September 3, 2024
Sara Davies
Articles
It’s not always easy to find the information you need to know about developing a fleet policy. This article outlines not only how often you should update it but also features handy advice on what to include in your fleet policy and why it is necessary to have one for your business.
What is a Fleet Policy?
Firstly, you might want to clarfiy what a fleet policy actually is. It is sometimes also known as a fleet management policy and is a comprehensive plan which outlines all aspects of your fleet operation. It will need to communicate effectively to all your drivers in all areas of their practice and can include your practices as a fleet manager too.
What Should Be Included in a Fleet Policy?
Any particular opportunities that can help save you and your company money, whilst also improving performance, should be outlined. By setting goals regarding cost savings, vehicle usage, fuel and maintenance efficiency, you can track progress more effectively.
Your company policy for its fleet should cover areas such as:
- What vehicles are available for each employee grade
- Vehicle replacement schedule
- Choice of drivetrain and any CO2 caps
- Duty of care, and health and safety
- Fuel spend and reimbursement
- Driver training and licence checks
- Servicing and maintenance schedules
- Regular vehicle inspections by the driver (VMCs)
- Adherence to transport regulations
How Often Should You Update Your Fleet Management Policy?
We recommend our clients review and update their policies annually or sooner if there are any changes to the business that will affect the policy in the meantime. Every three years, a more comprehensive review is advisable, including looking at what new tech could help you reach your business objectives better and decreasing carbon emissions.
What are the Business Benefits of a Fleet Policy?
Devising a detailed fleet policy will help you execute duty of care to employees, communicate your expectations of drivers, as well as outline the level of vehicle maintenance required, both from them and in the form of formal maintenance and services. It is a place where you can put your fuel and mileage policies in writing. Furthermore, a fleet policy ensures your workforce understands the fleet aims and consolidates your business aims, all together, in one place.
How to Develop a Fleet Management Policy
Fleet policies can be time consuming to put in place but they will benefit your business for years to come and ensure you have met all of the legal responsibilities you need to as a fleet manager. Begin with a full fleet audit and determine your organisation’s needs, your current fleet and the future direction to create a policy that works towards your fleet goals.
Ensure you include both business goals and legal requirements, including duty of care and health and safety requirements, and vehicle maintenance requirements. At Wessex Fleet, we create bespoke fleet management policies for our customers, to provide a fleet management service geared towards specific business requirements.
Alternatively consult our comprehensive range of guides to discover all of the areas you should cover, including risk management, fleet vehicle safety and fleet maintenance.
Why Choose Wessex Fleet for Your Fleet Management Policy?
Here at Wessex Fleet we have decades of experience creating effective fleet management policies for a range of clients, large and small. Our team can determine particular opportunities that can help save you and your company money, whilst also improving performance.
Benefits of choosing Wessex Fleet include:
- Our end-to-end service, from policy creation through to vehicle provision.
- We’ve been managing fleets since 2004 with over 9000+ assets on the road.
- We have strategic relationships with key fleet partners while remaining independent.
- We’re official members of the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association.
- Our dedicated team provide support at every stage.
- We’re specialists in bespoke fleet management.
How Can We Help?
Wessex Fleet can help you fulfil some or all of your fleet management obligations to underpin a comprehensive fleet policy for your business.
The areas we can include are:
1. Accident Management - Wessex Fleet’s accident management programme (AMP) includes a dedicated number available for drivers to call around the clock.
2. Driver Support and Licence Checks - Wessex Fleet can help you shape your fleet strategy, to ensure that every driver is supported, with driver training and license checks at regular intervals.
3. Fleet Administration and Logistics - Save your business time and money by outsourcing your administrative tasks to Wessex Fleet. Our fleet telematics service allows you to keep track of where exactly all your business vehicles are at all times.
4. Fleet Strategy - Wessex Fleet can determine particular opportunities that help save you and your company money, whilst also improving performance.
5. Vehicle Servicing and Maintenance - Our maintenance packages will help ensure your fleet is in excellent condition to save your business time and money.
6. Grey Fleet Management - We can help you establish a policy and will then work with you and your employees to ensure that all drivers and vehicles are compliant.
7. Risk Management - Successful risk management strategies minimise the potential impact of any physical, mental or financial injury to the driver, the company and the general public.
8. Vehicle Acquisition and Disposal - Selecting the right vehicles for your business and the right options at the end of lease are key in ensuring a successful outcome.
9. Duty of Care - We can help you fulfil your duty of care obligations, providing a complete audit trail with minimal paperwork.
10. Fuel Card Management - Not only do fuel cards streamline the administration of managing fuel requirements, they can also save the business money on fuel.
Fleet Policy FAQs
Should Our Drivers Read the Policy?
Yes, it is important that your drivers read and agree to the policy, particularly those sections relevant to them.
What About Grey Fleet Drivers?
Your policy needs to include and be read and agreed by grey fleet drivers, too.
What Are the Next Steps?
Once you have prepared protocols for various fleet management aspects, such as vehicle maintenance and adherence to transport regulations, you need to communicate these to your management team and employees, ensuring support and integration of the policies is attained.
A Fleet Management service such as Wessex Fleet can ensure that all the administrative tasks are managed in one place for you. Alternatively, we offer a wealth of guides and articles to help you on your way.
Enjoyed this article? Read more of our latest blogs below:
- 5 Checks When Returning a Company Car
- 5 Practices of the Best Fleet Managers
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- How Often Should You Be Inspecting Your Fleet
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Or are you looking to understand the company car, fleet management or any other aspect of fleet vehicles? If so, then check out our Guide Pages.