Tyre provider change follows LeasePlan takeover in July
Earlier this year (at the end of July), LeasePlan Corporation N.V. changed ownership and announced that it had been informed by its previous 100 per cent shareholder (Global Mobility Holding B.V. - a joint venture of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft and Fleet Investments B.V.) that it had reached an agreement with a consortium of long-term investors to acquire full ownership of LeasePlan in a 3.7 billion euro deal.
Continue ReadingLeasePlan: ATS, National and FTN to replace Kwik-Fit
Vehicle leasing giant LeasePlan has appointed ATS Euromaster, National Tyres & Autocare and Fleet Tyre Network (FTN) as its tyre fitment partner in favour of previous incumbent Kwik-Fit.
Continue ReadingBridgestone extends Downton deal
Bridgestone has extended its “much valued” fleet agreement with one of the UK’s leading independent logistics firms - Downton. The new five year pence-per-kilometre (PPK) contract builds on the existing 10-year partnership with the UK’s largest privately owned third party logistics provider.
Continue ReadingResearch finds most UK drivers baffled by modern cars
The average UK driver is currently being outsmarted by their own car, according to new research. The survey of 1,000 British car owners, carried out by BookMyGarage.com, found that 73 per cent don’t understand how to use all of the high tech gadgets and safety features in their vehicle. This is despite over half (54 per cent) of British adults admitting they were sold on the car they bought because of the features it offered.
Continue ReadingPrice is all-important for younger car buyers
New data from BCA, Europe’s largest used car marketplace, highlights the increasing financial pressure on the youngest motorists on UK roads. Price has always been critical to the youngest used car buyers. But research commissioned for the BCA Used Car Market Report shows that this has increased considerably in the last year. In 2015, 65 per cent of 17-24 year old used car buyers said that price had the strongest influence on their vehicle search – this was the highest percentage in five years and a 14 percentage point rise on the previous year.
Continue ReadingMajority of motorists mistrust keyless car technology, survey finds
Despite attempts to quash new research by scientists that exposes a major security flaw found in car key fobs, nearly 140 different popular makes and models of vehicles driven by UK motorists have now been confirmed as being at risk. Stolen vehicle recovery expert, Tracker (part of the Tantalum Corporation), which has been a longstanding campaigner against weak electronic ignition systems, can reveal that 70 per cent of people it surveyed said they would reconsider purchasing a keyless car in the wake of growing concern over fears to vehicle security.
Continue ReadingGoodyear Dunlop becomes Transaid corporate member
Goodyear Dunlop has signed up to international transport development charity Transaid’s corporate membership scheme. As a result, the manufacturer will support a number of Transaid’s projects including professional driver training programmes and maternal health projects. Its annual membership contribution will provide the charity with essential unrestricted funds, which can be put towards the testing and implementation of new programmes and transport systems in Africa, aimed at improving road safety and access to healthcare and livelihoods.
Continue ReadingLiberty Walk enters UK with The Performance Company distribution deal
Bodykit creator Liberty Walk has announced its official presence in the UK by appointing The Performance Company (TPC) in Northampton as its sole British distributor. The Wellingborough based firm, which also recently added AirRex air suspension systems to its portfolio, said the deal would augment other blue-chip names like Remus, Pipercross, Ultra Racing and V-Maxx in its portfolio.
Continue ReadingGSF Car Parts to give £2,500 worth of prizes at Mechanex
GSF Car Parts have announced details of a new prize draw, open to all garage visitors to their stand at the upcoming Mechanex trade show. The two day garage event, which takes place on 10 and 11 November at Surrey’s Sandown Park, will see the company promoting the latest from its Garage Essentials workshop equipment range. Vetech’s range of parts and consumables will also be prominent, including the patented non-flammable DPF cleaner which has been flying off the shelves, following its summer launch.
Continue ReadingR&J Strang winning new fleet business supported by CAM’s dynamic data feed
The growth of R&J Strang Services’ fleet contract business is being supported by field data gathered via integrated digital tablet feeds, the company reveals. These were introduced by CAM as part of the tyre service provider’s investment in the UniSerV platform.
Continue ReadingRenault selects Michelin X Line Energy tyres as OE on its T-Series Optifuel
Renault’s 6x2 T-series Optifuel will roll off the production line on Michelin 315/70 R 22.5 X Line Energy tyres as standard, after intensive trials. During three days of testing around a 143.6 mile test route, the low rolling resistance Michelin 315/70 X Line Energy tyres – designed to operate at a high average speed on long-distance trunking – showed a three per cent advantage in fuel efficiency over a set of competing premium-brand 295/80 R 22.5 ‘regional’ tread pattern tyres. The trials took in a combination of A-roads and motorways, and were conducted with the support of Michelin’s UK technical team.
Continue ReadingEpyx: Driver demand advancing Tyreserve uptake
Take-up of Epyx’s new Tyreserve e-commerce service is reportedly being driven by company car and van drivers. According to Epyx, the option of having tyres fitted during routine servicing (and therefore without visiting a fast-fit centre) is proving to be attractive to fleet end users.
Continue ReadingIAM wins ETSC award for staff driving guidelines
The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) won a European award today (20 October) for its efforts in improving road safety at work through its own staff driving guidelines and safeguards. The accolade has come from the Brussels-based European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), a leading non-profit organisation dedicated to reducing the numbers of deaths and injuries in transport in Europe.
Continue ReadingMCIA director receives 3rd award nomination in 2015
Karen Cole, director of training for the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA), has been shortlisted for a national award in recognition of her work on motorcycle safety – her third this year. Two previous awards were presented at the beginning of the year, one for ‘services to rider and safety training’, and another for ‘outstanding achievement in motorcycle safety’. On 22 October she will find out if her team has won an Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) ‘IMI Specialist Centre of the Year 2015’ award.
Continue ReadingUsing social media to solve car crime
My Car Check – the consumer vehicle data provider – has helped to reunite a vehicle with its rightful owner after spotting a post on Facebook page They Stole My Wheels. The 2008 Vauxhall Vectra was pictured on a Yorkshire side street with several parking tickets – a giveaway sign that it had been stolen and abandoned.
Continue Reading