Letters to Fleet News editor Martyn Moore.

Lots to learn on vehicle disposals

Your article on the lack of auction skills among fleet managers (May 15) is nothing new.

There has always been a relative lack of experience in remarketing, as ‘disposals’ is often a long way down the pecking order in some companies.

And that includes many large, corporate organisations, local authorities and even some leasing companies.

It never ceases to amaze us in our travels around the UK at auction centres just how many company vehicles (cars and vans) are entered in sales with no representation at the sale at all.

This always results in lower prices being achieved, before we even start on price-enhancing issues such as (selective) reconditioning and documentation availability.

Another issue these days concerns the tendering process, adopted by so many local authorities, some utility and other companies.

By simply selecting the cheapest option, they very often ignore the remarketing expertise available or, at best, allocate a small percentage of the overall scoring to ‘expertise’.

Price will always win over experience in such scenarios.

I hasten to add that not all tendering processes work in this way, with some more technically advanced formulas recognising that the overall price includes a cost saving over employing their own remarketing staff.

There are many organisations available that specialise in remarketing of vehicles and plant – it is indeed a pity that many companies owning large fleets of vehicles often ignore the expertise on offer.

DAVE WOODS
Managing director, XBG Fleet Remarketing

Let’s try out a lorry ban

Regarding the story on lorries overtaking (May 22) I have thought for some time that lorry movements should be controlled, starting with a trial banning all lorry journies on bank holidays.

If successful this could be followed up with a total Sunday ban.

This would ease traffic congestion at designated times, reduce our carbon footprint and meet social and working hours for HGV drivers.

Imagine driving on the motorway with all three lanes being used properly by car drivers and no HGVs to encourage the centre lane drivers who turn the motorways into dual carriageways.

Also, reducing the number of foreign vehicles on the road at those times would possibly reduce accidents.

So some of the retail outlets are short of some goods and we may not get everything we need from them on a Sunday, but this is a small price to pay and we may all be happier with the space created on the roads.

It works in other countries, so why not here?

FRANK GINGER
General manager, Sapa Profiles, TDG Chemicals

Photocard licences should be compulsory

Not only do I agree that photocard driving licences should be carried all the time (March 10), but this reinforces the need to carry an identity card, of which part could be set aside for driving history.

All company car drivers should have a photocard licence by the end of 2008.

Fleets should be encouraged to be at the front end of a professional driving force that sets standards and reduces unlawful practices.

LEN MAYNARD
Facilities manager, CDL