Fleet News Awards 2010: Fleet of the Year

CGG Veritas Services UK has been named Fleet of the Year in the sub-50 vehicles category at the 2010 Fleet News awards.

Facilities officer and car fleet manager Louise Claydon spends around half her time managing CGG Veritas Services’ fleet of 32 cars and 80 grey fleet drivers.
It’s a position both Claydon and CGG take seriously, as shown by their investment in the ICFM Certificate and Diploma training programmes.

The top three issues facing the fleet last year were duty of care, costs and, intriguingly, dealing with offshore drivers employed by CGG’s Houston office in America. It involves a robust licence checking system and online assessment, something that is extended to controlling grey fleet drivers.

Safety underpins much of the fleet policy, with every company car fitted with ABS and ESP in addition to having a Euro NCAP rating of four stars or more. CGG introduced a tiered system for the inclusion of the same safety features for grey fleet cars with the final step, ESP, mandated from the start of the year.

All vehicles, including those on the grey fleet, are also inspected by an independent company once a year.

CGG has a robust fleet management strategy and an exhaustive driver handbook that covers every detail. It is reviewed annually and reissued every two years, keeping the company up-to-date with new legislation, safety developments and best practice.

Judges’ comments
CGG and its car fleet manager Louise Claydon demonstrated their commitment by undertaking a series of formal training programmes funded by the company. She demonstrated a firm grip on all the key issues of her fleet, especially risk management, and has clear targets and a strategy for cost reductions.

Shortlist