Steering a fleet – rewarding and challenging

4 min read

In the past few years, the role of the fleet manager has changed significantly.  The array of skills now needed to do the job well lends itself to a diverse mix and style of management. And while life hasn’t been easy lately for those running fleets, the role remains an excellent career choice in an environment where there is a strong recognition that diverse skills, more women, and young people than ever before are all making a huge contribution that will increase in the future.  The journey can be frustrating sometimes, but it’s undoubtedly a rewarding career, regardless of background, age or gender.  

Although many fleet managers see a clear path up the corporate ladder within the company, mainly due to the increasing impact of their role, they are still struggling to make headway internally.  Still understaffed and overworked, they are pulled in every direction.  Fleet management gets more complicated daily; therefore, those running fleets without a fleet manager struggle even more.  Gone are the days of outsourcing to a company to do the basics for you.  If an organisation wants to save money, remain compliant and be prepared for the future, they can do no wrong in employing a dedicated fleet manager.  In short, you can’t outsource proper responsibility.

A speedier transition is needed

Despite the relentless pace of change for fleet managers, we still aren’t moving fast enough.  The industry and all the supporting roles, suppliers, and legislative bodies must move faster.  Quite frankly, with the transition to alternative fuels, you aren't moving fast enough if you have everything under control in your environment.  

Transitioning from early adopters to mass market means that much more must happen quickly. At the same time, plenty of associations and organisational bodies are coming up with great ideas such as “Van Plans” and/or training courses for people, but much more needs to happen.  The time for doing so is now.  We still have too many conferences with people talking theoretically and not helping with the ‘doing’.  I know I can personally “Flip flop” as much as the Government when it comes to my doom and gloom mood or my eternal optimism that things are happening.  So, we will ultimately fail unless we push ourselves to step outside our comfort zones and begin to change, grow, and transform.  Waiting it out simply isn’t an option. 

Areas of focus for 2024

So, what are the focus areas for this year?  Well, lots. We are seeing a huge and continued increase in charging infrastructure, but it is still a long way off the Utopia that many believe they need before they will even personally embark on a change.  While the perfect solutions aren’t there yet, plenty of good is still happening, and we will eventually have a thriving marketplace that gives consumers greater choice, easy payments, accessibility for all, convenience, and affordability.  To achieve this, and this year, we still need action on deploying funding quickly, equalisation of VAT on charging at home versus public, the ability to have more community charging projects and a national kerbside strategy. 

Putting charging infrastructure and investment to one side, plenty of other tax and cost-related measures need to happen quickly to help meet those 2035, 2040 and 2050 targets.  Everything from better labelling of vehicles (WLTP in all seasons and AC/DC up-to charging speeds); simplifying regulations around vehicle weights, MOTs, and licence categories; support for used EV sales; Benefit in Kind rules and the “vehicle available-to-use” needs an overhaul along with sorting out the AER and the Actual Cost Definition for electric vehicle charging reimbursements.  None appear to be included in the political party manifestos I’ve seen.  We haven’t touched on vans, HGVs, niche vehicles, or hydrogen. 

Vans need more support.  The ZEV mandate, love or hate it, is here to stay and has an impact, but it is not all good.  Some OEMs are attempting to pass their responsibility down to the customer and dictating that 10% of their van purchases this year must be zero tailpipe emissions – which would be fine if relevant manufacturers made an operationally efficient vehicle in the first place or took responsibility for fixing problems like the 12v battery issues many fleets have been experiencing.  So, where are these OEMs? Where are these bosses to talk to us?  Once upon a time, having a dedicated UK fleet boss and dedicated commercial vehicle teams was standard practice.  These individuals drove the business and built customer relationships, but they no longer seem to exist.  On a positive note, a few OEMs have remained proactive in this space even through the pandemic, and some that fell short have started engaging and promising to improve things and address the challenges fleets have.  And, of course, many new Chinese manufacturers are entering the field of play and asking fleets, “How can we help you?”  

Fleet managers face many obstacles.  But it’s important to remember that one challenge has been overcome: our industry needs to do its utmost to help others who have yet to take the necessary steps.