A new pool vehicle booking portal that could help eliminate ‘grey fleet’ usage has been launched by Jaama.
Developed for its Key2 asset management system, the portal enables firms that have pool vehicles within their operations to send drivers online and book a pool car or van for a specific journey. The self-help portal then asks drivers a number of questions about the booking with all information fed back into Key2.
Using the portal could help ensure employees are in the optimum vehicle for their journey while dealing with businesses’ duty of care responsibilities; a key issue for both public and private sector fleets when it comes to employees using their own vehicles on work-related journeys.
It can also help reduce the increased emissions and fuel costs associated with grey fleet vehicles. Analysis from the BVRLA finds that the average ‘grey fleet’ car is more than eight years old.
Jaama managing director Martin Evans said: “Vast amounts of fleet industry research over many years suggests that ‘grey fleet’ management is a major headache for fleet decision-makers notably in respect of cost, risk management and corporate social responsibility.
“Jaama has always provided Key2 users with tools to undertake compliance checks on ‘grey fleet’ vehicles and their drivers as we believe they should be as robust as in respect of drivers at the wheel of company-provided vehicles and those cars and commercial vehicles.”
He continued: “Amid concerns about employees driving their own vehicles on business trips, the launch of Key2 Pool Vehicle Booking System is designed to make booking a pool vehicle as easy as possible for drivers and simultaneously banish ‘grey fleet’ usage.”
Having accessed the Key2 Pool Vehicle Booking System, drivers can make a booking for a specific journey and subsequently view and amend if necessary. Additionally, employees with the appropriate permission, can book pool vehicles on behalf of colleagues.
The portal will:
- Ascertain journey criteria from the booking wizard (including if an employee is able to car share, the number of passengers and if it’s a suitable journey for an electric vehicle) allocate the most suitable pool vehicle
- Display any requirement for out-of-hours vehicle key collection instructions to a driver by configuring, for example, depot opening times
- Automatically display and monitor pool vehicle availability and status
- In the event of a suitable pool vehicle not being available for the date and time of a journey, issue a driver with a mileage claim reference number for a personal mileage claim to be made
- Record if any passengers are over 65 years old or disabled.
Furthermore, Key2 users are able to store numbers for Section 19 Permits, which are required by all not-for-profit educational and other organisations, so they don’t have to have a public service vehicle operator’s licence – to enable a minibus or similar larger vehicle to be booked.
