Drivers are causing their fleet managers headaches and could be costing their companies' cash by failing to stick to set service intervals.
More than seven out of 10 fleet managers say their drivers are causing problems by missing services at the proper time, according to a poll by our sister publication Fleet News, despite many newer vehicles giving the driver an electronic reminder and some lease providers prompting fleets of an impending check.
'Lease companies are very helpful when providing fleet data,' said Ivan Tindall, transport manager at KPSS (UK) Ltd. 'But all you can do is inform the drivers that their vehicle is due for service. Whether they act on your advice is another matter.'
Gerry Purnell, fleet administrator at First in Service, added: 'I have to continually badger them [the drivers] to the point of booking the service myself.'
It's a major headache for the industry, with almost three in every four (71%) fleet managers saying it's a problem, according to a Fleet News poll.
However, Graham Short, fleet manager at Indesit, told fellow fleet professionals at a recent East Anglia Association of Car Fleet Operators meeting that while his approach was 'old fashioned' it resolved the problem.
'I send out an email every six months simply asking for the current mileage of the vehicle and the mileage on the day it was last serviced,' explained Short. 'It's long-winded, but it works.'