October 21, 2022
Abby Nuttall
Articles
A key part of fleet management is looking at vehicle usage and managing this. With the focus on reducing emissions and making greener fleet choices car sharing schemes are having a renewed sense of purpose so we wanted to provide you with all the essential info.
What is Car Sharing?
Car sharing is simply where multiple employees travel together in one vehicle rather than each in their own car. This can be in their own car or using a pool car depending on your business needs and drivers’ circumstances.
Car sharing can be done with one person being the sole driver for others or for a group to take turns in driving into the business it is entirely up to your drivers how they want to share it.
You might also find it called carpooling, lift sharing or ride-sharing.
The Business Benefits of Car Sharing
There are a number of great reasons that companies are choosing to set up car sharing and these include:
It reduces the number of cars to be parked at the business premises and so alleviates pressure on your parking infrastructure, especially if it is a shared facility or you have a limited number of spaces. And not only does it reduce the parking demand but it also reduces the number of vehicles on the road and improves congestion around the premises.
It helps your business become more sustainable, reducing your business’ carbon footprint and other emissions. Having a greener footprint can help your business in a number of ways and there are financial benefits as well as the obvious environmental ones. Reduced emissions means improved air quality in the area around your business for your employees and surrounding residents. Fewer cars also means less noise pollution which also helps improve the environment for the people living and working there.
Reducing the number of vehicles parking can reduce your need for as many spaces, and if you rent these then that’s a saving for your business. Alternatively, you may be able to allow other businesses to use the spaces if you own them and this can provide you with an additional income to mitigate the cost of unused parking spaces.
If you provide your employees with company vehicles or fuel then a car sharing scheme can also save you money on these expenses.
Car sharing is a great way for your employees to build relationships outside of the office and can allow employees from different teams to interact when they might not otherwise. Employee engagement is an important part of any business and this is a fairly easy and simple way for you to encourage inter-team connections.
The Benefits of Car Sharing for Drivers
It’s not just the business that can benefit from car sharing but your employees too.
Reduced demand for parking space benefits the drivers as well as the business as it makes parking at the business a less stressful experience for them.
There are a number of studies that show driving in rush hour congestion can have an impact on mental health, as it can be quite a stressful experience. Sharing driving through a car share scheme means that this will reduce the stress for a number of your employees and help improve their quality of life.
Car sharing also has financial benefits. Depending on drivers’ usual method of travel they’ll be able to reduce their spending on fuel and parking or alternative travel, such as public transport.
Some employees will also offer drivers incentives for joining the company car scheme. These can range from providing additional services or a financial benefit. We always recommend drivers speak with their fleet manager to see if there are incentives for car sharing and how they can get these.
Considerations with a Company Car Sharing Scheme
If you are thinking about setting up a car sharing scheme for your business there are four main questions you need to ask yourself:
- How does this fit in with our existing fleet scheme?
- What kind of promotions can you offer drivers to take up the scheme? And how long do you want these to run?
- How feasible is this for your employees to take up?
- What impact might this have on future fleet plans?
The answers to these questions will help determine the type of scheme you will operate and how it will work. They will be different between businesses and may even vary between teams in your company so you may want to operate different schemes between departments or sites.
How to Set Up a Car Sharing Scheme
There are a few different ways that you can run a car share scheme and the way in which you set them up will vary slightly between them.
You can have an open car share scheme which is open to others outside of your business but we don’t recommend this as it can require more management. One way this can work is if you have several businesses in the same building or area and operate a combined scheme.
A closed scheme is one where it is just inside your business for your employers. If you have a particularly large business or are across several sites then you might even reduce this to a particular location or department.
Whether you choose an open or closed scheme this can be informally or formally run. An informal scheme is one that isn’t as organised and is rather arranged by staff themselves and can be easily operated with little input from your fleet management team.
If you want a more formally run scheme then you can set up a scheme that is administered by your fleet team, or through an external third-party software. This is a great option if you have a lot of staff across different departments that might not interact and know that they live close by each other.
It is entirely up to you what type of scheme you want to run and which will be the best for your company and staff.
Wessex Fleet is here to help with your car sharing set up and any other fleet management needs. You can reach our team on 01722 322 888.
How to Promote Car Sharing with Your Drivers
Once you’ve set up a car sharing scheme there are a few different ways that you can encourage drivers to participate in it.
The most important thing you want to do is to promote the scheme so that your employees are aware of it and know how to apply. You can do this through internal bulletins, email campaigns or even physical posters.
You might also want to make sure that your fleet management team knows how the scheme works and the answers to the most commonly asked questions so that they are able to support your drivers when they do ask about the scheme.
Enjoyed this article? Read more of our latest blogs below:
- Answering Your Fleet Driver Questions
- Why You Should Invest in Dash Cams
- Exploring the Challenges of Creating a Greener Fleet
- How to Reduce Your Fleet Downtime
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