Error parsing XSLT file: \xslt\FacebookOpenGraph.xslt Fleets need to change policies on AFVs, says Fleetcheck
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Fleets need to change policies on AFVs, says Fleetcheck

Date: 01 November 2018   |   Author: Rachel Boagey

Fleets need to adopt strict policies to give AFVs "fair chance", says fleet management software company

Fleets need to adopt structured policies matching alternative fuel vehicles to the right purpose in order to give them a "fair chance" to integrate into fleets successfully, says FleetCheck.

The fleet management software specialist says that so far AFV adoption has quite often been haphazard and that some fleets have already become wary of emerging technologies as a result.

Peter Golding, managing director at FleetCheck, said: "We are already seeing this with plug-in hybrids. Some fleets have started using them, often at the behest of drivers looking to minimise taxation, and found that they do not work well in common fleet applications, such as for regular long journeys where electric power is barely used.

"We have even come across instances where plug-ins have been allocated to drivers who do not have driveways at home, so cannot charge the vehicles, which makes little sense at all.

"These possibilities become even more acute with EVs, which remain only suitable for quite specilialised fleet applications at present. There are many, many potential pitfalls."

Fleets needed to create structured policies that enabled them to carefully match driver and vehicle to their job needs and personal circumstances, Peter added, in order to maximise the benefits of AFVs.

"There is a general consensus across the industry that fleets of the near future will contain a mix of diesel, petrol, plug-in hybrid, conventional hybrid and electric vehicles.

"For these strategies to work, vehicles need to be matched to purpose in a strictly exact fashion, otherwise AFVs will not be given a fair chance on fleets and rates of adoption may suffer as a result.

"Even in quite small fleets, it seems to us, written policies will be needed to ensure that this happens in a way that works for fleets. These should include profiling the way in which the vehicle is likely to be used, the driver's circumstances, fuelling and more.

"Of course, where choice lists exist, these profiles should be integrated in a way that is fair and easily understood by employees."

Peter said that FleetCheck were already becoming involved in helping construct policies of this kind for fleets.

"Certainly, we have customers who are taking AFVs seriously but don't want to make mistakes when it comes to adoption. They have been asking us about the best ways to start to integrate them into our fleet.

"This is a consultancy skill that is developing across the industry but one that needs to quite quickly mature in order for everyone to make the most of the advantages that AFVs provide while avoiding obvious issues."



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