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Essential Fleet Operator NewsThe latest news from across the sector
Public Sector • Social Housing • Utilities • Infrastructure Management
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 The Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) has announced that it now has more than 3,500 registered accredited operators.
The milestone continues to highlight the ever increasing support of the industry to demonstrate efficiency, safety and a commitment to raising professional standards across the country.3,510 companies are now FORS accredited and are profiting from the safety, environmental and efficiency benefits the scheme encourages.
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Just a month after questions relating to the CO2 figures measured on some of Volkswagen Group's models arose, the company has largely concluded the clarification of the matter. Following extensive internal investigations and measurement checks, it is now clear that almost all of these model variants do correspond to the CO2 figures originally determined. This means that these vehicles can be marketed and sold without any limitations.
The suspicion that the fuel consumption figures of current production vehicles had been unlawfully changed was not confirmed. During internal re-measurements slight deviations were found on just nine model variants of the Volkswagen brand.  Vauxhall has signed one of the UK’s biggest Police fleet deals with over 2,000 vehicles, including 1,200 Brit-built Astras, destined for Police forces nationwide under a huge group tender.
The two-year multi-million pound contract also includes Corsas, Insignias and Brit-built Vivaro vans. This order cements Vauxhall’s position as the largest provider of low and intermediate performance cars to the UK Police, with a 60 per cent share of competitive markets. The biggest vehicle procurement project in police and emergency services history will see 34 organisations work together to save over £7 million.
This ambitious plan, spearheaded by West Midlands Police, pulls together the vehicle buying power of police and fire and rescue services from across the country from Devon & Cornwall through to Northumberland. The success of the project is down to the expertise and professionalism of the procurement and fleet departments across the organisations. As a result, over 3,000 vehicles will be ordered by the organisations over the next two years, with 1200 of them being built in Britain and 248 of them coming to the West Midlands.  As the first week of COP21 came to a close, Mayor of London, Boris Johnson MP, took advantage of Nissan’s zero emission shuttle service as he departed Paris. Opting for environmentally-friendly transport, Mr Johnson took the opportunity to experience the new 30kWh battery version of the world’s best-selling all electric vehicle, the Nissan LEAF. He was driven in the Nissan LEAF from his hotel to Gare du Nord train station, bringing his time at the global climate change conference to an end.
The London Mayor and British politician, who is paving the way for low emission transport in his home city, is the first politician around the world to experience the new, longer range model of the Nissan LEAF. The Freight Transport Association is once again the title partner of the FTA everywoman Transport & Logistics Awards and is delighted to announce that nominations process for the 2016 programme is now open.
The prestigious industry awards are renowned for seeking out role models and rising stars from freight and logistics, and are designed to celebrate the successes and acknowledge the achievements of some of the most inspirational women in the sector. FTA has been the title partner of the awards for three years which began as a way of celebrating the hard work and achievements by women in the logistics industry. Every year the number of nominations has increased, as has the level of entries which have been outstanding. FTA hopes that the 2016 awards will once again uncover inspirational role models, help improve the image of the industry, and demonstrate that the support and development of female talent is taken seriously throughout logistics – whatever that persons role is.  Underpinning its appointment to the Crown Commercial Service Vehicle Hire Services Framework, Europcar, the leader in car hire services in Europe, has appointed Andrew Franklin as its new Director, Public Sector. With more than 23 years working in the fleet industry, including 6 years as Head of Public Sector for Lex Autolease, Andrew will be spearheading Europcar’s clear focus on the mobility requirements of public sector organisations.
Europcar has been appointed as one of the suppliers on the Crown Commercial Service framework to provide UK Vehicle Hire, UK Car Share and International Vehicle Hire services, giving central government and the wider public sector access to a comprehensive range of services. Utilising the company’s extensive car and van fleet and network of locations in the UK and worldwide, Europcar is also delivering new mobility innovations, including car sharing and electric vehicles. The Society of Operations Engineers (SOE) is playing a major part in the development of three new commercial vehicle apprenticeship standards.
These standards are part of the government’s Trailblazer scheme, a UK-wide, employer-led initiative to design apprenticeship standards that respond to the needs of their industries. Current standards cover a wide range of sectors, from accountancy to renewable energy, and undergo a thorough process of development and approval. The three standards that SOE is helping to develop are for Heavy Vehicle Service and Maintenance Technician, Bus and Coach Technician, and Bus and Coach Engineering Manager. The group overseeing their development, which includes SOE, comprises of representatives from over a dozen operators and manufacturers, and is collaborating with assessment organisations and training partners to determine the detailed content, and how they will be taught and assessed. Automotive Leasing, a wholly owned subsidiary of LeasePlan UK, one of the UK’s leading fleet companies, today reports on the huge growth and success of its GreenPlan project.
Launched ten years ago, the GreenPlan project provides cost-efficient Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) solutions to both public sector and not-for-profit fleets. The project has grown exponentially since its launch in 2005, and has so far worked with 98 organisations to develop environmental solutions for their fleets, to encourage ULEV usage and to act as ULEV advocates. These solutions include replacing fleets with newer, cleaner substitutes such as hybrid, plug-in hybrid and pure-electric vehicles, and implementing telematics to reduce emissions. Road safety charity Brake has announced the date for its acclaimed annual Fleet Safety Awards in 2016. Brake is inviting awards entries from fleet operators and suppliers; the deadline for entering is Friday 20 May 2016. The awards ceremony will take place at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole, on Thursday 29 September 2016.
Brake’s Fleet Safety Awards is a prestigious awards programme, recognising the achievements of organisations and individuals working to reduce the number of road crashes involving at-work drivers. Last year’s winners represent a diverse range of organisations, including O’Donovan Waste Disposal, Skanska, and Transport for London. An inquiry into the health and safety arrangements of apprentices will be carried out by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) to ensure trainees stay safe at work.
The safety charity’s National Occupational Safety and Health Committee (NOSHC) is initiating the inquiry to make sure apprentices are given the right training and development opportunities in a bid to save lives and reduce injuries.  The all-new Brit-built Astra has been awarded the maximum five stars by Euro NCAP in its latest safety ratings published today. The compact five-door hatchback from Vauxhall achieved high scores in each of the categories assessed – adult occupant protection, child occupant protection, pedestrian protection and safety assist.
The new Astra realises Vauxhall’s safety objective for all passenger cars and light commercial vehicles of optimised protection in real traffic and collisions, achieved by the integration of its passive and active safety systems. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has confirmed it will be attending the Commercial Vehicle Show, which takes place at the NEC in Birmingham from 26-28 April 2016. It is the first time the manufacturer has attended the show since 2011.
Following the successful market introductions in 2015 of its two core models, the Caddy and Transporter, Volkswagen will be preparing to launch the new Amarok in 2016 and all-new Crafter in 2017. The CV Show provides the perfect environment in which to meet new and existing customers. The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport has commended the rental and leasing industry for playing a crucial role in shaping the UK vehicle parc.
Appearing by video link, Andrew Jones told delegates at the 2015 BVRLA Industry Conference: “I recognise the importance of this sector to the economy. This includes the massive buying power of the sector. As buyers of 80% of UK manufactured vehicles sold here, you can together affect the use of technology massively.” After discussing the ongoing emissions crisis, Jones commented: “The government is not anti-diesel. Diesel cars have played and continue to play a valuable role in reducing fuel usage and emissions of carbon dioxide. Tackling air quality is a priority for the government.” How local electricity networks can cope with charging clusters of electric vehicles: My Electric Avenue’s final results reveal all…
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