI).
Managers also perceived a link
between the company culture and
APPOINTMENTS
Arval’s new Shaw heads Robert Bosch division
sales director Robin Shaw has taken over as divisional director at Robert Bosch’s
aftermarket division, based at Denham, Buckinghamshire. He has
Fiona Hall has replaced Liam
Donnelly as sales director at
Arval UK and will be responsible
for retaining business and
forging new sales relationships.
Ms Hall previously worked as
northern sales director for Lex.
absenteeism, with 45% of respon- Helplines – p25
dents saying sickness rates have
risen in companies with “suspi-
cious” and unapproachable senior
managers.
Jo Causon, director of market-
ing and corporate affairs at the
CMI, said: “The effect of manage- “Is it reasonable to ask
ment styles on performance can ever y driver to fill in a
be marked and have a direct risk assessment form
bearing on the levels of health, before each business
motivation and commitment journey?”
linking employers and staff.
“Improving the sense of well- First car – p27
being, determination and produc-
tivity is no easy task but one that
cannot be ignored.
“Left alone, it will only serve to
reduce morale and lower the Red tape gets in the way of fleet
quality of working life.” managers achieving targets
Symon Moore, of Computer
■ email: fleetnews@emap.com Bookshops, on his first
company car.
Competition – p27
previously held a number of senior roles with aftermarket companies.
Mr Shaw joins Robert Bosch from Federal-Mogul, where he was
managing director of aftermarket.
Wilde joins Zenith board Your chance to win a
£500 Road Angel
Zenith Vehicle Contracts has appointed James Wilde as non-executive Navigator 9000 satellite-
chairman. Mr Wilde will advise the board on business development navigation system.
and strategic planning. He was previously chief executive at Rentokil
Initial.
Job of
the week
Karppinen joins Renault Slough TOYOTA FINANCIAL
Elina Karppinen has been made the new general manager at Renault SERVICES Fleet development
Slough. After working in car sales in Finland, Ms Karppinen took on manager, Midlands/Central, p20
the role of business manager at Renault London West when she
moved to the UK five years ago.

You’ve recently returned to
SETTLING IN the UK from China – how do
working practices differ?
Matthew There is less openness and
Bowden sharing in Shanghai. Key
National fleet
decisions are made by a small
sales manager
Volkswagen UK
number of managers. Power
naps are popular in China – not
many people in Milton Keynes
grab 40 winks at their desk.
What is the biggest change
you have seen in the UK’s
industr y since you returned?
When I left, people were talking
about green issues. Now they’re
doing something about it.
What is the greatest challenge
facing the fleet industr y at
the moment?
Keeping pace with legislation –
whether it’s corporate responsi-
bility, congestion charging,
environmental issues or duty of
care.
How do you plan to develop
fleet sales at Volkswagen?
I’m working with a great team,
and I’m confident Volkswagen
can continue to build strong
relationships with customers.
What piece of technology
could you not live without?
My car.
Do you have any hobbies?
I enjoy playing hockey and
squash.

www.fleetnews.co.uk 10.01.08 19
 Recruitment Call Daniel Bragg: 01733 468271
email: daniel.bragg@emap.com

Sales Executive Niche

Brighter future
Surrey £40K
Sales Executive Volume Bath £40K
Corporate Sales Manager Group South £80K
Account Manager Fleet South £50K
Service Mgr Niche S London £32K
01235 536440 Service Mgr Plant N London £32K
Business Development Mgr Auction House Scotland £50K OTE
www.steele-dixon.co.uk Quarry Fleet Administrator Construction Middle East Tax Free

straight talking : smart thinking : fast acting

COMMERCIAL FINANCE MANAGER

Motor Manufacturer - East Midlands
£35K Basic • £48-50K OTE • Company Car • Pension Scheme • Private Healthcare
Since its inception, our client's name has been synonymous with innovation, design and
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return offer a progressive and rewarding career. You will be required to develop key
internal relationships with 15 franchised dealerships across the East Midlands. Working in
conjunction with each dealership's Corporate Sales teams, you will ensure that each site
achieves the agreed finance penetration targets. Ref. CA4944

NATIONAL SECTOR MANAGER

Leasing Data - UK
£51K OTE uncapped • Company Car • Excellent Flexible Benefits
Your experience of working within, or selling into, the leasing industry will give you the
required experience for this exciting career opportunity. As a major player within the
automotive data market, the various solutions and software they develop allows some of the
UK's largest leasing companies to make business critical decisions. Strategically, you will
personally drive profitable customer relationships with approximately 10 Key FN50 clients.
Secondly, you will manage a field based Key Account Manager and hold responsibility for
the overall sales strategy within your sector. Ref. CA4633

REGIONAL SALES MANAGER

Contract Hire & Leasing - North West
£35K Basic • £65K OTE • Company Car • Pension Scheme
This privately owned leasing operation is fast moving up the FN50. This success has been
achieved in part by an ethos which encourages a flexible approach to business and a
product range that provides an enviable edge over the competition. They now seek an
experienced leasing professional, who can make a significant contribution to driving the
business forward in 2008. In return you can expect an excellent basic salary and a lucrative
open-ended commission package. Ref. CA5001
NORTH SOUTH
Manchester High Wycombe
Marc Bridges/Claire Anderson Will Gardner/Gregg Dampier
0161 601 7766/7760 01494 538866/538855
manchester@dwc.co.uk fleet@dwc.co.uk

daniel williams consultancy

Sales and Marketing Recruitment Specialists
www.dwc.co.uk

FLEET SPECIALISTS - EXCITING NEW OPPORTUNITIES! A L A S TA I R A M E S

Area Sales Manager Truck Rental Key Account Manager Fleet Management always
£30-35k Basic, £45k OTE Essex £35-40k Basic, c.£55k OTE Midlands
A superb role with a market leading commercial vehicle rental business. A A reputable fleet management company who are currently looking to expand the right
combination of account management and new business in this successful region. their account management team. A senior field sales role working closely with a
An understanding of the rental market would be ideal. Ref-11741 handful of their most committed customers. Ref-11748 person
Account Manager LCV Rental Regional Sales Manager Public Sector for the job
£20-23k Basic, + c. £10k OTE South West £32-37k Basic, c.£50k OTE South East
A national rental company with a superb reputation in LCV rental services. A market leading fleet management company who specialise in selling contract
With national depots they are looking for successful B2B sales people, ideally hire to the public sector. Ideally you will have an understanding of the public sector
within the fleet industry - but this is not essential. Ref-11515 but solid contract hire backgrounds will be considered. Ref-11973

Corporate Sales Manager Contract Hire Corporate Account Manager Contract Hire Specialist Search and Selection
£30-38k Basic, £50k uncapped Midlands £30-38k Basic, £50-60k OTE Midlands To view a variety of current positions visit our website www.alastairames.co.uk or ring for details.
One of the UK’s leading contract hire and fleet management service providers. One of the largest and most successful companies in the world. Selling a full Tel 0207 917 1855 Fax 0207 917 1856 alastair@alastairames.co.uk 211 PICCADILLY, LONDON W1V 9LD
Targeting fleet sizes of 75-500 you will be responsible for winning and managing range of fleet management services this is a new business role where you will
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Please contact Chris O’Connor or Rob Pestridge to discuss these and many more exciting nationwide opportunities on
01372 746253/50. Alternatively, email your CV to fleetnews@sterlingsales.co.uk

Please Mention FleetNews

when calling
20 10.01.08 www.fleetnews.co.uk
Recruitment Call Daniel Bragg: 01733 468271 email: daniel.bragg@emap.com

Fleet services Call Dee Kennedy: 01733 468275

email: dee.kennedy@emap.com

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web: www.neattrack.co.uk

To advertise here please call Dee Kennedy on 01733 468275

www.fleetnews.co.uk 10.01.08 21
LETTERS  Email: fleetnews@emap.com. Please include name, job title, company and address
He cannot
be serious
The letter “Hidden danger of
mobile calls” (Fleet News,
December 20) from Len Benson
is nonsense.
Does he seriously think that
anyone taking a call in a tight
situation on a mobile hands-free
kit would allow a caller to
continue yelling “hello, hello,
are you still there, can you hear
me?” without telling the caller
to “shut up, I’m in a tight spot
and need to concentrate”, or
disconnecting the caller by
switching off his/her phone?
Wouldn’t you just ignore the
phone?
Does he use satellite naviga-
tion? I don’t, but I assume that
since these devices have a
screen they are programmed to
display a map which the driver
would look at. Is this not more
dangerous than talking to
someone on the phone?
Should they, too, be banned?
Last week I had a call from
someone who challenged me to
spend two hours of my time in
which he would convince me
that I am wrong about the ability
of drivers who use hands-free
mobile phone kits.
He was an advanced driving
instructor and said consider-
able research has proved that
using any sort of mobile phone,
hands-free or not, in the car is
dangerous.
I agree – hand-held phones
are dangerous and I am as
annoyed as most people about
the idiots who ignore the
current law.
I may or may not go through
with the challenge since it is
obvious to me that the real
reason for accidents is due to
driver inexperience or
incompetence.
FRED MACDONALD
Fleet manager, Wilson
Electrical Distributors
ONLINE POLL
Do you think
electric people
100
trundlers are a good Should the police be doing more
idea? Should we be 80 to get unroadworthy vehicles
able to hop aboard (grey fleet or not) off the road?
motorised pogo 60
sticks to get around
town? If you think 40
so, vote “yes” in the
poll at the Fleet 20 44%
News website: www.
0 in association with Emap Consumer
fleetnews.co.uk
Childish drivers
causing concern
The onus placed on companies is
now so great that company car
drivers are taking less personal
responsibility for their own safety
and their vehicles.
We have reached the stage
where company car drivers are
starting to be mollycoddled like
children.
So much is done for them and
so much responsibility is seen as
being the company’s, that many
do very little to ensure they are
creating a safe environment while
on the road.
We see high numbers of drivers
who have not had eyesight tests,
know how many alcoholic drinks
would mean they are over the
limit the morning after, a number
that do not conduct regular
vehicle safety checks and many
who sit back and wait to be sent
their tax disc by their fleet
manager without giving a second
thought as to whether the car is
taxed or not until it arrives.
Companies need to adopt a
duty of care towards their
employees.
However, there should be a
responsibility for employees to
also show a duty of care towards
their employers, rather than it
Modern policy increases cost of repairs
With reference to the article
“Little protection against big
bills” (Fleet News, December
20), why are cars not fitted with
chrome or metal bumpers as
they were up to the 1970s?
I started work in a garage in
1959 and can remember
damaged bumpers being banged
LAST WEEK’S POLL
56%
YES NO
Company directors face being jailed for their drivers’ shortcomings
being one-way traffic from the
company to its staff. We are
moving towards a situation which
is grossly unfair on the employer,
and will lead to drivers becoming
increasingly nonchalant about
their own responsibilities. For
company directors to potentially
face prison when the driver of the
car could be back on the road
with what is effectively just a very
strong ticking off seems to be
shifting responsibility far too far
away from the true culprit.
The continuous squeeze being
into shape again. Surely this
would be better than the plastic
bumper which damages easily?
Repairing cars is costing a
fortune by always fitting new
parts. A metal bumper would
save damage to the engine and
the chassis.
In this day and age when we
FleetNews
Do we want to see police
officers trundling about on
electric people transporters? It
seems one or two police fleet
managers are not that keen.
When it comes to replacing a
patrol car, it’s not just the
questions around lighting,
brakes, insurance and
registration that holds
trundlers back. The fact that
they look a bit silly won’t help.
put on companies will reach a
point where it no longer has the
desired impact on achieving safer
conditions for their drivers and
other road users, but instead
creates a lazy culture that causes
drivers to become an even greater
danger than before, and compa-
nies writing tighter and tighter
policies and handbooks to protect
themselves from prosecution.
GRAHAM HURDLE
Managing director,
E-Training World
are trying to save the planet, any
sort of machinery should be
repaired where possible.
Fitting new parts all the time
is not always the answer.
S A COTTER
Purchasing department,
Fine-tubes
COMMENT
If they’re not in patrol cars or
on motorcycles, police officers
should be on foot or using
bicycles like the rest of us. A bit
of exercise never hurt anybody.
Before long, everybody
would want an electric people
transporter. Imagine the
shopping centre carnage that
would follow – uninsured
trundlers hurtling out of
control everywhere.
www.fleetnews.co.uk 10.01.08 23
Interface
Care needed
in fleet van
purchases
The article “Fleets advised to
select the right vehicle for the
job” (Fleet News, November
29) has highlighted a point
that should be stressed to all
fleet managers.
Too many fleets buy a
particular van because it is the
cheapest, or has the best sales-
person, or is the one they’ve
always bought. This is particu-
larly prevalent if the fleet has
cars and vans, where often the
latter are an afterthought.
Fleet managers should look
at what they need their vans to
do. Driver input is vital. They
often know better than the
fleet manager what role
commercial vehicles play.
Ensuring your vehicles can
cope with everything you need
them to do is central, espe-
cially if your requirements are
likely to change. Using daily
rental to supplement your core
fleet can also often help with
flexibility, especially if you
have seasonal requirements.
Seemingly insignificant
details, from the height of the
van loading facilities to the
shelving and specialist equip-
ment required inside the
vehicle, need to be understood
and taken into account.
Choosing the wrong van will
result in higher costs at best
and safety and legal issues at
worst. The key is to under-
stand that vans are not like
cars. They are not perks, but
are there solely to do a job.
Making a job easier and
more cost-effective is surely
common sense.
STEVE CRAWSHAW
LCV manager,
LeasePlan UK
FREE GIFT
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courtesy of fleet soft-
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safety specialist
Jaama.
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Media unless you state otherwise.
Fleet services Call Dee Kennedy: 01733 468275 email: dee.kennedy@emap.com

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24 10.01.08 www.fleetnews.co.uk
HELPLINE ■ Do you have a problem with your fleet? email fleetnews@emap.com
ROAD WORKS
Timing roadworks to
cause least disruption
Q I read the recent
helpline on roadworks
(Fleet News, December 13).
Why is weather-sensitive
work, such as resurfacing,
scheduled in the winter when
it is likely to over-run?
A Maintenance work has to be
scheduled throughout the
year across the entire motorway
and trunk road network and we
aim to complete as much weather
sensitive work as possible before
December each year.
However, there are many
factors affecting the pro-
gramming of works, including
demands on road space,
resources, budgets and holiday
periods, so it is inevitable that
some work will have to be
carried out during the winter.
VEHICLE TAXATION
Q The chancellor is
planning to introduce a
lower rate of benefit-in-kind
(BIK) tax of 10%. Will a
vehicle with 120g/km
emissions qualify? Would
this be subject to the 3%
diesel surcharge?
A From April 6, a qualifying
low emission car
(QUALEC) will benefit from
a low percentage of 10% to
determine the BIK charge.
RISK POLICY
A risk assessment would include a form per journey from drivers
Many factors affect roadworks programming
Generally, there are fewer
vehicles on the road between
September and April, which
means a slightly longer working
A QUALEC is a car with a CO2
emissions figure which does not
exceed a statutory limit for the
tax year. The statutory limit is
120g/km for tax years 2008/09
onwards so cars with a CO2
emissions figure of 120g/km or
less will be a QUALEC.
The exact CO2 emissions
figure should be used and the
rounding-down used elsewhere
does not apply when deciding
whether or not a vehicle does
qualify as a low-emission car.
period per shift so, in theory,
work can be completed faster.
During the summer, particu-
larly at weekends, much higher
Adjustments to the 10% rate
for diesel cars will apply to
QUALECs, but there are no
further reductions if the
QUALEC uses alternative fuels.
For example, a diesel vehicle
with a CO2 emissions figure of
120g/km registered on or after
January 1, 2006 would be taxed
at 13%.
There are significant benefits
to the employer where low-
emission company cars are
provided.
Q I want to produce a
road risk policy for our
50-strong fleet of company
car drivers. Should risk
assessments include ever y
journey taken and is it
reasonable to ask ever y
driver to fill in a risk
assessment form before
each business journey?
A The idea of a risk
assessment is an
examination of what, in your
work, could cause harm to
people.
The same rules apply to a
traffic volumes make greater
demands on the network,
reducing the available working
period.
Careful management means
that over-running in winter can
be kept to a minimum. In
addition, modern materials are
far more robust, giving better
performance in cold tempera-
tures.
Even so, there are risks
associated with winter road
working, such as bad weather
and a greater possibility of
accidents because of reduced
hours of daylight. These factors
are taken into account when
deciding whether or not to
proceed with the work.
SPOKESMAN
Highways Agency
Cars registered on or after
April 7 2002, with a CO2
emissions figure of 120g/km or
less, will qualify for 100%
enhanced capital allowances
and are removed from the
special rules that apply to
expensive cars so that capital
allowances and lease rental
deductions are not restricted.
LAURA SENIOR
Employee solutions
manager, Deloitte
fleet risk assessment. If you are
looking to a road risk assess-
ment you would be expecting to
receive a form per journey as
once a week would not be a true
reflection of the data you are
trying to collect.
It’s an additional piece of
paperwork for each driver to fill
out and you are going to collect
a lot of data.
You need to decide if this is
going to be too much informa-
tion to consolidate into a report
to analyse.
Maybe look at a driver
assessment report and tally up
www.fleetnews.co.uk 10.01.08 25
Interface
DRIVER
TRAINING
Q We have never been
sure about where to
start with driver training. I
find it difficult to know which
drivers to select initially. The
budget I’ve been given is not
enough to cope with all
drivers, so how do I select
which ones to start with?
A Since your budget is
limited, ask your insurance
company or broker to send your
last three risk assessment
reports.
Go through these in detail and
make a risk report of your own.
If such a report is not available
then you need to try other
routes.
Try to identify drivers who
have been driving for a number
of years but have received no
further professional driver
training since passing the initial
test.
Hopefully, you will have
records of drivers who have
been prosecuted for speeding
and proof that rising insurance
costs would be a concern.
You may also be able to
identify drivers who are close to
being banned as a result of an
accumulation of penalty points.
After that, use your fuel or
mileage reports to identify high-
mileage drivers who are more at
risk of an accident. These
drivers should be the first on
your list.
JOHN CARTER
Group fleet controller,
John N Dunn Group
various statistics to get a better
picture of your drivers’ habits.
Collate information surround-
ing outstanding accidents,
including who’s at fault, driving
experience, driving licence
history and day-to-day job
environment.
Also look at whether drivers
are travelling up and down the
country meeting strict
deadlines and potentially
breaking speed limits.
DANNY STACEY
Fleet manager,
Circle Britannia
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26 10.01.08 www.fleetnews.co.uk
AND FINALLY...
You couldn’t make it up...
Real-life stories about your fleet’s dimwit drivers
EVENTS
BRAKE FLEET SAFETY
BENCHMARKING SEMINAR
January 16, BT Centre, London.
www.brake.org.uk
RoSPA: MANAGING
OCCUPATIONAL ROAD RISK
January 21, Birmingham.
CORPORATE
MANSLAUGHTER SEMINAR
January 24, Centre Point, London.
www.symposium-events.co.uk
EU ROAD USER CHARGING
CONFERENCE
January 29/30, London.
www.roadusercharging.com
FLEET NEWS EUROPE
CONFERENCE
February 7, Brussels.
www.fneuropeconference.com
BRAKE CRASH PROTECTION/
IN-VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY
February 12, MIRA, Nuneaton.
www.brake.org.uk
FLEET NEWS FORUM
February 19/20, Brighton.
www.fleetnewsforum.co.uk
MY FIRST COMPANY CAR
As a salesman for the fledgling
cable television industry I was
given a 1988 Mini Metro.
Rover was trying to get the
car noticed by rallying it and
produced an MG Turbo perfor-
mance version.
NEWS QUIZ
Win a Road Angel sat-nav
This week readers have the
chance to win a Road Angel
Navigator 9000 satellite-
navigation system worth £500.
The Navigator 9000
combines GPRS and mobile
phone networking to provide
real-time traffic and weather
updates, as well as alerting
drivers to fixed and mobile
speed cameras and accident
hotspots.
Drivers can send and
receive live vehicle locations
and update planned routes on
to the system using their
mobile phone or computer.
The system also has an
improved menu layout and
traffic re-route facility and
allows users to store videos,
music and pictures via the sat-
nav’s new media function.
Find out more at www.
Mine, however, was an
entry-level City model with
dustbin lid wheel trims and a
choice of either the heater or
wipers working – but not
simultaneously.
I was still very proud to have
been given a brand new car,
even if it did have the firm’s
logo splattered all over it.
SYMON MOORE
E.media manager,
Computer Bookshops
Interface
‘
One of our employees was
driving late at night when,
almost home, she had a rather
unfortunate accident, taking
CONTACT US
Fleet News, incorporating Company Car, is
out a front wheel. She called
published by EMAP, Media House, Lynch
Wood, Peterborough PE2 6EA. Phone
01733 468000. Fax 01733 468296. Email
the next morning and claimed
fleetnews@emap.com
that the car had hit a pothole. It
EDITORIAL
was only when the vehicle was EDITOR
recovered that my suspicions Martyn Moore 01733 468024
martyn.moore@emap.com
were aroused. DEPUTY EDITOR
On further questioning, the Julian Kirk 01733 468308
driver produced photographs julian.kirk@emap.com
NEWS EDITOR
taken the morning after. I was Daniel Attwood 01733 468294
astounded to see a smooth road daniel.attwood@emap.com
SECTION EDITOR
surface, with a car-shaped
’
Adele Barry 01733 468901
gouge in the roadside. In adele.barry@emap.com
FEATURES WRITER
reality, she had left the road. Phill Tromans 01733 468314
The bodyshop said it looked phill.tromans@emap.com
REPORTER
as if the car had been rallying. Emma Cooper 01733 468309
Why she showed me the emma.cooper@emap.com
photo remains a mystery. SUPPLEMENTS EDITOR/EVENTS
John Maslen 01733 468307
john.maslen@emap.com
Email stories about your drivers CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Steve Moody
to fleetnews@emap.com steve.moody@emap.com
All entries published will
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remain anonymous. If yours is COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR
chosen you’ll receive £10. Ian Warrington 01733 468583
KEY ACCOUNT DIRECTORS
Andy Smith 01733 468339
Peter Millis 01733 468268
Derek Hunter 01733 468280
Julie Abell 01733 468273
PROJECT MANAGER
Leanne Patterson 01733 468332
TELESALES MANAGER
Penny Care 01733 468375
RECRUITMENT EXECUTIVE
Daniel Bragg 01733 468271
CLASSIFIED EXECUTIVES
roadangelgroup.com  The winner of last week’s Sheryl Graham 01733 468256
For a chance to win, answer competition for an Anycom Dee Kennedy 01733 468275
the following questions, based HCC-250 Bluetooth car kit PRODUCTION
on articles in this week’s Fleet was Alan Copeland, of Watford HEAD OF PUBLISHING
Sandie Hurford 01733 468312
News. Jaguar. sandie.hurford@emap.com
1 Which European city has SENIOR ART EDITOR
Luke Neal 01733 468262
introduced congestion luke.neal@emap.com
charging? PRODUCTION EDITORS
Andrew Ryan 01733 468310
2 What is the andrew.ryan@emap.com
insurance Alan Salt 01733 468267
alan.salt@emap.com
group for the
DIGITAL PRODUCER
Volkswagen Jeremy Bennett 01733 468298
Touran jeremy.bennett@emap.com
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
1.4TSI SE? Colleen Dixon 01733 468306
3 Who is colleen.dixon@emap.com
Arval’s new PUBLISHING
sales MANAGING DIRECTOR
Ed Kenyon 01733 468862
director? ed.kenyon@emap.com
MANAGING DIRECTOR’S PA
Vicky Meadows 01733 468319
Send your answers, with your job title and address, by email* to fleetnews@emap.com with vicky.meadows@emap.com
‘News Quiz’ in the subject line. The closing date is 5pm on Friday (tomorrow), when a winner GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR
will be chosen at random from the correct entries. *By supplying your email address you are Ian Templeton
happy to receive offers via email from Fleet News. We will not pass your information on to
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ROAD TEST © 2008 Emap Automotive ISSN 0953-8526
No part of this magazine may be reproduced
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www.fleetnews.co.uk 10.01.08 27
ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Speedy deal for Transit

F
ord has kicked off
2008 with an order for
300 Transit extended-
frame dropsides from
Merseyside-based Speedy
Hire, the UK’s biggest tool
and equipment hire company,
and a major operator of Ford
commercial vehicles, with a fleet
of more than 1,700.
The company increased in size
to more than 540 depots and
5,000 employees when it took
over the Hewden Tools division of
Hewden Stuart in August.
Speedy Hire fleet director Ian
Leonard said: “We acquired 800
mainly Ford vehicles including
540 Transit 350 MWB dropsides,
60 Transit vans, Connects and
Rangers and 200 cars. The
Transits were smaller than those
we specify normally and the age
of the fleet made it appropriate to
change them all.”
“We’re replacing 300 Transits
now and are likely to take on
around 130 more during the
next 12 months,” he said. The
company is also looking to
replace the other Hewden Tools
vans and cars with new Ford
vehicles.
“We use Transit for a number
of reasons – cost, performance,
useability and driveability,” said
Mr Leonard.
Speedy Hire Transits are
typically 350 EF ‘One Stop’
dropsides, powered by 2.4-litre
Ford Dagenham-built diesel
engines.
The company currently
operates more than 1,200 Transit
dropsides, 150 Transit vans, 204
Transit Connect vans and 150
Ranger pick-ups.
Gordons Ford of Bolton,
which has worked with Speedy
Hire for 17 years, is supplying
the 300 new Transit dropsides
and carrying out 20 special
adaptations to meet demanding
specifications.
These include a unique
bulkhead restraint system, a
bespoke tail-lift that incorporates
two safety gates, tow bars,
parking sensors and Bluetooth
connectivity.
Ford throws
down gauntlet
Ten teams have so far signed up
for the Ford Ranger Great Lakeland
Challenge, which in the past 11 years
has raised more than £1 million to
help disadvantaged children.
Organised by Wooden Spoon,
the charity of British Rugby Union,
it involves teams of three taking on
the highest mountain, longest lake
and steepest passes in the Lake
District. A fourth team member acts
as support driver, in a Ford-loaned
vehicle. The teams have to run or
walk over Scafell Pike (3,208 feet),
canoe the length of Windermere
(10.5 miles) and cycle over Wrynose

Safety star Focus delivers improved

occupant and pedestrian protection
The new 2008 Ford Focus
delivers improved levels of
occupant and pedestrian safety,
helping fleet managers comply
with their duty of care obligation.
It includes a Euro NCAP
five-star safety rating for adult
occupant protection – the highest
rating, shared by Mondeo, S-MAX
and Galaxy.
Focus’s intelligent protection
system also gives excellent child
protection, and ISOFIX child seat
fixings are available as a no-cost
option.
Ford’s electronic stability
programme (ESP) is now
standard across the entire
range, and includes traction
assist and electronic brake assist
(EBA), which increase the overall
safety of the vehicle and its
occupants.
ESP counteracts skidding in
adverse driving conditions and
restores stability during sudden
movements such as swerving.
and Hard Knott Pass (25.5 miles).
Application forms for the May
16 event are available by calling
the Challenge office on 01889
582889 or downloading from www.
The new Focus also benefits spoonchallenges.com
from anti-lock brakes and six
airbags, with additional side
curtain airbags on Focus Style
and above.
A new tyre deflation detection
system is available as a £50
option.
For further information on
any vehicle in the Ford
range please contact the
Ford Business Centre on
08457 23 23 23, email
info@fordfleet.co.uk, or
visit www.fordfleet.co.uk

28 10.01.08 www.fleetnews.co.uk