Matt Neale and Aaron Powell have been appointed as new board directors at the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP).
Both were elected as additions to the AFP’s existing 14-strong board following voting by members from more than 20 candidates.
Matt is head of fleet and mobility at Platform Housing and is current Fleet News Fleet Manager of the Year. He has more than two decades of experience in the sector, having previously held key roles at BT Fleet, Fraikin, NCP, Masterlease and Lombard Vehicle Management.
He is also actively involved in the AFP as a trainer for the Fleet Academy, and is leading on the organisation’s efforts towards a formal apprenticeship standard for the fleet sector.
Aaron has been involved in the fleet industry since the 1980s and is today fleet and logistics director at Speedy Hire. He has also held roles at NRG Fleet Services, Arrow XL, HSS Hire and Speedy Asset Services, and was Fleet News Fleet Manager of the Year in 2024.
Paul Hollick, chair at the AFP, said: “The AFP is experiencing continued growth both in its membership and the scope of its activities, which is why we are boosting the size of the board with these appointments.
“We’re very pleased to welcome Matt and Aaron to these new roles. Both are already popular and respected figures within the AFP and we are sure their knowledge, experience and expertise will be valuable assets to the organisation.
“Being an AFP board member brings the opportunity to make a genuine difference to our sector, becoming involved in everything from raising standards and launching new projects, through to campaigning on key issues and providing advice to individual fleet managers. We are sure Matt and Aaron will find it deeply rewarding.”
New industry standards are needed to tackle increasing issues arising from daily rental recharges made to fleets, says the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP).
Members of the industry body were widely reporting what they believed were excessive bills for vehicle damage and late servicing, said chair Paul Hollick.
“This is an area where there has always been some inevitable friction between fleets and daily rental companies but our view is that there has undoubtedly been rising frustration during the last couple of years – and it appears to be worsening.
“At the heart of this lies what is seen as an unbalanced approach to inspections. A common complaint is that the handover process on delivery involves only a quick look at the car or van, while examination on collection is much more detailed and often identifies damage that may well have already been present.
“There is also a sense that when a vehicle on longer term rental needs servicing, efforts made to notify the fleet or driver are minimal while charges made for a late service are sometimes extreme. Although we understand there can be strong penalties invoked by manufacturers for neglected maintenance, we know of one bill for £4,000 for a missed service, which is difficult to justify.
“At least one AFP member employs two people full time largely to deal with damage and servicing recharges of this kind from daily rental companies and they successfully fight claims often running into tens of thousands of pounds every month. This seems to us indicative of daily rental processes that really need re-examination.”
Paul said there were several longer-term factors that could help explain the trend and the resulting potential for disagreement.
“There’s been a big shift for rental fleets since Covid towards operating longer replacement cycles. This means inspection processes once applied to nearly new vehicles are now being used on those that are much older. We hear stories of the doorsills being inspected for small scratches on well-used vans that have been in service for many years and recharges attempted. More allowances need to be made for wear and tear on vehicles of this type.
“Similar issues apply to maintenance. The previous fast-cycle model meant many daily rental fleets rarely had to deal with MOTs or servicing – the vehicles just weren’t generally old enough to need them – and processes for dealing with these key issues are still relatively new and sometimes variable in terms of quality and effectiveness.”
Paul said that the AFP had started engaging in conversations with relevant organisations to discuss how formal industry standards could be amended in light of these concerns.
“Daily rental is an essential service for many of our members but there is a high level of ill-feeling around the whole issue of recharges at the moment. Many fleets feel that they are effectively being forced into paying unfair recharges and having to spend much too long fighting them.
“They want to see an improvement in the situation and in initial discussions with industry bodies, it appears a positive approach is being taken to the concerns raised. Our hope is that this will lead to improved best practice guidance in the industry that will quickly have a positive impact on real world fleet experiences.”
Fleets should take a “proportionate” response to cyber security concerns that are currently being raised around company cars and vans, says the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP).
Recent press reports have highlighted the potential of vehicles to be hacked and used for spying and espionage, with electric vehicles (EVs) and models from China highlighted as areas of special concern.
Paul Hollick, chair at the AFP, said there were undoubtedly issues that needed to be addressed but they probably affected only a relatively small number of fleets.
“Can vehicles equipped with multiple cameras, microphones, lidar and their own internet access potentially be used to gather information in a hostile manner? The answer to that is yes. However, we have no knowledge of this ever having happened and this is a subject where it is easy to stray into sensationalism.
“We have members who work in government, in critical infrastructure, in defence and in the military who have concerns in this area and take a range of precautions. For example, some have adopted guidance about where cars can be parked in relation to sensitive facilities they are visiting.
“To us, these actions seem sensible. These are sectors with a heightened awareness of cyber security and which have good reasons to be very careful. They will also tend to have rules governing when and where personal mobile phones can be used, and the risk presented by the latest cars is not dissimilar.”
However, Paul said, the dangers for most fleets were very limited and the need to take action probably unnecessary.
“Our feeling is that fleets should deal with this in a proportionate manner. If you are working in an industry where security is perceived as a less critical issue and are serving a similar customer base, then the possibilities of a problem arising are almost certainly slight.
“The concentration on EVs is probably unfair. Because they are new and tend to be among the most advanced vehicles on the road, electric cars and vans will be better equipped with the kinds of cameras and microphones that present risk, but there is no practical experience to suggest that they bring a higher level of jeopardy.”
Paul added that several AFP members had extensive experience of vehicle cyber security and were happy to share their best practice ideas.
“Among our membership, we have fleets operating into almost every sector of UK government and industry, and many of them have been considering this issue for several years. They are a valuable source of advice and help and crucially, can offer support on both assessing risk and the appropriate precautions to take.”
A supplier has been named by the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP) for a “game changing” new platform allowing the industry body’s members to share their electric vehicle (EV) charging facilities on a nationwide basis.
Technology start-up Evata was chosen following a competitive tender that lasted several months and will deliver technology that allows AFP members with spare depot and office charger capacity to offer their facilities to others within the organisation.
The decision was taken by 19 organisations who are part of the AFP’s shared charging committee, launched at the start of 2024.
Paul Hollick at the AFP, said: “The shared charging committee was born out of AFP research that showed six out of 10 members were interested in shared charging. We spent much of last year establishing whether such an arrangement was viable and how it would work – examining everything from booking and availability to pricing and health and safety.
“Having created a framework, we began talking to suppliers late last year and following a detailed and thorough process, are very pleased to be working with Evata. They have the expertise, knowledge and enthusiasm to deliver a game changing platform that will bring new possibilities for fleets seeking reasonably priced, convenient charging.”
The Evata technology will be made available for AFP members through an online portal, while drivers will be given a self-serve mobile app for use when accessing shared infrastructure..
Paul at the AFP added: “One of the factors that impresses us about Evata is their mission to ‘make electrification affordable’ for fleets, working alongside businesses adopting EVs for the first time to ensure they can economically access the infrastructure required.
“In many ways, the work we are undertaking with them reflects this thinking and we are looking forward to getting the shared charging project moving and delivering for members.”
Shakeel Ali, co-founder at Evata, said: “We’re really excited to be working with the AFP on this platform. It means that in addition to home, work and highway charging, fleets will now have access to a fourth channel through which to power their EVs.”
The AFP is looking to add more fleet operators to the shared charging service, both potential charging providers and users. Anyone interested in obtaining further information – members or non-members – should contact [email protected]. Details are also available on the AFP website – www.theafp.co.uk.
The growing profile of the fleet manager was the theme of yesterday’s fourth annual conference of the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP)
Taking place once again at The British Motor Museum, Gaydon, it attracted over 250 members and was sponsored by Enterprise Mobility and Ayvens.
The event featured four panel discussions, a keynote speech from the Office for Zero Emissions Vehicles, a live interactive session about fleet roles for the future and an AFP Academy certificate and awards ceremony, celebrating members who have recently gained accreditations from the AFP Fleet Academy.
Opening the conference, Paul Hollick, chair at the AFP, reported the industry body’s membership had increased by a substantial 28% in the last 12 months to almost 1,800.
“Our abilities and experiences as fleet managers have never been more important to companies. This is a profession that is booming and it’s crucial for organisations today to have access to high quality fleet skills.
“We see the priorities for the next year as helping fleets with decarbonisation, cost containment, increasing use of technology, new manufacturer market entrants, the rise of mobility, and advances in autonomous vehicles. All of these bring new challenges and we aim to support our members in meeting them.”
The first panel session of the day was titled, “Fleet Administration – It’s More Than Just Licence Checking”. Moderated by AFP board director James Pestell, it featured Andy Bland of Enterprise, Dale Eynon of DEFRA and Keelie Fleet of Altrad.
James said: “This might not seem like the most glamorous topic but is business critical. Fleet administration used to be a simpler task but has become increasingly complex and fast moving.”
Dale added: “We see the administration team as the beating heart of our fleet. They handle 220,000 financial transactions and 20,000 incoming e-mails every year, as well as dealing with compliance, taxation and more. Getting all of this right is difficult but crucial to keeping the fleet on the road.”
Moderated by AFP board member Martin Evans, the second panel session of the day was “Keeping Fleet Relevant – Driving Change in More Ways Than One”, and included Matt Neale of Platform Housing, Martine Smith of Phoenix Distribution, Lindi Tembha of Weetabix and Emily Tunnard of Ayvens.
Martin said: “Many businesses now outsource large parts of their fleet administration and management, and some even want to absolve all of their fleet responsibilities to a third party. Our experience is that complete outsourcing doesn’t produce optimum outcomes, and maintaining some kind of in-house fleet function is crucial to getting the best out of suppliers.”
Lindi explained that outsourcing needs varied widely across different organisations and it was crucial to avoid a one size fits all approach.
“At a basic level, a fleet that is primarily an employee benefit tool is very different from one that is a tool to support the operations of a business. Suppliers need to understand the fundamental distinctions between these operations and adapt accordingly in key respects, from methods of delivery to the metrics used to measure outcomes.”
Panel session number three, moderated by AFP board member Lorna McAtear, was titled “AI in Fleet – Data Driven Decisions” and featured Chris Endersby of Samsara, Fabrizio Margaroli of Allstar, and Richard Nimbley of Geotab.
Lorna said: “It feels as though fleets have more questions than answers about AI. They want to know how it differs from the technology they were using five years ago, and what it is likely to be able to do in five years. They know there is potential but they need guidance on exactly how it is likely to be able to help them.”
The final panel session, “New Legislation and the Impact on Fleets in General” was moderated by AFP board member Ric Baird and included Michelle Gardner of Logistics UK, Matt Hammond of Altrad, Alison Moriarty of Beverley Bell, and Harvey Perkins of HRUX.
Ric said: “There are a number of new pieces of legislation and regulation coming that will potentially affect fleets in the next 18 months or so, ranging from revisions in taxation through to the impact of US tariffs on UK companies. Operators need to know about these and may need to take action to mitigate their effect on company vehicles.”
Harvey added: “Probably the biggest changes concern PHEVs. The new benefit in kind table unveiled at the last Budget means that driver tax on these cars will rise dramatically from April 2028 but there is also the current EURO6e-bis consultation to consider. This could mean that emissions figures for PHEVs already ordered and delivered towards the end of this year may increase, potentially substantially.”
Members who had recently completed AFP Academy courses were recognised with the creation of six new fellows – Russ Boulton of Ayvens Charlie Dix of Lex, Matthew Hammond of Altrad, Matthew Neale of Platform Housing, Rob Simister of Centrica, and Joanne Turnor of Lex – who had all completed the Advanced Fleet Vehicle Management course.
AFP Academy Awards were also given to standout candidates Lisa Malone of Aon for the Strategic Online course, Scott Simpson of Anglian Water for the Strategic Classroom course and Russ Boulton of Ayvens for the Strategic Advanced course.
Applications for new board member positions are being invited by the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP).
To support its ongoing expansion, the industry body plans to add two fleet operators to its current 14-member board.
Paul Hollick, chair at the AFP, said: “The AFP is experiencing continued growth both in its membership and the scope of its activities. This is very welcome but is placing increased pressure on our board and we are looking for more experts to share the workload.
“Being an AFP board member is deeply rewarding. It brings the opportunity to make a genuine difference to our sector, becoming involved with everything from raising standards and launching new projects, through to campaigning on key issues and providing advice to individual fleet managers.
“If you are passionate about the fleet industry and believe that you could make a positive contribution to the AFP, we’d very much like to hear from you. There is a formal application process followed by a membership vote and, if you’d like to find out more, we can arrange for you to talk to an existing board member.”
Anyone who would like to put their name forward should create a short biography of no more than 250 words, together with a statement on their reasons for applying and what they believe their presence would add to the AFP board.
Applications should be sent to [email protected] and the closing date is midday on 2nd May 2025.
Confidence is as important to improving consumer demand in the used electric vehicle (EV) market as pricing, says the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP).
Ric Baird, board director at the AFP, explained that more needs to be done to make EVs feel as much a secure and sensible purchase as a petrol or diesel equivalent.
“The AFP and many other bodies were signatories to a British Vehicle Leasing and Rental Association (BVRLA) open letter last week asking for more government support for electrification in the used sector, especially focusing on the need to make EVs as affordable as possible while shoring up residual values. This is certainly required.
“What is perhaps receiving less attention – although included in the letter – is the need to create more consumer confidence in used EVs, overcoming the real hurdles that exist as well as the large number of distortions and half-truths in circulation. There is an argument that generating a sense of everyday normality and absence of risk around EVs is as important as any financial considerations.”
Chief among these confidence factors, he explained, were establishing the long-term reliability of EV batteries and making charging as economical and accessible as possible.
“There is a huge amount of misinformation around about EV batteries, ranging from their supposed propensity to self-combust to the speed at which they degrade. However, all the available evidence now shows them to be stable, robust and long-lasting, with degradation generally occurring at a slow and predictable rate. That needs to be communicated.
“What we really need to see very quickly is the establishment of an industry backed battery health check designed to reassure consumers in this respect, providing them with the credible information they need to make an informed buying decision. While the government is reportedly working on a project to deliver this, it can’t arrive soon enough.
“Equally, while the charging infrastructure is growing at a pace, its presence is patchy and public chargers are often expensive. Especially for people living in terraced houses or apartments without the off-road parking for their own charger, there needs to be cost effective, convenient charging provided very quickly.”
A successful EV market was not just about inspiring confidence among consumers but car dealers, too, Ric added.
“There remain car dealers who won’t touch a used EV and that’s a situation that can’t continue. Again, there needs to be an understanding that buying and selling electric cars and vans is something that can be done with certainty in 2025.”
The companies responsible for most new electric vehicle registrations have warned the Government that a failure to support the used market will stop the zero-emission transition in its tracks. Writing to the Transport, Environmental Audit and Business Select Committees, signatories are calling for measures that support household and SME access to electric vehicles, and mitigate the volatile residual values denting market confidence.
Coordinated by the BVRLA and signed by The AFP and a host of fleet operators members, vehicle rental and leasing companies, and trade bodies, the letter calls for support on behalf of the full electric vehicle ecosystem. Signatories represent vehicle demand across private and business customers, encompassing insurance, remarketing, and servicing too.
Registrations of new battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are on an upward trajectory, led by the fleet and leasing sectors and pushed by the Government’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate. The size of the new market (≈2m annually[1]) is dwarfed by that of the used market (≈7m annually1), although current support measures focus entirely on pockets of new registrations. The terms of the Mandate increase the proportion of new car and van sales that are for zero-emission vehicles each year, with all those vehicles set to reach the used market in the months and years ahead.
While most new vehicles are bought by businesses, the majority of UK consumers only buy on the used market. Those buyers currently have no support to make the shift to BEVs, creating a chasm between supply, due to increase by 178% by 2028[2], and demand. This gap has put values of second-hand BEVs under pressure, seeing them fall 50% over the last two years and forecast to fall a further 28% by 2030[3]. This leaves the automotive supply chain to absorb the heavy financial impact of incentivising that demand.
The open letter to the Select Committees highlights that relying on the industry to shoulder that impact on a long-term basis is unsustainable and will see new vehicles become more expensive to access or limit supply. Without intervention, forecasts suggest the UK could lose out on 290,000 new EV registrations in the next two years[3]. Such an outcome would be at odds with the ambitious decarbonisation targets set by government and prevent progress from accelerating.
Signatories are calling on the Select Committees to urgently engage with this issue. Solutions suggested by industry include targeted grants, measures to mitigate the volatility that residual values are experiencing, and the introduction of clear and standardised battery health information.
Delivering the letter in Parliament today, BVRLA Chief Executive, Toby Poston said: “The used car market is nearly four times the size of the new one. Maintaining healthy demand and values for second-hand electric vehicles is essential if we want to deliver a sustained transition. A lack of government incentives or affordable public charging infrastructure means that too few used car buyers or dealers are seeing the benefit in going electric. As a result, used BEV supply is outstripping demand and prices are continuing to fall. This depreciation is costing fleets hundreds of millions and being passed on to new buyers in the form of higher motor finance costs.
“To restore confidence in the net zero transition and sustain a healthy electric vehicle ecosystem, the Government needs to intervene.”
The letter was delivered to members of the Transport, Environmental Audit and Business Select Committees on Thursday 3rd April and invites further dialogue with the automotive industry to develop a supportive used EV environment. Over 25 companies signed to underline their support, collectively representing the majority of electric cars and vans currently being bought and operated in the UK.
[1] SMMT data
[2] Cox Automotive data
[3] BVRLA report, “Assessing the impact of support for the used BEV market
Building stronger, more effective relationships with fleet customers is the aim of a new one-day course for motor manufacturers designed to provide insight into current fleet manager thinking.
The “Fleet Mindset Masterclass” has been developed by industry body, the Association of Fleet Professionals, in partnership with automotive sales, technology and marketing specialists ROI Automotive, who partner with 39 leading automotive brands.
The target audience for the course includes manufacturer corporate sales executives, sales managers and account managers who are looking to deepen their understanding of fleet and the complex range of challenges their fleet customers face.
Paul Hollick, chair at the AFP, said: “For us, the introduction of this training is a win-win. It combines the insight that ROI Automotive provides into the approach of manufacturers with the AFP’s awareness of current fleet manager concerns. It’s very much a bridge between the two bodies and their areas of expertise, sharing knowledge to the benefit of all involved.
“The result is a course that provides manufacturers with an enhanced understanding of what fleet managers are aiming to achieve in 2025 and beyond, and the pressures, complexities and challenges they face. This should in turn lead to those fleet managers receiving a higher level of service through greater understanding of their developing needs.
“A pilot of the course has already been held, and the feedback was very positive. We believe this is a strong addition to the now-extensive training portfolio we offer through the AFP Fleet Academy that will have appeal both to established manufacturers and new entrants.”
Nigel Sandiford, CEO at ROI Automotive, added: “Our automotive clients want to empower their teams to better support fleet managers but have found limited opportunities, so we have partnered with the AFP to create this unique course where they will gain a deeper understanding directly from fleet managers about what they need from suppliers. A day such as this – spending time refocusing on your customers – is invaluable.
“Delegates will develop a solid understanding of the landscape of today’s fleet management, uncovering how fleet decisions are made, how internal stakeholders are managed and how to develop a client proposition beyond just selling a product.
“This isn’t a commercial venture for us – we’ve simply helped make it happen for the benefit of fleet buyers and fleet suppliers.”
More details about the Fleet Mindset Masterclass are available by e-mailing [email protected] or calling 07598 686500.
GROWING PROFILE OF THE FLEET MANAGER IS THEME FOR AFP’S 2024 CONFERENCE
Wednesday 7th May has been announced as the date for this year’s annual conference of the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP), with a central theme of the growing profile of the fleet manager.
Taking place once again at The British Motor Museum, Gaydon, it is expected to attract around 250 members and will be sponsored by Enterprise Mobility and Ayvens.
The day will include sessions featuring expert speakers and panels covering salient topics including keeping your fleet compliant, driving change, data driven decisions, what’s new in legislation – and what’s coming over the next 18 months, and fleet roles for the future.
There will also be a keynote speech from the Office for Zero Emissions Vehicles and an AFP Academy awards ceremony celebrating members who have gained accreditations from the industry training body during the last year.
Paul Hollick, chair at the AFP, said: “This is our fourth conference since the merger of ACFO and the ICFM, and the event has become widely recognised as one of the highlights of the fleet industry calendar, tackling the issues of the moment in an informed and practical manner.
“This year we’re aiming to make the conference better than ever. Crucially, we’ll be recognising the increasing role of the fleet manager at this unprecedented moment of change for vehicle operators, showing how our members play an essential position in some of the most important aspects of corporate life.
“Also, we’d like to thank Enterprise Mobility and Ayvens for their sponsorship. Support of this kind is what makes events such as the AFP Conference possible, and we’re very grateful for their involvement.”
Registration for the conference, which is open to all AFP members, is now open and can be found at https://www.theafp.co.uk/the-afp-annual-conference-2025/.