A new pilot initiative from epyx aims to reduce the number of rejected fleet service bookings by applying real-world data to more accurately predict lead times for garages and maintenance providers.
The project, built into the company’s 1link Service Network platform, uses 12 months of historic lead time data for each individual supplier to inform booking expectations. This replaces older, static lead time guidance that many garages set before the pandemic and have not since updated.
Tim Meadows, chief commercial officer at epyx, said: “SMR lead times are currently a real problem for fleets, making it difficult both to schedule routine maintenance and resolve unexpected breakdowns. What we are trying to achieve with our new project is to bring more certainty to lead times by creating online booking conditions that better match what is happening in the real world.
“Currently, SMR providers set their own lead time expectations on our platform and most haven’t changed them since before the pandemic, which was when delays started to become a bigger issue. This means that when a fleet tries to make a booking in line with dealer guidance, it is likely to be rejected because there are no free slots within that time frame.”
By referencing the average lead time a supplier has actually delivered over the past 12 months, the system helps fleets identify when a booking is more likely to be accepted. Early results indicate this approach is reducing administrative burden for both fleet operators and service centres, while also enhancing the driver experience by cutting rebookings.
Data from epyx shows that average SMR lead times across fleets were 10.89 days in February 2020, but have risen significantly since the start of the pandemic, reaching 13.24 days in March 2025, with peaks of more than 14 days during 2023.
Tim Meadows added: “Lead times have risen sharply since the pandemic, exceeding 14 days in 2023. They are now a little lower in general but it is undeniable that fleets have had to learn to manage their fleets with lengthier access to SMR. Anything that we can do to ease this situation – such as this new initiative – is likely to be welcomed by vehicle operators.”
