COMPANIES could be throwing money down the drain if they ignore the benefits of employing a skilled and qualified person to manage their fleet needs, an industry expert has warned. Even outsourcing fleet operations does not mean a company can wash its hands of all responsibility for its vehicles.

Firms must invest in making sure someone is properly trained in fleet management, according to Ross Jackson, chief executive of fleet consultancy Driving Costs Down. 'The fleet manager is an important aspect of business. If you have enough vehicles, you have to have someone who knows about the industry and is trained, as in any other specialist area,' he said. 'Companies which are outsourcing need to look beyond the immediate wage saving from getting rid of their fleet manager.'

The company says the role of the fleet manager, if well trained, will become even more essential with growth in interest in pan-European business and the potential for recession worries to lead to cost cutting among businesses. 'The people who are going to survive are those that can justify the existence of their job and show why they are needed and that they are trained to manage a large proportion of the company's assets,' said Jackson.