Concerns over vehicle downtime are growing among UK fleet operators, with the number of businesses reporting increased issues up by a third in the past year, according to new research from the Arval Mobility Observatory.
The findings from the 2025 edition of the Fleet and Mobility Barometer showed that 24% of fleets identified repair-related vehicle unavailability as a growing concern, up from 18% in 2024.
John Peters, head of Arval Mobility Observatory in the UK, said: “While having vehicles off-road has always been a problem for car and van operators, it has undoubtedly become more prevalent since the pandemic thanks to issues such as a shortage in workshop capacity, a need for more trained technicians, and challenging parts availability.
“All of these are having an ongoing impact on vehicle operations and many fleets apparently think things are getting worse.”
The report also showed how fleets are responding to the problem, with 47% now basing acquisition decisions at least in part on a manufacturer’s ability to supply parts efficiently.
Peters added: “This is probably a reflection of practical experience.
“Fleet managers are avoiding car and van makers who have proven unable to provide fast access to parts – something that has a direct impact on vehicle availability.”
Meanwhile, 44% of fleets spent more time managing service and repair processes in-house.
The most notable year-on-year increase was seen in the use of daily rental vehicles to plug shortfalls, which rose from 34% in 2024 to 41% this year.
Peters said: “This is undoubtedly an effective way of resolving low vehicle availability but arguably an expensive option at a time when fleet budgets are under pressure.
“It could be that for many fleets, it is the only solution available.”
Conversely, the number of businesses choosing to keep vehicles on the road until repairs can be made has fallen sharply.
Just 30% of fleets now take this approach – down 10 percentage points from last year – amid concerns over ageing fleets and safety risks.
Peters said: “Our feeling here is that the general ageing of fleets that has taken place in recent years means driving cars and vans while an issue exists is becoming less and less of a viable option.
“Older vehicles are simply more likely to create serious safety concerns.”
Other strategies such as building or maintaining a pool fleet (28%) and switching to better service and repair suppliers (also 28%) have remained flat compared to the previous year.
Peters said: “Reading these statistics, we see that downtime remains such a prominent issue in the fleet sector.
“Ensuring vehicles are available is in many ways a very high concern for drivers.
“Five years after the pandemic, the fact our research suggests this remains a growing difficulty shows how those running fleets still face mounting problems in this area.”
