A not-for-profit fleet industry advisory body has been launched to spread best practice, expertise and consultancy services, headed by Geoffrey Bray, the former boss of fleet management firm Fleet Support Group.
The Bristol-based Fleet Industry Advisory Group (FIAG), which begins work on 21 May, will also publish white paper reports on industry-specific topics.
“The traditional fleet manager is now rare, and with their passing companies have lost the knowledge and skill necessary to deliver a cost-effective fleet operation,” said FIAG founder and chairman Bray.
“There is a real need to reintroduce into the fleet management process individuals with a clear understanding and the necessary skill and knowledge to deliver professional fleet management.
“It is extremely important that best practice processes are implemented within fleet. FIAG’s ‘masterclass’ concept will protect investment, improve operational efficiency and safety and, importantly, demonstrate that management is competent and capable,” continued Bray, who previously chaired FSG before it was acquired by American giant ARI and renamed ARI Fleet UK.
The new organisation will be running what it describes as a “launch workshop” relating to vehicle procurement and purchasing best practice.
This will be held at the Arnold Clark Group’s GTG Training Academy in Wolverhampton.
Founding members include Graham Bellman, Travis Perkins’ director of fleet services; Ian Houseley, the Clancy Group’s health safety environment and quality director; Justin Patterson, who oversaw the MITIE Group’s Europe-wide, 7500-strong vehicle fleet; Ged Raymond, fleet manager of Autoglass parent Belron; Freddie Watts, Office Depot’s fleet and transport contracts manager; and the Home Retail Group’s fleet manager Peter Weston.
The group also hopes to tap into fleet supplier expertise, and has brought on board Ian Hill, managing director of vehicle leasing specialist Activa Contracts, and Andy Neale, director of risk management business Automotional.
“Mentoring, workshops, advisory and user groups, supported by white papers, will provide regular opportunities to learn from other organisations how fleet challenges have been identified and overcome.
“It is knowing who to talk to when problems occur that will make managing a fleet and dealing with a variety of challenges easier,” said Graham Bellman.
FIAG membership costs £350, and the organisation is also pledged to raise money for the Hope for Tomorrow charity, which raises funds to build mobile chemotherapy units.
