The Fuel Card Group has launched a computer-based system for business and private mileage monitoring called MileageCount.

The new, simple-to-use system gives fleet managers an easily managed answer to the annual challenge of meeting stringent HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) mileage recording requirements.

The Fuel Card Group says it suits any size or type of fleet and is offered with three levels of sophistication, MileageCount Plus, Premium and Ultimate. 

Steve Clarke, group marketing manager, said: “If drivers use company vehicles for personal journeys, the taxman wants to know.

“HMRC demands total accuracy and expects evidence to be available. If one in five mileages ends in zero, or business/private mileage splits are not as expected, it could trigger a full business record check.

“At best, that means disruption and wasted time going through the books. At worst, you could face a hefty fine. MileageCount provides a fool-proof answer and that is only the start of its benefits.”

MileageCount Plus enables clear, correct mileage records to be kept, through an easy-use web and mobile application for recording vehicle and driver related information.

The automated process is faster, cheaper and more reliable than paper-based systems and eliminates the need for manual calculations, says The Fuel Card Group.

It allows fair, clear mileage charging and reimbursement and, linked to fuel card data, can deliver notional MPG recording.

Meanwhile, MileageCount Premium allows recording of all journey details, including reasons, and postcodes for mileage calculation.

Event alerts and reminders can be sent to drivers and managers, including vehicle-specific alerts. Vehicle information can be obtained through linkage to the DVLA vehicle database, and full integration with refuelling data is available, regardless of the means of procurement.

Finally, MileageCount Ultimate offers complete fleet management automation, including GPS dongle technology for automatic data collection.

All the driver needs to do is to plug the dongle into the vehicle. At the end of the monitoring period, it is removed and inserted into a computer USB port.

A mileage report is then generated and the driver simply indicates whether each trip is business or private mileage. The whole process takes minutes, not hours, and ensures that all journeys are included and accurately recorded.

Additional MileageCount Ultimate functions include driving licence checking, for duty of care compliance; access to in-vehicle, classroom and web-based training; and service, maintenance, MOT and insurance renewal alerts.

Its comprehensive fleet technical information covers every vehicle, without needing manual data input, ranging from engine numbers to expected fuel consumption.

Clarke concluded: “Whether a firm runs just a couple of cars and wants to avoid the annual HMRC worries, or has a mixed fleet of hundreds of vehicles and wants major management cost-efficiency gains, MileageCount sets a new standard.

“Either way, fleet managers will appreciate the benefits of a reliable, powerful, simple-to-use system. Keeping the user out of the taxman’s sights is essential, but is only the beginning.”