Vehicle downtime is becoming a bigger concern for fleets, prompting a range of measures to tackle the issue.

The percentage of fleets saying vehicle unavailability while awaiting repair is a problem has grown by a third

Arval’s 2025 Mobility Observatory Fleet and Mobility Barometer found the percentage of fleets saying vehicle unavailability while awaiting repair was a problem had grown a third – rising to 24% from 18% a year ago.

Arval said downtime had undoubtedly become more prevalent since the pandemic thanks to issues such as a shortage in workshop capacity, a need for more trained technicians, and challenging parts availability – and many fleets apparently think things are getting worse.

The top course of action, cited by 47%, is to base vehicle acquisition, at least in part, on manufacturers able to provide better supply of parts.

John Peters, head of Arval Mobility Observatory in the UK, said: “This is probably a reflection of practical experience, we believe, with fleet managers avoiding car and van makers who have proven unable to provide fast access to parts, something that has a direct impact on vehicle availability.”

Also, four out of 10 fleets (44%) say they are devoting time to managing the service and repair process more closely but the biggest growth area compared to last year is an increased use of daily rental, mentioned by 41% of fleets compared to 34% in 2024.

Peters said: “This is undoubtedly an effective way of resolving low vehicle availability but arguably an expensive option at a time when fleet budgets are under pressure. It could be that for many fleets, it is the only solution available.”

The biggest fall since last year in the Barometer is the percentage of vehicle operators who are keeping vehicles on the road until a repair is possible. At 30%, this shows a fall of 10 points.

Peters said: “Our feeling here is that the general ageing of fleets that has taken place in recent years means driving cars and vans while an issue exists is becoming less and less of a viable option – older vehicles are simply more likely to create serious safety concerns.”

Finally, there has been little change in both businesses choosing to create or maintain a pool fleet in response to downtime (28%) or introducing better service and repair suppliers (28%).

Peters concluded: “Reading these statistics, we see that downtime remains such a prominent issue in the fleet sector. Ensuring vehicles are available is in many ways a very high concern for drivers. Five years after the pandemic, the fact our research suggests this remains a growing difficulty shows how those running fleets still face mounting problems in this area.”