THE fleet industry's two leading organisations could forge closer links in a bid to increase the professionalism of the fleet industry. While ICFM is targeted at individual membership, education and training, the Association of Car Fleet Operators is about representation and lobbying and is focused around corporate membership.

But ACFO chairman Tony Leigh told the ICFM conference: 'We are friends, not rivals and we have two distinct roles but the two organisations are equally compatible.'

With the role of the fleet manager changing, he said: 'Maybe ICFM could look to that changing role and introduce more about other transport issues and communications such as via videoconferencing into their modules.

'We need to change current views among fleet managers that they only manage cars and that issues such as videoconferencing are nothing to do with them,' he said. 'We need to have professionals and we need to provide training for them. Our organisations have common goals which is for the betterment of the fleet industry.

'We need to move forward together to see that we provide the professional person with the support for whatever they are asked to do by their businesses in the future.'