We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Business Car website. However, if you would like to, you can change your cookies at any time
The start point for the best source of fleet information |
Increasing pressure on personal finances is creating new potential grey fleet dangers, according to Fleetcheck.
The fleet management software company's managing director Peter Golding said that drivers using their own cars for business were being tempted to cut corners to save money amid the current economic situation.
He said: "Even people on what might be called good incomes are feeling the pinch and looking to make savings. Their car is one place where they may well look to reduce expenditure.
"There are several ways in which they might try to achieve this. One is to postpone routine maintenance, either in the shape of regular servicing or in delaying replacing wear items like tyres and brake pads. Another is that they might reduce their insurance cover to third party only or not bother with the business element of their policy.
"We are already hearing anecdotal feedback that this is happening on some fleets and it is clear that fleet managers need to be extra-vigilant when it comes to the checks that they make on grey fleet drivers and vehicles."
Fleetcheck has previously said that falling company car numbers reported by HMRC likely meant grey fleet numbers were growing, probably as a result of drivers moving out of their fleet cars during successive lockdowns.
Golding said: "Our view in the longer term is that these drivers will be attracted back into the company car fleet by the low-tax opportunity offered through EVs. However, until that point, grey fleet management is going to become a growing challenge for, both in terms of the shortcuts in expenditure that drivers might be tempted to make and there simply being more and older private cars being used on company business.
"It's certainly an area where we are looking to offer increased support to our customer base and we expect other suppliers in the fleet sector to be doing the same. This is going to be one of the big issues of 2023 and beyond for our sector, we believe."
BusinessCar magazine ©2019
Business Car Magazine © 2020 | Business Car is part of NS Media Group.
