The increased demand for commercial vehicles for long-term rental put the spotlight on the importance of reducing fleet downtime. A new contract with Allstar Business Solutions, using ServicePoint to manage its fleet’s changing maintenance and repair needs, means ‘off-road’ time has reduced on average by two days with even greater efficiency benefits anticipated over the coming years.
AS an leading industry specialist,
Europcar Vans and Trucks understands van users’ requirements around uptime, critical fleet, compliance, connectivity and emissions.
It has invested in a network, a fleet and a team of specialists who ‘know vans’ to ensure they can help customers stay on the road, efficiently and cost-effectively. Europcar Vans and Trucks was highly commended in the Best Long Term Rental category in this year’s Business Vans Awards.
Its services include:
- Real time online booking and reporting platform
- Vehicle customisation – racking, livery, etc
- Hand held Delivery & Collection software via our ‘Pathfinder’ app including the provision of a digital schedule of return documents and images of any damage at the end of the rental
- Fully inclusive service, maintenance & repair (SMR), including tyre and windscreen replacement Reducing vehicle downtime
The increased demand for commercial vehicles for long-term rental put the spotlight on the importance of reducing fleet downtime. A new contract with Allstar Business Solutions, using ServicePoint to manage its fleet’s changing maintenance and repair needs, means ‘off-road’ time has reduced on average by two days with even greater efficiency benefits anticipated over the coming years.
This also ensures that vans on rent can be supported efficiently if they encounter windscreen, tyre or other maintenance issues. Partnerships with Halfords and Kwik Fit mean that the majority of maintenance bookings can be booked at a pre-agreed time slot. Customers can also access Kwik Fit’s online portal to book mobile or in-house tyre checks and replacements, ensuring drivers can get back on the road as quickly as possible.
Europcar also offers access to 1,400+ FastFit locations for SMR requirements and UK wide coverage for windscreen replacements as well as a number of mobile repairers who can fix small SMR requirements.
Tackling parts supply issues
Another initiative that is particularly crucial in the current climate of limited parts supply is Europcar’s partnership with leading integrated salvage and green parts provider, SYNETIQ, which was renewed at the start of 2022 for a further three years. This sees parts that are still in good condition from damaged vehicles in the Europcar UK fleet passed to SYNETIQ for use in repairs in other Europcar vehicles.
As well as supporting sustainable motoring solutions, the initiative plays an important role in optimising Europcar fleet management by reducing vehicle downtime. Fleet managers are all too aware of the current supply chain disruptions which are expected to remain for much of 2022.
Using high quality, safety checked green parts, rather than new parts not only ticks the environmental box for Europcar’s clients, but helps ensure the quickest possible turnaround for repairs.
Keeping Drivers Safe
Further adding value to the Europcar relationship for LCV customers is the introduction of telematics and dash cams for long term van rental. Delivered as a single, cost effective solution the partnership with Geotab and SureCam enables Europcar’s long-term van and truck rental customers to access valuable insights to help improve driving behaviour and optimise their fleet utilisation.
The in-vehicle technology offers fleet managers information via a personalised dashboard enabling them to understand driving habits and reward safe driving behaviours.
The zero emissions journey
Concerns about the UK charging infrastructure continue to undermine confidence in firms going fully electric. Therefore Europcar has listened to customers and taken on board their current reticence to make a wholesale switch to electric. Europcar is therefore on a journey to increase the share of green vehicles in its fleet, targeting to have ‘green’ vehicles (less than 50 g CO2/km) accounting for 20% of its car and van fleet by the end of 2024. The addition of a fleet of LEVC VN5 commercial vehicles at the start of 2022 is a great demonstration of that commitment.
