POLICE fleet managers have placed software at the heart of their battle to keep costs under control.

Fleet management software plays a core role in monitoring fleet spending and benchmarking against industry standards.

Richard Flint, head of transport at Stratchclyde Police, who uses the Tranman system from RAC Software Solutions, said: 'It is a vital tool to help manage our 1,200-vehicle fleet.'

Steve Botham, fleet and services manager with Wiltshire Police, who also uses a Tranman system, said: 'The system helps to identify trends in both repairs and the associated downtime caused by parts failure. This information is then used to help manufacturers to improve their products.'