Category : Opinions
Motoring seems to be increasingly erratic, The Insider reckons.
Use of a handheld mobile phone whilst driving will also attract an increased fine, now set at £90 rather than the previous £60. Illegal since 2007, … Read More »
Fleet on fleet – Tracey King at Hydro International
You have other functions to manage as well as fleet. How do you keep control of all of them? I’m the office manager at the Hydro … Read More »
Nissan’s electric shock
Every now and again carmakers launch a car they know will have legs in the fleet sector. Often it's the latest generation of a tried-and-tested favourite, … Read More »
Green’ish
Am I the only person increasingly confused by the conflicting views bandied about on reducing the environmental impact of our company cars? Let’s start with fuel. … Read More »
What I’ve learnt
Comment – What I’ve learnt On running a trade association I had worked for a BVRLA member for many years and thought I had a good … Read More »
On the road: Reaching the limit
My part of the world, Mudfordshire, has long been considered particularly pastoral. Hastily constructed from tweed, self-importance and indeterminate pieces of steam-powered Victorian engineering, the county … Read More »
Interview: Estelle Howick, fleet manager, Pfizer
You are one of a few fleet managers who has also worked as an account manager in a leasing company, so do you have any views on where … Read More »
Cenex puts a cost on carrying
It’s well known that carrying unnecessary weight in a vehicle increases its fuel consumption, but by how much has been debated for some time. At Cenex, … Read More »
Relationship management
The working relationship between dealers and manufacturers can run the gamut from good and bad through to downright ugly. While both sides know the way to … Read More »
Youth policy
Aged 17, I thought I knew everything. When I was 18, I knew I knew everything. The trouble with experience is that you don’t know you … Read More »
In a hole
I’ve just been reading a live traffic report that says: ‘One lane closed due to emergency repairs on the motorway, with traffic queuing over a distance … Read More »
Unlocking the key
LH Please tell me a little bit about your company and the composition of its fleet, including who you lease through. GS We are a service … Read More »
Powered by technology
It was Albert Einstein who famously said that “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them”. Applied to modern-day … Read More »
A little less complication
Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best. Even in these straitened times car manufacturers can find themselves needlessly investing sizeable budgets into winning the hearts and … Read More »
The many ways of reporting mileage
Mileage reporting is in my thoughts this month. Mindful of the fact that HMRC declared an intention to step up their checks on company business records … Read More »
Trials and errors
LH Tell me about the Bracknell Forest Council fleet. DJ The fleet is currently just over 50 vehicles, which are mostly commercial and passenger-carrying vehicles along … Read More »
Running rings
I can’t say that James Douglas reminds me of Brian Clough in any way, but the new head of fleet at Audi thought of the artful … Read More »
Damage limitations
How is your fleet made up? Peverel Services Ltd provides property-related services throughout the UK including property management, letting, security and protection systems as well as … Read More »
Is there a blurred vision on eyesight?
How are your rods and cones faring? The human retina contains two types of photoreceptor cells, known as rods and cones. Cones allow us to see … Read More »
Lip service is not enough
There is a common theme running through chats I’ve had in recent months with bosses of car companies and dealer groups. At some point in the … Read More »
When fleet management isn’t fleet management
I think it was Charles Darwin who believed that species adapt to suit their surroundings and thus survive. I think presently we are seeing a fine … Read More »
Self-registrations and you
A casual look at the new car market appears to show a sector in rude health, having been through the ravages of the recession and now … Read More »
Going spare
It’s those round black things which are vexing me again, or rather the lack of them. In recent years, it has become the trend for many … Read More »
Birthday wishes
Pendragon Contracts is celebrating its 30th birthday this year, having battled through the credit crunch, realigned its business and is now looking to grow its fleet … Read More »
Covering all bases
The new car market has been a tough place to operate for most car brands since the onset of the economic downturn. Old ways of doing … Read More »
Whiskey on wheels
LH What’s the composition of Chivas fleet? TC Chivas Brothers is part of the Pernod Ricard Group, and we produce whisky brands such as Chivas Regal, … Read More »
The downtime dilemma
Recently, Vauxhall loaned us an Ampera for evaluation. And a very good car it is too. It’s also a long time since I drove a car … Read More »
Growing pains?
As most mainstream car manufacturers scrabble about trying to retain market share, Kia Motors (UK) president and CEO Paul Philpott has a different kind of problem: … Read More »
Cream of the crop
One the mostly fiercely contested parts of the fleet market is the premium sector. Here sales have remained strong throughout the recession, with models such as … Read More »
Volvo thinks locally
Volvo has decided it needs to get closer to small business and is using its dealer network and the Daily Telegraph to do so. As a … Read More »