Although the company has the option to charge drivers, each instance is judged on its merits and drivers will be charged only if they are regular offenders.

When Fishwick initially took over the fleet, the choice list was six pages long. Her biggest challenge has been implementing a new, restricted choice list. Drivers can be reluctant to embrace change when they see the car as a benefit.

Communication on the reasons for the new list – principally cost control – was crucial, while the benefits to drivers in terms of lower tax, has seen them all retained on the company car scheme.

MSC’s selection criteria now excludes cars with three doors and those with emissions above 160g/km CO2. They are also set against a budget.

Cars that fit the criteria are reviewed and the list then created.

Spare vehicles from people who have left the company become pool cars which are controlled and managed by Fishwick.

There is no grey fleet – their use was banned a few years ago from a duty of care perspective.

“There is almost always a car here staff can use. It’s risky so we decided to stop grey fleet all together.

"It’s a matter of sticking to your guns and standing your ground when you meet opposition,” says Fishwick.

MSC is not looking to grow the fleet and likes to keep pool cars to a minimum as it has more control over the other vehicles.

A good working relationship with Activa enables Fishwick to concentrate on finding further savings, especially in fuel.

“I think I have prioritised the immediate challenges but need to look at fuel cards and measuring mpg to make our drivers as economical as possible,” she says.

The environment

As well as driving down vehicle emissions, MSC believes it has a responsibility to introduce initiatives in its various buildings and sites where staff work.

It has equipped offices at Ipswich with new energy technology, including automatic lights.

The company also enforces a recycling policy and has its own wind turbine in the car park which generates energy for the buildings.

This could also be used to generate power for electric vehicles, although Fishwick has no plans to look at them just yet.

Fishwick believes drivers will play a key role in reducing emissions over time due to the savings on benefit in kind taxation.

“The drivers have an option to control their own taxable benefit – the 160g/km CO2 cap stops them from going over,” she says.

Safety and SMR costs

The next big challenge for Fishwick concerns mobile phones.

The company is re-launching a campaign to carry out car audits to ensure staff are not using their phones while driving.

“Ultimately we will be looking at not including hands-free in our cars. You are potentially culpable; you tell your drivers not to talk on the phone while driving and then give them the tools to be able to do so,” says Fishwick.

Looking to the future of fleet and the challenges it faces, Fishwick says keeping everyone happy can be a bit of a juggling act.

“We are trying to be environmentally aware and safe, keep costs down and make the company car an attractive benefit but we have drivers that all want different things. It is a huge juggling act,” says Fishwick.

‘You have a duty to drivers’

Managing foreign drivers at MSC can be a real challenge for Nicky Fishwick.

One driver on a foreign licence was recently caught doing 98mph on the motorway. This has resulted in an immediate court date which should result in a fine.

But because the UK is not part of the cross-border enforcement programme, it means that foreign drivers are not subject to the same discipline as UK drivers.

At MSC, foreign drivers have their licences checked and will complete a risk assessment.

In future, Fishwick will also be introducing a mandatory UK driving lesson to be given before handing over keys.

“You have to be so much more responsible and aware now – you have a duty of care to the driver and other road users and you don’t want to find yourselves liable if one of your drivers does have an accident,” says Fishwick.

Fishwick on..

Telematics Telematics is an interesting area. It is something I would look at in the near future but I am still not sure if it is an investment that is worth it for our fleet.

Electric cars Electric cars are not on our radar at the moment. For us, lowering miles and emissions is a primary objective.

Mobile phones We are relaunching a campaign and carrying out audits to ensure drivers are not using phones in the car. Ultimately we will be looking at not including hands-free in our cars.

UK roads Our roads are awful and with the Government cutting expenditure, they will not get better any time soon.