We’ve pulled together the pertinent points from the myriad of research done in the fleet industry this month to give you a clearer view of what’s really going on…

Car clubs offer on-demand, easy and convenient employee mobility.

Benefits of car clubs

According to research conducted by Enterprise Rent-A-Car, mobility is the key factor for many fleets turning to car club schemes.

• Of the 268 managers surveyed, 29% put immediate vehicle accessibility with no notice required as the main benefit of such schemes.
• Other key benefits included around-the-clock vehicle availability (24%) and improved employee mobility (22%).
• 17% cited the sustainability and environmental benefits, while just 13% of respondents put cost savings as the most important benefit.
• 18% said reduced administration time was a key consideration, while only
• 6% said corporate liability reduction was a significant factor in their decision-making.

Adrian Bewley at Enterprise Rent-A-Car said the results indicate a fundamental shift from a focus on operational efficiencies.

He added: “Businesses are increasingly looking for employees to travel to and from work without the use of a car. The next question then becomes, how do employers mobilise their workforce when on campus in the most efficient manner?

This is where corporate car clubs, in particular, are proving a great benefit in solving this conundrum. They’ve become the ideal solution for on-demand, easy and convenient employee mobility.”

Source: Enterprise Rent-A-CarMileage claim fraud

More than a third of professionals overclaimed on mileage last year, according to a new report from Allstar Business Solutions.

• The study of 1,000 working professionals also revealed that 17% deliberately overclaimed on all of their business expenses in 2016.
• 25% of respondents admitted to consistently claiming up to 20% extra, potentially costing the UK economy a total of £1.6bn a year.
• When asked why they chose to overclaim, 40% said they don’t feel they get paid enough, while 36% said they do so to make up for money owed from lost receipts.
• 29% simply follow their colleagues lead, while 28% said they felt confident they would, “get away with” defrauding their employer.

Paul Baker at Allstar Business Solutions, commented: “It appears overclaiming is a very big problem for British businesses. Not only is it costing individual companies, it is also having a much bigger impact on our wider economy and people don’t seem to care that it is both dishonest and illegal.”

In response to the findings, Allstar has created a dedicated white paper looking at pay and reclaim, specifically in relation to fuel.

Source: Allstar Business Solutions

High-level executives have the highest proportion of speeding convictions.

Executive speeding convictions

Research conducted by Gocompare.com reveals that high-level executives have the highest proportion of speeding convictions in the UK.

• The insurance firm found that 19% of sales directors surveyed have picked up a speeding conviction in the last five years – more than three times the national average (6%) of all occupations.
• Sales directors are joined by other high level executive professionals including operational directors (18%), managing directors (17%) and chief executives (16%).
• Other occupations exceeding the speed limit, at a higher proportion than average, include police officers (7%), journalists (8%) and ministers of religion (9%).
• The occupations among the least likely to receive speeding convictions are packers (2%), car wash attendants (2%) and playgroup assistants (3%).

Dr Craig Knight, who specialises in the psychology of working environments, commented: “Almost all professions with the highest proportion of speeding penalties are roles that involve longer journeys where speed will be involved. And of course, all the roles within the top 10 are very well paid, even in the context of this study; the job holder can afford higher performance, faster vehicles.”

Source: Gocompare.com Car InsuranceIncrease in road casualties

Latest reported road casualty figures show a rise in the number of killed or seriously injured (KSI casualties) on British roads.

• The DfT quarterly provisional estimates for the year ending September 2016 show that a total of 25,160 people were killed or seriously injured, up 6% from the previous year.
• There were 182,560 casualties of all severities in the year ending September 2016.
• Motor traffic levels rose by 1% compared with the year ending September 2015.
• However, the overall casualty rate per vehicle mile decreased by 5% over the same period.

RAC spokesman Pete Williams, said: “It is very concerning – even against a picture of a 1% rise in traffic levels – that the figures for all road casualties are showing an increase. Sadly, among the worst increases were 10% more car occupants being killed or seriously injured, along with 5% more motorcyclists and 2% more cyclists.

“If there is a silver lining, it is that that all severity casualties are down by 4% and the overall casualty rate per vehicle mile is down, however some of the recent quarterly spikes require some serious attention.”

Source: DfT