Grey fleet drivers continuing to delay maintenance as recession bites, says CFC Solutions

Grey fleet drivers are continuing to delay essential maintenance to their vehicles thanks to the pressures of the recession, says CFC Solutions.

The fleet software market leader first highlighted this issue six months ago but says that the effects of the economic slowdown mean that grey fleet drivers are falling still further behind when it comes to ensuring that their vehicles are in a roadworthy condition.

Neville Briggs, managing director, said: “When the recession began, we started to notice – from feedback from our customers and as an analysis of the data we hold – that many employees were being tempted more than ever to let maintenance standards slip, to put off scheduled servicing for a while, or to delay replacing a worn tyre.

“However, as the economic slump has continued and personal money problems have increased, these problems seem to be becoming worse. Many drivers who initially delayed servicing for a month seem to have decided that they will put it off for as long as they can. The same attitude is even being taken to areas such as tyre safety.”

Briggs explained that this was serious issue – not only did it mean that employees were placing themselves and other road users in potential danger but the new Corporate Manslaughter Act meant that this situation could hit a company and its managers very hard indeed in the event of an accident that involved a fatality.

He said: “At this point in time, it is clear that companies should be taking their grey fleet responsibilities more seriously than ever, inspecting vehicles regularly and checking paperwork such as insurance and MoT certificates – but many managers are fully occupied simply by the day-to-day essentials of keeping their business afloat. “What this means is that there is potential in a considerable number of businesses for serious managerial failure leading to loss of life to take place in exactly the way that the Corporate Manslaughter Act is designed to prosecute. It is very worrying.”

Briggs added that managing grey fleets required a structured approach and that several of CFC’s customers had recently approached the company for help and advice.

He explained: “Firstly, you must put firm rules in place that meet legal guidelines regarding the running of your grey fleet as part of your risk management policy. Then, you need to ensure that these rules are being adhered to in a way that can be audited by the Health and Safety Executive in the event of a serious accident.

“The tasks involved in managing a grey fleet can be difficult and administratively burdensome. At the most basic level, regular vehicle inspections need to be carried and maintenance reminders need to be issued to drivers. Completing these can be made more difficult by driver apathy or even a deliberately obstructive attitude.

“However, over the last few months, a number of our customers have started using CFC fleet software, such as our Fleet Plus solution, to meet these challenges in such a way that the additional workload placed on their organisations is minimised.”