Fleet operators using “grey fleets” of employees’ own vehicles are often unaware of their legal responsibilities in running these fleets, leaving them vulnerable to serious financial and legal risks, Logistics UK is warning.
There are an estimated 14 million vehicles used in grey fleets in the UK, made up of cars, vans and trucks.
Logistics UK points to research which shows almost half of employees who use their private vehicle for business-related journeys have not had their driving licence checked by their employer; a third have not been asked to show a valid MOT certificate and over half of the C-suite questioned believed incorrectly that employees using their personal vehicle to drive for work purposes were not the company’s responsibility.
To help tackle this issue Logistics UK is launching Grey Fleet Checks with a 20% early-adopter discount on Grey Fleet Checks. The service, which is part of its compliance platform Vision is incorporated into Vision’s Licence Check module. It allows organisations to reduce risk by managing the compliance of their grey fleets just as they ensure compliance of the vehicles they own.
Jemma James, Logistics UK’s director of partnerships and digital services, said: “Many organisations do not appreciate that their legal responsibility for grey fleets is exactly the same as for the vehicles they operate directly.
“Privately owned vehicles used for work are classed as work equipment and, if not properly managed, can expose organisations to serious legal and financial risks: breaching health and safety legislation can result in unlimited fines for organisations and in serious cases individuals can face up to two years in prison.”
She added: “Employers must ensure vehicles are roadworthy, properly maintained and safe to use, supported by evidence such as MOT and servicing records.
“As a minimum, employers need to check driver licences, vehicle insurance, MOTs and road tax and managing this data to ensure it is accurate and complete is critical for proving compliance.
“Vision’s new Grey Fleet Checks service is a smarter way to manage these checks and has a direct link with the DVLA for real-time data validation and insurance documents are checked using AI and human verification to confirm business coverage.
“All the data is stored within the Vision platform so is accessible from anywhere with an internet connection, and as the platform is fully customisable, organisations can collect information that meets their own company policies including: vehicle age, Euro status, fuel type, mileage, driver age limits, and CO2 emissions.”
