Public sector fleet operators could be at risk of losing thousands of pounds by not paying enough attention to their commercial vehicle fleets.

There is a huge variety of commercial vehicles in the public sector, from high dependency vehicles for NHS trusts to environmental health vehicles with sealed units preventing noxious chemicals reaching the driver.

According to Automotive Leasing, public sector vehicles are outstripping previous generations in their complexity.

As a result, fleet managers need to prepare for issues such as the long lead times between ordering to delivery.

“Public sector fleets need to be able to cope with a wide range of demands,” said Stuart Walker, director of Automotive Leasing, which is part of Leaseplan.

“The vehicles themselves are becoming increasingly bespoke, which means dealing with conversions effectively is a crucial part of a operating a successful and efficient fleet.”

With this increase in more specialised vehicles, vehicle downtime is an increasingly big concern, he said.

“When a highly bespoke vehicle is unavailable for any length of time due to servicing, maintenance or accident repair, it can have a huge impact on any organisation.

“A special care baby unit, for example, has two specialist pool vehicles, the cost of which is spread across the rental of the existing fleet.

"Should significant downtime occur, a like-for-like replacement is available that is fit for purpose and ready for immediate deployment.”