Letters to Fleet News’ editor Martyn Moore.

SAFED can help reduce fuel bills

You featured the government announcement that new motorists are now being advised on how they can improve their fuel efficiency and reduce their fuel costs in a campaign to promote smarter driving (September 18).

The government has increased funding for the Sustainable Distribution Fund to help the freight industry in this area.

The government is already committed to improving the UK’s fuel efficiency record. Businesses with van fleets can already take advantage of these techniques through the Department for Transport-supported SAFED (Safe And Fuel Efficient Driving) driver development programme.

SAFED is a driver-development programme aimed at improving safe and fuel-efficient driving techniques. SAFED has been seen to achieve a significant reduction in fuel consumption – an average 16% saving on the training day.

SAFED training is currently available for light commercial vehicle (LCV) drivers, aggregates vehicle drivers and heavy goods vehicle drivers with part-funding available from the government for LCVs and aggregates drivers.

To find out more about how business benefits can be gained from SAFED training visit www.safed.org.uk or call the helpline on 0870 190 8440

TONIA SMRECZAK
Marketing manager, SAFED for Vans

Daily rental – still room for savings

Regarding your front page story (September 4), the premise of the article is that daily rental expenditure is due to rise over the next 12 months and that a number of senior people at traditional car hire providers are in agreement.

In my view, however, this is only a fraction of the true problem.

It is possible to drive clients’ daily rental expenditure down consistently over a number of years and continue to provide a premium service to corporate customers who demand a high-quality, managed solution.

Using a platform of suppliers enables leasing companies to make decisions based on the most effective route to market for its customers.

This, along with bespoke and detailed implementation plans, can drive down average daily expenditures and rental lengths for corporate rental buyers.

The decline in residual values has adversely affected the cost base for some daily rental companies but an innovative, managed approach can mitigate this increase and also deliver excellent savings.

JAMES MALLIFF
Rental sales and operations manager, Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions

Tenders can offer a real solution

As a fairly new fleet/facilities manager about to go to tender for the first time I was quite shocked to read your article (September 18) about the process being pointless (but I was equally delighted to see the supplement ‘How to Tender’ drop into my lap).

Though new to fleet, I’ve been around the business block, as it were.

And I know from experience that tendering is often the
right and only way to go, and for good reason.

If companies are awarding tenders to the lowest bidder, or a pre-ordained favourite, then I agree that the process is
worthless.

However, I know very little about fleet, and there are a lot of service providers out there.

For me, the only place to start is by going out to the industry and trying to find a solution that fits our fleet.

As a manager of people as well as assets I’d like to think that I won’t be blinded by the prospect of short-term commercial savings.

If, after a lengthy tendering process you end up with a cheap and cheerful deal that, in reality, leaves your drivers high and dry, then more fool you.

NOVICE
Name and address supplied