FLEETS which operate a 'pay and reclaim' expense system could see their corporate fuel bills rise by 17.5%, after the European Commission decided to challenge these systems at the European Court of Justice.

SLEEPY drivers could be responsible for 300 deaths on Britain's roads every year, fleets will be warned in a £750,000 safety campaign.

VOLKSWAGEN Group plans to make the process of implementing pan-European deals easier by producing an international agreement to cover all countries and financial and leasing arrangements.

WELL-known fleet industry figure David Voss has been appointed chairman of Provecta Car Plan, the growing provider of structured employee car ownership (ECO) schemes.

COMPANY car and van drivers should undergo an annual assessment of their driving capability but should not be subjected to a one-off compulsory advanced driving test, risk management solutions company Risk Answers has advised.

COMPANY car drivers behind the wheel of an Audi who suffer a mechanical breakdown could be rescued by a dedicated Audi breakdown service in the near future.

BMW has introduced a new entry-level 3-series, boasting carbon dioxide emissions of 172g/km to qualify for the 16% of list price band under the new company car tax system.

NATIONAL DIY chain B&Q has signed a two-year supply deal with Fleet News Award-winning rental firm Hertz to provide its home delivery fleet.

Fleet managers will be given an insight from the experts on the latest developments in the fleet industry at Fleet News Drive, including changes to VAT rules, Block Exemption, Government transport policies plus the influence the new emissions-based tax system will have on fleet choices.

A new internet service for corporate vendors and professional dealers has been created with the aim of selling Europe's best used cars on the web. BCA Direct will initially operate in the UK before being rolled out to the rest of Europe.

General Motors Acceptance Corporation (GMAC), the financial services subsidiary of General Motors, has named Neil Buckley as vice-president and chief information officer.

The Fleet News Europe Tax Guide 2002, once again sponsored by LeasePlan and in association with global professional services company PricewaterhouseCoopers, aims to guide fleet executives through the myriad technicalities that govern the taxation of cars in Europe.

Ford has presented its electric-powered TH!NK vehicle as a 'exciting new opportunity in fleet transportation'.

Volvo's president and chief executive officer, Hans-Olov Olsson, has predicted a bright 2002 for the Swedish manufacturer - and believes its new range of diesel engines will help boost European sales.

FORECASTS of some of the worst falls in car residual values for a decade should prompt organisations to conduct a complete financial overhaul of their fleets to avoid major depreciation losses.

NATIONAL charity Scope has awarded the contract to manage its 450-vehicle fleet to Venson Group.

General Motors Acceptance Corporation plans to target pan-European fleets as part of a major European expansion programme.

FLEET leasing company Masterlease has appointed Bob Rider as European remarketing director to develop its end of contract business.

THE Renault Vel Satis will go on sale in the UK on April 12 priced from £20,730 to £30,255 on-the-road.

THE final whistle has blown in the Fleet News/ATS Euromaster Rugby Challenge, and the champs and chumps can put away their boots for another season.

An efficient fleet with concern for the environment helped Keith Filby, group services manager of Sainsbury Supermarkets, win the BP-sponsored Fleet Environmental Initiative Award at the Fleet News Awards. John Maslen reports.

THE tyres drivers choose can have a dramatic effect on fuel efficiency and vehicle running costs, potentially saving fleets hundreds of thousands of pounds.

AN East London-based catering firm has saved £30,000 a year by investing in vehicle tracking.

FLEETS decision-makers must follow 10 steps to success if they are to introduce effective travel plans and encourage staff to use alternative transport, according to the green motoring Motorvate project.

NEWCASTLE City Council is taking delivery of 82 Citroen Berlingo vans and four Berlingo Multispace cars in a multi-million pound deal.

The Audi A2 1.2 TDI returns nearly 100mpg and is one of the cleanest vehicles produced by any manufacturer, yet Government tax policy means drivers would be heavily penalised if they chose it as their company car. Simon Harris reports.

With employees demanding ever-more flexible working patterns and reward packages, does the company car still offer enough desirability to be a recruitment clincher? Steve Moody reports.

Fleet, contract hire and workshop management solutions provider CFC Solutions, formerly Car Fleet Control, is celebrating its most successful year for fleet software sales in Europe.

The German fleet sector is set to play a pivotal role in Ford's plans for the development of a mass-produced hydrogen fuel cell vehicle.

Mitsubishi Motors Europe (MME) has taken over the distribution of its vehicles in Germany from current distributor MMC Auto Deutschland.