Helen Walne, fleet and business services manager, Ashfield in2Focus: We’re quite strict in our car policy. Of 920 vehicles on our fleet, 710 are Toyota Avensis models. We don’t even allow colour choice.

As turnover in our industry is so high, it’s easier for the car to be reallocated. People are very badge-conscious and always think of what they would look like driving a particular car.

Linda O’Hara, fleet manager, Musgrave Retail Partners GB: We offered drivers the option to choose a lower grade of car and pay them a percentage of the saving. We reduced our CO2 cap from 140g/km to 130g/km and hope to reduce it to 120g/km by the end of this year.

Between 65% and 70% of our cars are already below 120g/km. Drivers have been voting with their pockets. They will look for the lowest emission car, which would also be the most fuel efficient.

Have you used telematics? Were there any challenges and have you seen any benefits?

Steve Haigh, group transport manager, Rhodar: We’ve had telematics in our cars for the past 12 months – the same system that we install in our LCVs. Our drivers are monitored and Safed trained, even the perk drivers.

Giles Margerison, director UKI, TomTom: If you explain to drivers why you’re making the decision the reaction is usually positive. It’s all about risk, safety, fuel and CO2 emissions.

The biggest expenses are people and fuel. In tough economic conditions, what can you do? You can introduce incentives. If you really praise the good guys it will bring the bad boys along and encourage them to do better.

Steve Haigh: With our telematics we had a roundtable meeting with the divisions in the company and explained what we wanted to do and why we were doing it.

We made savings through a reduction in our insurance premiums of 16% and a reduction of 90% in reportable at-fault accidents. People are naturally competitive and want to be in the top 10.

What other measures can be introduced to cut costs?

Rick Stillman: We have speed limiters .

Emma Osborn, business manager road fleet, Network Rail: Introducing speed limiters has been pretty easy. We have a 70mph limit on our vehicles and can justify it for safety reasons.

Lorna McAtear, commercial vehicle manager, E.on: We have used remapping. When vehicles come off the production line they are not optimised for the type of work they end up doing. The engine works better with the driving style and it is low risk.