The British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) commissioned the Energy Saving Trust (EST) to undertake research into the scale of grey fleet use in the UK.
The purpose of the project is to determine the size of the UK grey fleet and help identify ways in which organisations can reduce the costs, emissions and duty of care risk associated with driving at work. The report also provides best practice guidance illustrated with case studies highlighting both quick win solutions and longerterm investments.
Grey fleet is an important, but often neglected, aspect of fleet management. It consists of vehicles owned by employees in which business travel is carried out. Cash allowance schemes extensively used in the private sector are considered grey fleet too.
Findings from a number of studies and EST fleet consultancy projects across the public and private sectors have shown that many organisations are unaware of the costs, environmental impact and duty of care risks associated with employees using their own vehicles in the course of their work.
Although previous research has attempted to tackle grey fleet, most published reports have focussed on the negative aspects of grey fleet use and have highlighted failings in the management of this important fleet sector. BVRLA and EST believe that recent years have seen a lot of positive progress made in tackling these costs and risks. Some of these initiatives are presented as case studies in Appendix 1. It is hoped that they will motivate readers to further investigate the benefits of active grey fleet management.
This report aims to build on this progress and show how it can be harnessed to achieve a step change in cost control, employee safety and reduced environmental impact. There is considerable potential for both public and private sector organisations to reduce grey fleet use by taking advantage of the innovative products and services offered by BVRLA members.