New ways of disseminating the work of the Association of Fleet Professionals’ (AFP) seven committees are to be adopted with the aim of creating more output that will be useful to members and potentially reach a wider influence.
Paul Hollick, chair at the AFP, explained: “Our committees undertake a lot of excellent work in terms of discussions on how to handle new challenges and spread best practice, and much has been achieved by them since the creation of the AFP in 2020. These members, who give their time freely, deserve a significant amount of credit.
“However, there is a feeling across the committees that we need to find ways of turning those useful dialogues into documents and actions that can be used by members as part of their fleet strategies and have a wider impact on vehicle operator thinking, right up to government level.
“What we are planning, over time, is to adopt a range of methods that will allow more dissemination of their work. That means increasingly frequent creation of white papers, short guides, and policy statements, as well as a range of objective-based projects that provide new options and guidance for fleets.”
There will also be some changes to the AFP’s committee structures. While the Mega Fleets; Risk and Compliance; Future Mobility; Diversity and Leadership; and Shared Charging groups will all continue as before, the Electric Vehicle, Low Carbon and Alternative Fuels committee will now be called Decarbonisation; and Light Commercial Vehicles will become simply Commercial Vehicles. The latter alteration has been made in recognition of the fact that some fleet operators want to discuss topics affecting commercial vehicles above 3.5 tonnes.
Additionally, changes are planned that affect how the committees operate, with a core group of fleet managers sitting permanently on each and, except for Mega Fleets, other AFP fleet operator members free to take part as they wish.
Paul said: “We believe this will create a more fluid approach that will encourage more inclusive discussions across the committees and allow more fleet managers to make their voices heard within the AFP.”
He pointed to the Shared Charging committee as a good example of what can be achieved in terms of AFP projects. “We launched this committee at the start of the year and within a few months, we are looking to launch a platform that allows fleets with excess charging capacity to offer it online to fleets that need access to chargers. It’s an exciting development that has genuine utility for electric vehicle operators.
“Not all AFP committees have such a direct remit as shared charging, which was formed to assess the viability of a project of this kind, and it wouldn’t be appropriate for them to all work in the same way. However, there’s certainly further scope to create a greater connect between the expertise of the committees and it impact on a wider audience, we believe.”
More details about the AFP’s committees and their activities can be obtained by contacting [email protected].
A new consultancy service called AFP Fleet Intelligence is set to be launched by the Association of Fleet Professionals later this year.
It is being introduced to meet growing demand for fleet expertise and enable AFP members to make greater commercial use of their skills, explained Paul Hollick, chair at the professional body.
He said: “We’re approached regularly by various parties who are looking for expert fleet input, whether that means a small business that needs a couple of hours of advice about selling new EV solutions to corporate fleets, or a dealer group or major manufacturer who want to set up or adapt an entire corporate fleet programme.
“In the past, we’ve handled this on an informal basis but AFP Fleet Intelligence is designed to create a more structured approach that will enable those needing fleet knowledge to find the right consultant and for AFP members to monetise their abilities and experience more easily.”
The project will take the form of a microsite linked to www.theafp.co.uk where participating fleet operator members can list their professional biographies, experience and skills.
Paul said: “This is a new industry service that promotes the abilities of fleet professionals while helping support everyone from start-ups to existing suppliers with their strategies and products. By sharing knowledge, it has the potential to fundamentally improve the landscape of the fleet industry in the short, medium and long-term.”
The AFP Fleet Intelligence microsite is under construction, Paul said, and should be online in the fourth quarter of this year.
“Really, for the first time, this positions the AFP as a provider of fleet expertise rather than a supporting body to fleet professionals. However, it is a natural extention of our activities, we believe, helping matchmake people who need fleet skills and members who are able to provide them.”
The Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP) is ready to commission an online platform that allows fleets to share their electric vehicle (EV) charging facilities with other businesses.
The move follows extensive work by the organisation’s shared charging committee, which was launched at the start of this year and features representation from The AA, Alliance Healthcare, Auditel, IFC Group, National Grid and Royal Mail.
Paul Hollick, chair at the AFP, said: “The committee has made rapid progress since the start of this year, which is an indication of the enthusiasm that exists for this idea. We’re now in a position where there is a two-pronged strategy being adopted.
“To kick things off, we’re looking to provide an online matchmaking service that will link fleets that have spare charging capacity at their premises with others who need charging in those areas. Once we’ve created an introduction, those businesses will make their own commercial arrangements, although we are here to offer advice if needed.
“The next step will be to commission an online platform that will enable a more structured approach. Fleets that have charging facilities to spare will register and then those that need charging will be able to search and book. It should also set prices and payment terms.
“If we can make the platform work, it should be quite a substantial boost for fleet EV charging. While it is not a universal solution – the provision of spare charging is probably not going to be evenly distributed across the country – it should provide a useful option for fleets beyond home charging, their own workplace charging, and pay-on-use public chargers.”
Paul said that there was general acceptance within the EV committee that charging needed to be priced at a maximum of 40 pence per kWh in order to make shared charging viable.
“We need the price to be low enough that it is attractive to fleet users and high enough that it provides a worthwhile margin for charging providers. Pricing is the crux to wider adoption of this idea and we believe that this is the sweet spot.”
He added that the discussions undertaken by the committee had been about not just identifying charging providers and customers, and linking them, but also how to gain access to charging sites, health and safety considerations, measuring charging use, and potential payment mechanisms.
“There are a whole host of issues to consider that need to be resolved for shared charging to work on individual sites. We need it to be safe and easy for van and car drivers to pop in, top up their charging, and continue their journey.”
Research undertaken by the AFP last October showed almost six out of 10 van fleets (58%) would consider sharing their depot or public charging infrastructure with others to make electrification more practical.
The shared charging committee can be contacted at [email protected] and is keen to hear from both potential charging providers and users.
A reworked agreement designed to set an industrywide fleet vehicle delivery standard for dealers is being launched by the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP) this week.
The original Dealer Standard was created in April, 2022, and motor retailers including Marshall Motor Group, Inchcape, Sytner, William Morgan Group and Walton Audi have since signed up. Now, Richard Baird, company secretary and director at the AFP, explained the document had been revised with the aim of both promoting wider commitment and taking account of evolving car and van technology.
“We’ve seen a strong response to the Standard over the last couple of years from many parts of the dealer community who recognise the importance of ensuring consistently high service levels when it comes to dealer vehicle handovers to fleet drivers. It’s been very encouraging.
“However, our members continue to report widely varying and sometimes poor experiences from some dealers who have not committed to the agreement so we want to use this moment, with the reworking of the document, to repromote the initiative.
“Our aim is to both encourage more manufacturers and dealers to join and also to create a position where fleets insist their suppliers adhere to the Standard. Really, it should become an industry default.”
The revised Dealer Standard has grown from 28 to 34 points, and has been created with the input of fleets, dealers and manufacturers, AFP director Julie Summerell said.
“The Dealer Standard is quite simple in its intent – to ensure the vehicle is delivered in excellent condition to the fleet end user, who is shown the fundamentals of how it works and treated courteously – and that remains the core of the reworked document.
“However, we’ve especially worked to tackle issues around increasingly sophisticated in-vehicle technology and growing adoption of electric vehicles. Dealers should carry out proper familiarisations. This is especially the case where drivers are moving from a petrol or diesel vehicle to a plug-in hybrid or full battery electric vehicle for the first time. They need to feel confident about factors such as understanding vehicle range and carrying out charging.”
Denise Lane, head of fleet at Euro Car Parts and an AFP director said that joining the Standard could help dealers avoid annoying delivery problems and increase their chances of winning business from major fleet customers.
“We regularly hear of vehicles delivered dirty or with damage, with limited or even no documentation, and the driver clearly being keen to get away and catch a train as soon as possible. This isn’t acceptable. Also, as previously reported by the AFP, there is some evidence that the agency model has made the situation worse.
“By becoming part of the Standard, dealers can gain a much better understanding of what fleets are looking for when it comes to vehicle delivery and create momentum within their organisations to ensure that these expectations are met. They’ll have happier customers.”
Webinars and other events will be held by the AFP to promote the new version of the Standard and the AFP was also examining the fee structure charged to dealers to take part in the initiative, AFP director James Pestell added.
“Our intention with the initiative is not to generate revenue for the AFP but to promote better delivery standards, and we are investigating a new fee structure that could make it easier for dealers to join. We’ll be announcing more details soon.”
Further information about the Dealer Standard can be found at www.theafp.co.uk/afp-dealer-standard/.
AFP Dealer Standard 2024
What is the reason behind the AFP Dealer Standard?
The AFP Dealer Standard has been created to give fleet operators the confidence that drivers will receive a comprehensive and safe handover of new vehicles.
Cars and vans are becoming ever more complex and fitted with increasingly sophisticated equipment. This means that both the pre-delivery inspection (PDI) and driver handover of a new vehicle are becoming ever more critical.
The days when a driver could sit in a vehicle and familiarise themselves with all of its functions within a couple of minutes are long gone.
Safety, infotainment and other systems are often wide-ranging and complex, and require detailed and expert explanation.
In addition, drivers are taking delivery of their first electric vehicle (EV) and need more information and help, adding further layers of complexity.
The AFP Dealer Standard should be adopted by all corporate fleet dealers to support fleets and to promote best practice and as a benchmark for consistency of vehicle delivery.
What does the AFP Dealer Standard Include?
The standard consists of extensive checklists covering both PDI and driver handover. They are designed to ensure that the vehicle is delivered in excellent condition and that the driver is treated courteously and provided with an extensive understanding of its functions, especially when it comes to safety.
Pre-delivery standards
Operational handover standards – The Vehicle
The vehicle should be supplied with:
Operational handover standards – The Delivery Driver
Operational handover standards – The Handover
How do we ensure that dealer standards are maintained ?
A national network of training venues has been set up by the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP) to meet rising demand from fleet managers.
The number of people who have taken courses this year at the body’s AFP Academy training arm has increased by 29% and Paul Hollick, chair, said more locations were needed to cope.
“In the past, we’ve been able to book venues to hold our in-person courses on a fairly informal basis but the increased number of training sessions we are now running across the UK means that finding appropriate facilities has become trickier.
“A more structured approach is needed and we have identified a number of AFP corporate members around the UK which have the space and are happy to become involved. They will form the core of our new, official network of AFP training venues and provide the capacity that we need to continue to expand in this important area of activity.”
Paul said that there had been noticeably higher interest in training immediately following the pandemic and that numbers continued to rise.
“When people were sitting at home avoiding Covid, it made sense that they had time to spend on honing and improving their skills. However, even now things have largely returned to normal, they are continuing to look for further training.
“Much of this is due to the fact that working in fleet at this moment in time is especially challenging and fleet managers are looking to become better equipped to handle a whole range of issues, notably electrification.”
He explained that among the most successful courses in 2024 had been a new half-day session on electric vehicle management.
“This very much appears to have hit a sweet spot and interest from fleet managers has been high but we are also seeing high demand for other courses, such as those introduced to help fleet managers, especially women, make their voices heard within their corporate environments, alongside our established four-tier core fleet skills courses.
“To meet rising demand, we’ve also added some excellent new trainers to the AFP Fleet Academy who will be known to many in the sector – Matt Dale, Paul Miers, Matt Neale and Derek Thornton – and will soon be issuing our 2025 training calendar. Training places for 2024 are almost booked up, so we’d advise fleet managers who are interested in enhancing their skills to book next year’s courses as soon as possible.”
Further details on the AFP Fleet Academy and its courses can be found at https://www.theafp.co.uk/education-training/.
The increasing number of older vehicles being operated by fleets means manufacturers are increasingly refusing longer-term, out-of-warranty claims, the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP) is reporting.
The organisation says that with vans especially now being operated into six, seven and eight years, a range of claims issues are emerging that are creating intensive debate between manufacturers and fleets.
Paul Hollick, APF chair, said: “In the wake of the pandemic and subsequent vehicle shortages, many fleets were forced into extending their replacement cycles substantially and quite a few are continuing to operate aged vehicles even though supply is much improved.
“What fleets have learnt is that it is possible to keep vans on the road in safe and efficient condition for much longer than previously thought. However, this is also generating a new series of questions around maintenance and longer-term claims.
“Especially, manufacturers have historically tended to honour out-of-warranty claims on a goodwill basis if parts failed within recommended replacement schedules. Now, we are starting to see instances of these being refused for what look like debatable reasons, even if the vehicles in question have ostensibly complete service records.”
He pointed to the current example of a widespread issue where wet cambelts were failing on a popular model of van. The original recommended replacement for these was 10 years and 150,000 miles but the manufacturer recently changed this to six years and 100,000 miles not just for new vehicles, but the entire production run.
“Without wanting to single out this manufacturer, it appears as though a rash of claims has prompted them to change the replacement policy several years after these vehicles have been sold in an attempt to remove responsibility for further failures.
“It seems a definite move away from the goodwill approach, meaning that thousands of vans operated by AFP members are affected by the revised recommendation and need to have their cambelts changed right now. All of this places the cost onus very firmly on fleets that have arguably done nothing wrong.”
The key disadvantage of operating older vehicles, Paul added, was that maintenance costs tended to rise over time and rejected claims added to that issue.
“The argument for running older vehicles is essentially that while keeping them on the road is expensive, it outweighs the cost of a replacement vehicle. If manufacturers begin to refuse claims of this kind, the maths behind that thinking may start to shift.
“A further point to consider is that the rate of change stipulated by the ZEV Mandate means fleets are often making choices not between replacing an older diesel van with a newer one, but with an electric vehicle (EV). There are complex decisions to be made about balancing the cost of keeping the older vehicle on the road with an EV that is probably less operationally efficient.”
Five “easy wins” have been identified by the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP) that the industry body is aiming to promote to the new Labour government.
Board member Lorna McAteer said that the ideas would be relatively fast and simple to put into practice, cost little or nothing, and provide a wide range of benefits for the fleet sector.
She explained: “Everyone has a list of expensive measures for the incoming government and we would certainly like to see some of those enacted, such as a reduction or removal of VAT on public charging, but we thought it would be a useful exercise to put ourselves in the position of the government which, we all know, faces very real restrictions on spending at the moment. These are our thoughts.”
The first easy win is realism on electric vehicle (EV) policy. Lorna said: “Fleets and the manufacturers that supply them need to take a real world look at the rate of EV adoption in light of the experience of fleets over the last few years.
“Labour have said they will restore the 2030 target on EV manufacturing. It is now clear that this is possible for cars but just not practicable for vans. There are too many hurdles and the products available do not meet the needs of enough businesses. There is an argument for leaving the current 2035 target in place for all vehicles, with the ZEV mandates continuing, but if there is a return to 2030, it should be for cars only.”
Number two on the AFP list is EV labelling and education. Feedback from members shows that too many drivers and sometimes fleet managers don’t understand the charging capabilities of their vehicles, and it is not always easy to get hold of accurate information.
Lorna said: “A simple solution would be to have a label on the inside of the charge port flap that informs the driver of the maximum capability that vehicle has for AC and DC charging – for example, up to 11kwh AC and 115kwh DC. This will go a long way to helping drivers pick the right chargers for the capabilities of their vehicles. Manufacturers may push back on this idea as they can subsequently upgrade charging capabilities over the air but we believe there is a strong argument for providing information that is accurate at the time of sale.”
The third idea is for a standardised battery state of health check to be introduced. This was a measure included in the Labour manifesto. Lorna said: “There is a general acceptance that the second hand EV market needs help and an easy way of creating a higher degree of consumer confidence would be a government-backed battery state of health check that provides a statement of the kind of performance that used car and van buyers can expect from their vehicle. In our opinion, this is something that can’t happen too soon.”
Fourth on the AFP list is a push on vehicle-to-grid (V2G) battery storage, which has huge potential for the future in terms of grid decarbonisation and could also provide a boost to new and used EV sales as consumers become aware of the possibilities and benefits.
Lorna said: “EVs are big batteries on wheels and have a huge potential future part to play in making wider use of renewables more practical. However, while V2G is currently possible, it is something that has yet to enter the mainstream, even though there are now a million EVs on UK roads. We’d like to see clear government policy that is designed to promote V2G, spreading awareness of the concept among both new and used EV buyers, and the general public in a wider sense. Especially, we’d like to see clarification of where and when this type of battery storage can be used and for which applications.”
The final easy win is a relaxation of the planning laws to make installation of charge points faster and easier, both for businesses wanting their own chargers and by charge point operators for use by the public. Lorna said: “Planning rules at all levels are slowing down the rate that charge points can be installed right across the board. While we understand that this would need the backing of the grid, we would like to see much of the bureaucracy removed and planning regulations revised to speed up deployment. Planning is an area where Keir Starmer has promised to take off the brakes for the UK, and charge points should be part of this policy.”
In addition to these ideas, the AFP has already said that it would like to see the new government introduce benefit-in-kind company car tax tables through to 2029-30. It is now nearly two years since the current tables were announced and they only run until the 2027/28 tax year, meaning fleets buying vehicles today don’t know the tax rate their drivers will be charged towards the end of the decade.
Lorna said: “This is, in itself, a further easy win. It would cost little or nothing but would mean that fleets buying company cars on longer leases during the next year or so would have certainty about the tax their drivers are paying through to the end of the decade.”
The AFP recently issued its 2024 Tax and Regulation Manifesto which can be downloaded at https://www.theafp.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Tax-Manifesto-2024.pdf.
Membership numbers at the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP) have risen by 15% in the last year, the industry body is reporting.
Paul Hollick, APF chair, said that there were a number of factors behind the surge, including a desire to learn more about electrification and a growing awareness of the organisation.
“We’ve seen an increase in members right across the board, including both car and van operators, small and large fleets, and a wide diversity of suppliers. With the AFP now in its fifth year of operation since the merger of industry bodies, ACFO and the ICFM, there is a growing awareness across the sector of the energy that we bring to tackling fleet issues, our role as a voice for the industry, and the high level of practical assistance we provide.
“The latter is especially important as fleets continue on the road to electrification. We seem to be at a point in the process where much of the low hanging fruit has been gathered and we’re now into more of a process of grind. This is especially the case when it comes to vans, where a range of structural issues persist. Many of our new members are struggling in these areas, and looking for help and advice.”
Training had also been an important driver of membership for the AFP, he added, which was a crucial area given that the industry was suffering from a growing skills shortage.
“We’ve highlighted before that we believe an entire generation of high level fleet expertise will be lost through retirement in the next few years and this means that training the fleet managers of the future is crucial. We are continuing to grow both the number of people that we train and the variety of courses we offer.”
Paul added that there was considerable potential for AFP membership to continue to expand, which was likely to be achieved by concentrating on core fleet issues.
“We’re now at around 1,600 members but when you consider the number of businesses that operate vehicles in the UK, there is massive scope for further, ongoing growth, which we believe is likely to continue to happen naturally.
“Our aim is to continue to work to tackle the issues that are facing fleets today, especially with a new government now in place. Our list of concerns for the new administration were detailed in our recently launched Tax and Regulation Manifesto, incluidng resolving the 4.25 tonne electric van situation, obtaining benefit in kind taxation tables to 2030, and providing more support for the used electric vehicle market.”
AFP membership starts at £99 for individuals and £299 for fleet operator companies. A range of memberships are also available for fleet support providers ranging from £299 to £2,000.
Further details are available from [email protected] or by visiting theafp.co.uk.
Twelve volt battery technology needs to improve, says the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP), as “bricking” issues continue to affect adoption of electric vans.
Paul Hollick, APF chair, said that despite widespread publicity, many fleets were still being left in a position where their vans become unuseable and had to be trailored to a dealership to be restarted.
He explained: “The fundamental problem here is that when an electric van is left unused for a couple of weeks, the 12v battery charges down and it becomes impossible to start or recharge the vehicle. There is no choice but to return it to the franchise dealer and even then, it can often take weeks to resolve the problem.
“We’re even hearing from members who are having electric vans delivered in this state and having to reject them immediately, which is completely unacceptable. It’s unavoidably having an impact on the appetite of some fleets to electrify their vans.
“The handful of manufacturers involved – and this affects several models – have been quite different in their responses with some being faster to work towards a solution than others.
“Our members generally accept that in adopting electric vans, they are close to the cutting edge of using new technology and some teething issues will occur. However, there is a general feeling that the 12 volt battery technology being used lags some distance behind the advances that have made in electric vehicle batteries that have been made in recent years, and a large perceived difference between the extremes of how much work these manufacturers appear to be putting into resolving the issue.”
Paul said the immediate solution that appeared to be most commonly suggested by manufacturers was revised software that would preserve the 12 volt battery for longer.
“Some manufacturers are telling us that the new software is in progress and could be here in a matter of weeks or months, while others are much vaguer. The latter aren’t winning many friends among fleet operators.
“Also, it’s worth underlining that even where a fix is available, we are being told that the bricking problem is still likely to occur, it will just take longer to happen, which again underlines the weakness of the underlying technology. However, even if it could be extended to 3-4 weeks to take users over holiday periods, that would be a definite advantage and improvement in practicality.”
He added that fleets were having to improvise solutions, with some investing in solar panels to trickle charge the 12 volt battery, but this solution also had limitations.
“We know of one AFP member that is looking at spending £1 million on solar panels, which provides some idea of the scope of the problem. This provides a fix but again, even though it potentially substantially lengthens the time taken, the van could still eventually brick. It’s looking more and more likely that this won’t be completely resolved until the next generation of electric vans. Manufacturers need to step up.”
The number of daily rental vehicles being offered to fleets with safety issues appears to be rising, says the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP).
The industry body says it is hearing reports from members being provided with hire cars and vans in unacceptable mechanical condition, with the situation appearing to be deteriorating.
Paul Hollick, APF chair, said: “This was a subject recently raised by our Mega Fleets Committee and appears to be a wider problem across the AFP. Essentially, we’re seeing hire vehicles being delivered to fleets that are not in a roadworthy condition.
“While this has always happened occasionally, there is a perception that the condition of hire vehicles is becoming noticeably poorer, although it appears to be a situation that appears to be affecting some hire companies more often than others.”
Paul said many of the issues seemed to be arising from both poor long-term maintenance, with vehicles breaking down being found to have a range of outstanding fault codes, as well as others being delivered with more immediate and easily apparent problems.
“The very least that a fleet should expect of its daily rental supplier is that vehicles are delivered in a roadworthy condition and sadly, that doesn’t always appear to be happening, even from some major suppliers.”
Daily rental companies had been through major changes in the last few years, he added, with their business models having effectively changed substantially.
“Pre-Covid, daily rental businesses bought cars and vans to operate on a fast cycle. Except for specialist vehicles, it was unusual to find a rental vehicle much older than a year.
“With the arrival of the pandemic, most embarked on massive disposal programmes but then experienced an immediate surge in demand once working practices returned to something approaching normality. Unable to return to a fast-cycle model due to production shortages, they bought from all kinds of sources, including a number of used vehicles.
“Largely, these are the cars and vans now seen on daily rental fleets, with many on 20 plates or older, which may explain the reason why issues surrounding condition are arising.”
Paul added that rental companies were perhaps experiencing difficulties when it came to managing the logistics around maintenance, especially the speed of delivery and collection, and rotating vehicles on hire.
“Running cars and vans over several years, through their first MOT and beyond, is something that many daily rental fleets simply haven’t had to deal with previously in this respect. “Our advice to fleets experiencing problems of this type is first of all to ensure that you don’t drive the vehicle and report it to the rental company. You then need to have serious conversations with your suppliers and if you are not satisfied with the answers, to look for new options. The time when you could assume a daily rental vehicle delivered for use by an employee was almost certainly safe for use appears to be past, at least for the moment.”