BVRLA membership reached a 20-year high in 2018 as the association scaled up its operations to meet the needs of a growing and increasingly diverse membership.

BVRLA chief executive Gerry Keaney

Representing over 980 organisations with a combined fleet size of over 5 million vehicles, the BVRLA has grown all membership categories, including brokers and associates, and many newcomers have been SMEs.

BVRLA chief executive Gerry Keaney said: “2018 brought unprecedented levels of uncertainty for UK business and as we can expect more of the same in the year ahead, the need for business support has never been greater.

“The BVRLA can really add value, especially for those smaller businesses who may not have access to in-house teams of specialists. We are delighted to be supporting a broader range of businesses and are looking forward to welcoming fleet operators into our new membership category launched this month.”

The expansion came on the back of considerable investment into infrastructure and resource in 2018.

Keaney continued: “We expanded the team, extended the building, increased research, launched a new website and boosted our internal and external expertise. We are already starting to see the impact of this investment. Greater levels of engagement, higher volumes of interactions and increased operational effectiveness are being delivered across all areas of the association.”

The BVRLA said it had seen a step-change last year in the amount of times that the association and its members were invited to participate in, or speak at, meetings and events hosted by ministers, government officials, local authorities and other industry leaders; regarded as evidence that policymakers and influencers are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of the BVRLA and appreciate the value of having them at the table.

The BVRLA kickstarted 2019 by publishing its latest Business Plan outlining three long-term strategic priorities: Business Growth, Brand & Reputation and Future Mobility.

The Business Plan also outlines steps being taken to ensure that the association continues to strengthen industry representation, provide a louder voice of influence, develop deeper industry insight and boast a wider service offering to deliver greater value to members.