Fleet health check

This ‘health check’ will take you through the key areas of fleet management, helping you to establish how things stand.

The health check will take about 10 minutes to complete. It’s essentially a straightforward, multiple-choice questionnaire about the methods and processes used in your company to manage the fleet.

It's designed with one primary purpose in mind: to encourage you to challenge - and ultimately optimise - the effectiveness of your fleet management processes.

Please give your answer as to which statement best applies to your company. (This is for your use only, no-one is checking up on you…so answer as honestly as possible in order to get the most accurate picture.)

Before we start

Please can you give us your contact details..

Your email address:

Your name:

Phone:

Company name:

We'll start with an easy one.

Please tell us your fleet size and mix

Question 1 of 20

How do you currently ensure vehicle safety?

Please select one of the following.

Drivers have to conduct regular vehicle checks and upload the information from their mobile phone. Defects are then evaluated and we have an auditable process to ensure prompt action.

Drivers are expected to conduct safety checks, and paper inspection sheets are completed and returned. However, we don’t have an audit trail in place to monitor the process.

Inspections aren’t scheduled – we rely on the drivers (or garages, at point of service/MOT) to tell us when something is defective on a vehicle

Question 2 of 20

How do you manage your vehicle maintenance?

Our vehicles are always maintained in line with the manufacturers’ recommended service intervals, and advisory defects are captured, recorded and scheduled for future repair.

Vehicles are routinely maintained within the manufacturers’ recommended service intervals.

It is the drivers’ responsibility to ensure the vehicles they drive are serviced on time. We know about it when we receive an invoice.

Question 3 of 20

What do you do with daily fleet administration and management?

We use a robust digital system to alert us to upcoming service, MOT, tax and insurance renewals and repair of defects. All actions are recorded, building a clear, easily accessible audit trail and history of each vehicle.

A combination of spreadsheets and manual records are maintained by a nominated person (or group of people) within the company.

We store service, MOT and insurance documentation for company vehicles, and use a manual diary system and/or whiteboard to track renewal dates. Garage advisory repairs are down to the drivers to organise.

Question 4 of 20

How do you deal with "Grey Fleet" vehicles?

All vehicles used on business, whether company or privately owned, are fully maintained, roadworthy, insured for business use, taxed and MOT’d, and we have a robust monitoring process in place.

If staff drive their own vehicles for business, they must sign a declaration to confirm their vehicle is appropriate for the journeys it makes, is checked regularly, and maintained within the manufacturers’ recommended service intervals.

Company owned vehicles are maintained correctly. We don’t monitor privately owned vehicles used on business – it’s the drivers’ responsibility to make sure these vehicles are roadworthy and legal.

Question 5 of 20

Tell us about your Vehicle Replacement Policy?

We have a strict policy of vehicle disposal linked to the lease contract. Vehicles outside of any lease agreement are disposed of at a pre-defined mileage or age.

We monitor the age, mileage and maintenance costs of our vehicles and identify when the optimum time for disposal is for each vehicle subject to condition and mileage.

We have no policy in place and the vehicles normally run until they are at the end of their working life and are uneconomic to keep on the fleet.

Question 6 of 20

How do you manage driver licence checks?

Employees do not drive until their licence has been fully checked and we’re confident they are permitted to drive. Regular rechecks are conducted electronically, and drivers with endorsements are checked more frequently. This process also applies to employees who make work journeys in their own vehicles.

Drivers are requested at least once a year to generate a code from the DVLA’s ‘Share Driving Licence’ site and the company uses the code to verify that they are legal to drive.

Drivers are asked to bring a copy of their photocard and/or recent download from the DVLA when they join the company or when a specific incident occurs.

We don't currently check driver licences

Question 7 of 20

How do you assess the competence of new drivers?

On joining the company (or starting in a driving role), employees undergo a driving assessment which is conducted by a competent person, using the same kind of vehicle that the driver will typically be using.

New employees (and those commencing a driving role) are accompanied on an appraisal drive by an experienced staff member before being permitted to drive alone on business.

Drivers are required to undertake an online risk assessment.

No formal assessments of driving are currently carried out, and we would benefit from some guidance in this area.

Question 8 of 20

How do you monitor driver behaviour?

We use a vehicle tracking system which clearly exposes issues such as speeding, excessive driving hours and unauthorised use of vehicles. Issues are spotted promptly and fully addressed.

Our vehicles are sign-written with a telephone number that concerned motorists can call in the event of an incident of sub-standard driving or poor vehicle safety.

We currently have no formal methods of monitoring on-road behaviour.

Question 9 of 20

How do you investigate driving incidents?

We have a process in place that enables us to identify, log, investigate and follow up incidents involving company drivers, so that we can address training or disciplinary needs and record incident details for future reference.

When an issue arises involving a driver, it is addressed through either a written or a verbal discussion process, and details are recorded by our HR representative.

We currently have no formal process of incident reporting.

Question 10 of 20

How do you carry out risk assessments for existing drivers?

We currently carry out formal risk assessments on our drivers, and we use the results to help establish individual risk profiles and provide drivers with the relevant, appropriate training.

We carry out our own internal risk assessment programme, concentrating on high risk drivers and only providing additional training in response to an incident or obvious development need.

We have no formal process of driver risk assessments in place and we currently do not provide dedicated driver training.

Question 11 of 20

How do you identify who was driving a specific vehicle at any given time?

Our vehicles are fitted with tracking devices so we have an effective means of matching drivers to vehicles, as well as complete transparency of journeys travelled and miles driven.

Vehicles are permanently assigned to individual drivers. They are not permitted to drive other vehicles in the fleet without prior authority.

Drivers are permitted to drive different vehicles during their working week. We currently have no method to identify who is driving the vehicles at specific times.

Question 12 of 20

How we ensure drivers are ‘fit to drive’

Each driver completes a written declaration on joining the company confirming that they are permitted to drive, appropriately licenced and medically fit. This process is then repeated on a regular basis.

Our drivers complete a written declaration upon joining the company, confirming that they are fit and well to drive on business.

Our drivers are instructed to inform us, either verbally or in writing, of any factor that may affect their ability or entitlement to drive.

We have not provided our drivers with any guidance og fitness to drive

Question 13 of 20

What process do you have in place for driver working hours?

We have robust processes in place to ensure our drivers comply with the drivers’ hours rules applicable to our operation (EU and/or UK Domestic) and the Working Time Directive.

We capture some data about the hours our drivers work and drive but this is not across our entire fleet.

We do not have any formal process in place to monitor drivers’ hours and duty time worked and whether adequate rest periods have been taken.

Question 14 of 20

What is your policy on mobile equipment and devices?

Our written company policy states that drivers are not permitted to use a mobile phone or any other mobile device whilst driving.

Our written company policy specifies that drivers are only permitted to use mobile phones with a legal hands-free kit, and that any other mobile devices are operated safely and legally at all times.

We do not have a written policy on the use of mobile phones and devices.

Question 15 of 20

How do you manage fuel use?

We have a comprehensive fuel management system, including the automatic import of driver fuel purchasing reports and vehicle mileage capture allowing accurate MPG and CO2 analysis and the identification of duplicate or phantom fuel entries.

We monitor total fuel spend and average MPG per vehicle but we can’t break this information down for individual drivers.

We don’t currently monitor fuel spend, fuel use or emissions.

Question 16 of 20

How do you recognise and manage fleet-related risks?

We have a documented road safety policy. We’re confident that our processes enable adequate risk analysis and protection for our drivers, their vehicles and work activities, and that our exposure in these areas is minimal.

We have documented health and safety policies in place, although these do not specifically cover work related road risks.

We currently have no formal assessment or management process in place when it comes to work related road risk.

Question 17 of 20

Do you communicate your road safety policy to drivers?

Yes, we issue a comprehensive handbook setting out exactly what we expect from our drivers. The content is periodically reviewed and updated in line with changing legislation and best practice guidelines.

Yes, there is a section in our company handbook or employees’ contracts that refers to work-related road risks, and we have defined the minimum expected standards for employees driving on business.

No, We do not currently issue any kind of driver handbook or guidelines.

Question 18 of 20

Do you provide regular updates for your drivers?

We issue regular monthly updates to our drivers to make them aware of changes in legislation, reinforce rules set out in our road safety policy, and provide additional road safety information.

We issue ad-hoc updates to drivers following an incident.

We don’t issue updates to drivers.

Question 19 of 20

How do you share important information with senior management?

We issue an advisory note to senior management if there has been a serious incident on the fleet.

A full report on fleet performance, including collisions and operational costs, is provided to the board at least quarterly, with analysis and recommendations which are given due consideration.

Senior management receive an end-of-year report on fleet performance.

Senior management haven’t asked for any reporting in this area.

Question 20 of 20