Fleet World Workshop Tools
Car Tax Calculator
CO2 Calculator
Van Tax Calculator
BiK Rates Company Car Tax

Fleets should prioritise driver education as much as vehicle selection, finds CVO

By / 11 years ago / Latest News / No Comments

The annual fleet barometer, supported by the vehicle leasing and fleet management company, includes more than 4,800 interviews with fleet decision makers across 16 countries. The UK results show that 31% of companies with 100 or more employees are doing nothing to address driver behaviour, nor are 62% of companies with less than 100 employees. 

Mike Waters, senior insight & consultancy manager at Arval, said: ‘There’s no doubt the way that drivers operate a vehicle has a huge impact on mpg performance, emissions, safety and the cost of operation. Fleets really should put as much thought into educating and managing their drivers as they do into vehicle selection if they want to optimise fleet performance.’

The driver can impact the Total Cost of Vehicle Ownership (TCO) in a number of ways:

  • Inefficient drivers will use more fuel
  • They are likely to accelerate the wear and tear process leading to an increase in scheduled and unscheduled maintenance.
  • They are more likely to be driving aggressively and at higher speeds increasing the chances that they will be involved in accidents 

Plus outside of cost considerations, there are other impacts that must be recognised. Things like company reputation and employee wellbeing which don’t necessarily fall within the TCO calculation but have a direct impact on the business none the less. 

Tracey Scarr, CSR manager at Arval, said: ‘Inefficient drivers tend to drive at higher speeds, they tend to accelerate and brake aggressively and they often take risks on the roads. It is only through ongoing education and training that you can influence behaviour but an effective programme can result in significant and sustainable cost savings.’ 

For more of the latest industry news, click here.

Natalie Middleton

Natalie has worked as a fleet journalist for over 20 years, previously as assistant editor on the former Company Car magazine before joining Fleet World in 2006. Prior to this, she worked on a range of B2B titles, including Insurance Age and Insurance Day.