Grey fleet drivers – are they a risk to your business
by Fiona Taylor
Grey fleet drivers are employees that drive their own cars for business. Could this cause an issue for your business?
Grey fleet is simply the term used to describe any vehicles that do not belong to the company. But they are vehicles which are used for business travel. This might include a vehicle purchased via an employee ownership scheme. Or a privately rented vehicle or a vehicle privately owned by an employee. Having grey fleet drivers can be more beneficial for businesses that do not travel high business mileage. However grey fleet drivers can sometimes be hard to manage. As a result mileage, accident management and general vehicle maintenance can be a problem.
Is it a problem?
A recent survey of more than 1000 drivers shows that grey fleet drivers are more likely to drive without correct insurance, or a valid MOT, and exhibit poor driving behaviours.
- 20% of grey fleet drivers questioned admitted to using a handheld mobile whilst driving.
- While 5% of grey fleet drivers have, at some stage, driven under the influence of recreational drugs.
- Of 300 company decision makers questioned, 33% incorrectly believe that there is no significant risk to an organisation from grey fleet drivers.
- 40% were not aware of the employer duty of car regulations within the Health & Safety at Work Act (1974) and how they impact on the grey fleet.
Consequently, if a grey fleet driver is out on business, your company could be liable if they have an accident.
Paul Coley from Lex Autolease said “It is estimated that around 25-30% of road accidents involve drivers on work journeys. There are straightforward vehicle and driver checks and health and safety policies that can be put in place to better manage a grey fleet.”
Grey fleet drivers may not like the idea that the device fitted in their vehicle will tell them when they are driving inefficiently. However they are likely to be more positive when they know how much money they can save on fuel bills – generally around 10% – by driving more efficiently. Similarly, they may benefit from a reduced insurance premium as a direct result of better driving.
What can you do?
Look at a tracking solution for your grey fleet drivers. We can offer a 12v OBD unit that the drivers can plug in and remove as they need to. Alternatively they can have a hardwired unit with a privacy fob.
Call us on 01274 587748 to talk to us about either of these tracking solutions. Or leave us your details here and we will call you back.
Fiona Taylor
Fiona Taylor is the Sales Manager at award winning Satmo Vehicle Tracking. If you feel you need help with your fleet, want to gain back control, save some money and time then please get in touch.
