SIX of the most important issues that affect fleets today go under the spotlight at a major industry conference next month.

The Fleet News Hit for Six Conference 2004 will take place at the Quadrangle, Kassam Stadium, in Oxford on Wednesday, September 29.

Mazda is headline sponsor of the event, which will be chaired by British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) director general John Lewis. Sessions covered are:

  • Protecting Your Reputation (sponsored by GE Commercial Finance Fleet Services)
  • Power is Nothing Without Control (sponsored by Mazda Business Partner)
  • The Future of the Company Car
  • Fuelling Growth
  • Protecting Your Assets
  • Skills for Success

    Protecting Your Reputation looks at duty of care in fleet management and includes a presentation by Rob Gifford, executive director at the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety.

    Gifford will explain practical guidance on implementing policies that protect drivers and a company’s reputation.

    Power is Nothing Without Control features two speakers in Susan Beck, national communications manager for the Safety Camera Scheme, and Kevin Molloy, despatch manager at the company Robert Pochin.

    Beck will talk about addressing a driver’s training needs and Molloy will highlight his company’s experiences using telematics, including overcoming installation issues and the benefits achieved.

    The Future of the Company Car includes perspectives from the Inland Revenue and a fleet. Speakers are Carolyn Howes, policy advisor at the Inland Revenue, and Alison Chapman, tax partner at Deloitte.

    Howes will outline findings from the IR’s review of the CO2-based company car tax and confirm what the Government announced for company car and van BIK in the last Budget.

    Chapman will give a fleet perspective, looking at areas such as strategies and different policies.

    Fuelling Growth will hear from Colin Matthews, head of TransportEnergy Programmes, Energy Saving Trust, and Lance Hicks, head of customer relations at Arval PHH.

    Matthews will ask whether the fuel driving company business is the right one and Hicks will outline what works best – fuel cards, pay and reclaim or mileage rates.

    Protecting Your Assets will have Tony Leigh, chairman of the Association of Car Fleet Operators, delivering a presentation on controlling wear and tear and Alan Caunter, senior fleet underwriter at Corinthian Insurance Company, outlining insurance options for fleets.

    Skills for Success will feature a presentation from John Webb, national fleet manager at HM Customs & Excise, and includes a session called Have you got the time?, which will advise on making the most of drivers’ limited hours.

    Webb, under the title Education, Education, Educ-ation, will explain how Customs & Excise implemented a professional training plan, how its problems were overcome and the tangible benefits it has seen.

    Exhibitors signed up for Hit for Six so far include cfc solutions, Elite Incident Management and Platinum Fleet Management.

  • For more details, visit www.hitforsixconference.com or contact Sandra Evitt on 01733 468123 or email luke.clements@emap.com