A SURVEY of more than 400 fleet managers has shown that the number of fleets promoting fuel-efficient driving has almost doubled in the past year.

Figures from fleet management group Arval show that 13% of fleets promote efficient driving, compared to 7% a year ago. The number of fleets offering diesel-only policies has also almost doubled, surging from 16% in 2003 to 25% in 2004.

Mike Waters, head of market analysis at Arval, said: ‘Fluctuating fuel prices are forcing fleets to investigate different methods of controlling costs and monitoring driver behaviour.

‘In particular, the SME sector appears to be increasingly focused on their costs and is benefiting from the detailed reporting and analysis that is available with web-based systems.’