New data from the Enterprise Travel Direct (ETD) platform shows users have almost completely eradicated their grey fleet travel in favour of cleaner and safer mobility options.

ETD data reveals a 96% decrease in UK grey fleet trips in the 12 months to June 2022, compared to pre-pandemic

Launched by Enterprise Rent-A-Car, ETD is a booking and compliance management platform that allows employees to compare mobility options and find the most cost-effective and accessible mode of transport that complies with their company’s travel policy.

The latest data from the platform shows a 96% decrease in UK business travel trips made in personal ‘grey fleet’ vehicles in the 12 months to June 2022, compared to pre-pandemic levels.

At the same time, Enterprise Car Club bookings via ETD have risen by 133%. Overall, the number of business trips booked on ETD are up 90% on pre-pandemic levels.

The figures show that technologies such as ETD can make a significant impact on grey fleet by guiding employees to local and lower-emission options, such as on-street car clubs, when they are planning a business trip. But it can also help reduce the level of employee commuting, bringing a number of benefits to staff and the business alike.

Enterprise has also reported surging enquiries for grey fleet solutions and mobility expertise, including ETD, from companies wanting to reduce the risk and cost associated with grey fleet, ensure compliance and capture invaluable data on employee business travel habits.

“Business motoring is not just back, it’s increasing fast. Reducing grey fleet is now essential to reducing business cost and risk,” said Enterprise’s director of business mobility UK & Ireland, Paul McCorkell.

“One way that businesses can reduce emissions is to re-think the employee business travel strategy,” McCorkell continued. “Fleet and travel managers are also telling us their employees would prefer not to use their own vehicles for work because of depreciation and increasing motoring and maintenance costs.”

By capturing and analysing data from ETD on employee mobility choices, Enterprise’s account management teams help customers get the right strategy in place to reduce business and employee business travel costs, bringing mobility expertise to identify the best solution.

“The perfect storm of the rising cost of running a private car and businesses wanting to reduce their cost and carbon footprint means companies are looking for ways to provide staff with shared mobility options,” McCorkell concluded.

“Employees are concerned that mileage rates no longer cover the cost of running their own car for work purposes as the price of fuel, parts and maintenance continue to rise. We believe encouraging them into non-grey fleet options is a win-win.”