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Eliminating unexpected vehicle off road (VOR) issues is the target behind adoption of FleetCheck fleet management software by London Borough of Tower Hamlets Council.

The local authority, which operates 350 commercial vehicles including 3.5 tonne vans, refuse trucks, cage tippers and specialised road sweepers, is now using the FleetCheck Professional platform

Saad Mia, fleet co-ordinator, said: “As a council, we oversee a wide range of essential services, from pest control and waste collection to school transport and facilities management. Relying on a specialised fleet of vehicles, we wanted a more cohesive approach across all of these departments to streamline fleet processes and increase their effectiveness.

“Especially, we wanted to reduce or eliminate VOR issues. If a vehicle is unavailable, we often can’t deliver a service, so it’s very important for us to keep the fleet on the road.”

Adopting FleetCheck has allowed Tower Hamlets to take a more thorough and proactive approach to maintenance thanks to real-time scheduling, custom alerts, and cross-team collaboration that has driven higher levels of compliance.

Saad said: “Previously, outdated or difficult-to-access information caused oversight issues, such as missed MOT tests, permit expiration dates and TG99 temporary vehicle prohibitions. These lapses meant operational disruptions and unexpected VOR events.

“Previously, the fleet operations were largely paper based and the main challenge was trying to gather all our information together in a single place and access it quickly. Through FleetCheck, we’ve been able to create a central database for scheduling. Automated alerts have replaced spreadsheets, and the ability to customise and leave notes on the system has been game-changing for us. Currently, our VOR rate is zero, which is a huge step forward.”

The platform is also being used to create efficiencies in a wide range of other areas, he added.

“The software is very simple to use and easy to customise. For example, we have set up customer alerts for parking permits. That was previously carried out on spreadsheets but our handling using the platform is now much more efficient.”

Peter Golding, CEO at FleetCheck, said: “We’re very pleased to be working with Tower Hamlets Council. Our user base includes many local authorities and government bodies, and we were able to quickly gain insight into their fleet needs and deliver on their priorities.”

To explore the full story in detail, read the complete case study.

Fleets should back new calls for the UK government to match EU targets aimed at creating at least one hydrogen filling station for every 120 miles of major road by 2030, FleetCheck says.

The fleet software specialist believes this level of ambition of network expansion is needed if vehicle operators are to maximise the potential of all possible zero emissions fuel choices.

Peter Golding, CEO at FleetCheck, said: “At a hydrogen summit last week, BMW said that they won’t bring their new fuel cell model to the UK because of the lack of infrastructure, and called for the UK to show the same kind of commitment as the EU.

“We’re in a situation where an almost complete absence of infrastructure means we’re in danger of being left behind when it comes to hydrogen, even though there seems to be general agreement among fleets that it has a definite role to play in the future.”

Hydrogen especially appeared to have appeal for commercial vehicle operators, he added, where the adoption of battery electric vehicles was proving slow due to compromises around range and payload.

“It’s widely recognised, for example, that adoption of electric vans is much slower than originally anticipated and, as yet, there are no real answers to the problems that some fleets are experiencing in operational terms.

“There is already a potentially viable zero emissions alternative in the shape of Vauxhall’s new hydrogen van, which offers 250 miles of range and five-minute refuelling. However, unless you can afford to bunker fuel, it’s not a practical proposition owing to the lack of stations.”

UK fleets would benefit from a more balanced government approach that promoted a range of zero emissions fuel options, he added.

“It seems obvious to operators that some fuel choices are more suitable for certain applications but the UK government approach appears to be almost entirely centred on battery electric vehicles, simply because they are available here and now.

“With the recent changes made to the ZEV Mandate providing some more breathing space for the motor industry, one of the potential beneficiaries could be the hydrogen sector, with an investment made in infrastructure. UK fleets should be calling for this to happen.

“The danger is that other manufacturers will come to the same conclusion as BMW, deciding there is little point in bringing their hydrogen models to a country where availability of the fuel is almost non-existent.”

A round of dramatic price cuts by Chinese manufacturers in their domestic market this weekend has raised the possibility of a similar strategy being adopted in the UK, FleetCheck says.

The Financial Times is reporting that BYD has “fired a new salvo in a prolonged price war” by reducing prices of 20 different models by up to 34% with other manufacturers following suit. Share values have fallen as a result.

Peter Golding, CEO at the fleet software specialist, said: “This looks very much like a strategy by BYD to bear reduced margins in order to gain market share and place pressure on the viability of domestic rivals in terms of profitability, and future research and development, something that we highlighted a couple of years.

“The question it raises is, if they and other manufacturers are willing to do this in China, what would be stopping them adopting similar measures in the UK and other markets? BYD are already outselling Tesla in Europe, so they could soon have sufficient market mass that price cuts could cause genuine disruption.

“The EU and US have raised tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles but the UK has resisted following suit. Presumably, such measures could be rapidly adopted in the event of any price war arising here but the temptation to discount by manufacturers with huge capacity and deep pockets must be considerable.”

Peter said that any prospective EV price war would be a double-edged sword for UK fleets.

“On the one hand, everyone wants to see cheaper EVs in the market in order to accelerate adoption but there has been so much disruption in this sector during the last couple of years, especially over residual values, that any disorderly marketing is likely to bring a great deal of fear and uncertainty for vehicle operators.

“What we have seen from the larger Chinese manufacturers so far is a structured approach to entering the UK market, recruiting credible dealer networks and creating impressive parts distribution facilities. Any price war would surely be damaging to the trust created by this kind of hard work?

“What we are seeing lately in the UK are noticeable but relatively controlled EV price reductions over time and this seems to us an approach that is much more in tune with the kind of thinking we see among the fleets with which we work.”

Safeguarding compliance and cutting vehicle off-road (VOR) times are behind a decision by M&Y Construction to adopt FleetCheck fleet management software.

The St Helens-based, family-owned building and maintenance business operates 228 cars and vans, and has progressed from using spreadsheets to FleetCheck’s Professional level system.

Justin Toole, fleet manager, explained: “As our company has grown, it’s been increasingly difficult to manage the fleet using spreadsheets, and we became concerned there was an growing risk of human error and potential oversights.

“We began to look at specialist fleet management solutions and, in terms of our needs, FleetCheck seemed ahead of the curve. Dealing with them has been very straightforward and the move to the new system was fast and seamless.”

Significant improvements were already being seen when it comes to ensuring compliance and reducing VOR, he said.

“These are two key areas for us. Being ISO accredited, we must always be audit-ready, and the software is playing a fundamental role in demonstrating risk mitigation. When the auditors next visit, I’ll be confident because the system makes it easy to review everything and show we’re fully compliant.

“We’ve also taken big steps forward in minimising VOR. Whenever a breakdown occurs, it’s a major issue for us because our engineers have appointments scheduled all day and we don’t want to let customers down. Our accent is now very much on preventative maintenance. If a particular vehicle needs a service every two years or every 15,000 miles, FleetCheck reminds you when it’s due. By doing all the basics right, the number of problems is falling.”

Justin added that the software’s comprehensive reporting suite was proving useful for M&Y’s budgeting and auditing processes, as well as for monthly operations meetings where key information about the fleet could be presented to directors and heads of service.

“We can now generate many kinds of reports, including taxes, MOT tests and driving licences. As a fleet manager, it makes sure that all the information I need is where I need it.”

Peter Golding, CEO at FleetCheck, said: “Compliance and VOR are two areas where we have worked very hard to ensure our software meets and exceeds the needs of a wide variety of fleets, and we’re very pleased to see that it is proving so effective for M&Y.”