We provide support and expertise on Fleet Management, advising on areas including Service, Maintenance & Repair (SMR), Relief Vehicles, Breakdown Cover, Pooled Mileage, Telematics, and Fuel Management as well as compliance issues including Risk Management, Legislation, Taxation, Vehicle Policy Development and Environmental requirements. Our contracts can also include full SMR packages on either a fixed or actual cost basis and we can also provide Accident Management to all clients.
Fleet Management
CBVC manages thousands of vehicles, so we have the expertise and contacts to buy vehicles and services efficiently and cost-effectively. Among the services we can provide are vehicle purchase, manufacturer negotiation, maintenance control, invoice control, fuel management, Excise Duty renewal, disposal and breakdown cover arrangements. We can design a package of services that is as simple or as detailed as your needs demand. We can also provide a complete maintenance service and deal with all the day-to-day administrative matters that always arise in the management of a fleet of vehicles.
Risk Management
Health and Safety Regulations place a duty on employers to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all employees. Businesses with more than five employees must assess the risks their employees are exposed to at work, and examine how these can be reduced. Legally, employers can be held responsible for the safety of employees when they are using vehicles on company business - whether or not the vehicles are owned by the business or by the individual. CBVC can provide advice and guidance, based on many years' experience and knowledge relating to the relevant legislation.
Corporate killing and corporate manslaughter: in recent years the Government has stated its determination to penalise the directors of companies whose employees cause death while driving on company business. Two directors of a haulage company were sent to prison for corporate manslaughter after one of their drivers fells asleep at the wheel of a lorry, leading to the deaths of two people. A new offence of ‘corporate killing’ is also being proposed. At CBVC we can advise on the various steps that can be taken to ensure compliance with the law: including risk assessment, training, vehicle checking and route planning.
Driver training: many employers have come to realise that their drivers need continuing training if they are to be expected to drive safely and look after themselves and other road users. Training can also save you money, with the potential for reduced insurance premiums, lower maintenance bills and better fuel economy. CBVC can provide access to qualified and approved instructors once we have assessed your particular needs and have provided clear recommendations on the training that will suit you best.
Legislation
With so many millions of vehicles on our roads, it is little surprise that more and more new motoring and road traffic laws are coming in all the time. At CBVC we keep abreast of the latest changes, or proposed changes, in the law as they affect the operation of your vehicles. Examples include:
Corporate manslaughter: The government is in consultation about new laws to hold companies and businesses accountable for their employees' or agents' negligence or incompetence. There may be high fines or even prison sentences for those convicted. We can advise you of the action you need to take to comply with the likely new legislation.
Road Traffic Act: numerous new laws have been enacted governing such things as parking, speeding, safe driving (including the use of mobile phones and navigation systems) and the wrong use of bus and taxi lanes. CBVC can provide the necessary expertise to ensure that drivers do not land themselves or their company with a court summons which often results in hours of hassle, a fine, unwelcome media coverage and many other unwanted distractions.
Taxation
Taxation will affect almost every decision you make, and comes in many forms: VAT, income tax, corporation tax and National Insurance contributions. At CBVC we can advise on the best and most efficient ways of managing it, depending on the nature and size of your business. Common issues include:
Corporation tax: What allowances can a business claim? How will vehicle depreciation affect what it has to pay? What are the ‘£3,000 limit’ and the ‘half-the-excess’ rules?
VAT: How much VAT can a business reclaim on vehicles? How can a business use the rules to its advantage? How much VAT is recoverable on motor expenses? How do the rules affect a company that provides its employees with mileage allowances or free fuel?
Income tax: Should I have a company car or run one personally? What are the IR statutory mileage rates and how could they affect a business? What is a P11D?
VED/CO2 Company Car Tax: From April 2002 there has been a fundamental change in the way company cars are taxed to help protect the environment. Cleaner, more efficient cars are rewarded through lower car tax and excise duty. We can help you calculate the savings you could make, and work out the best way to use the new arrangements to your advantage.
These are just some examples of questions that often arise concerning taxation; CBVC have the expertise and experience to ease the problems and make sure the system works to your advantage.
Vehicle Policy Development
Few companies have in place a written policy setting out clearly the rules and expectations under which their vehicles are run. Yet in the event of a court case or employment tribunal, the absence of such a policy could put the company at a considerable disadvantage.
At CBVC we can help you produce a definitive document, understood by everyone in the company, which lists clearly the employer's and employee's respective responsibilities. It could cover such areas as safety, training, procedures in an accident, use of fuel and reimbursement of expenses….in short, the do's and don'ts of using company vehicles.
Environmental requirements
There can be tax and other advantages with vehicles that run on alternative fuels, and they can be kinder to the environment. But there can also be drawbacks. Some of the more common systems are:
Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG): By 2006 there could be nearly 100,000 vehicles on UK roads powered by LPG. It's much cheaper than petrol or diesel, but it achieves fewer MPG, and is still relatively scarce - only about 1,000 filling stations sell it!
Electric power: There are several viable technologies that are being used to power cars and commercial vehicles; the battery life tends to be short, so it's most suitable for short-run delivery use within easy reach of base.
Hydrogen: Many manufacturers believe hydrogen could replace fossil fuels like diesel and petrol within the next 20 years. Several manufacturers have developed prototypes, some of which emit zero CO2 and deliver 80 MPG. Current stumbling blocks include the high cost of the necessary materials and the difficulties associated with refuelling (special tanks are often needed).
Biodiesel: As fuel which is produced from renewable sources such as vegetable or animal oils, it emits no sulphur, and less nitrous oxide than diesel. More than 600 filling stations in Germany sell it, but most users report little difference in performance over conventional diesel. In the UK, duty is 20p per gallon cheaper. However, industry experts disagree about its efficiency and environmental benefits.
Alternative Fuels is an interesting but complex subject, and one which is bound to become even more important over the coming years. By keeping up to date with developments, CBVC can advise on how your company can reduce emissions and save money.