In April 2003 the Inland Revenue introduced a new scheme for calculating the value of Car Fuel Benefit. Like the Company Car Benefit it is based on the Carbon Dioxide emissions of the vehicle. The percentage rate is the same as the one calculated for the car benefit and it is then be multiplied against a fixed figure for the year, from 2003 to 2007 this was £14,400 but in April 2008 it jumped to £16,900. Even at the "break even" mileage - about 12,000/annum - the total cost of each litre is at least £2.40 and all but about £0.35 is tax - not an efficient way of providing a benefit. Make sure your drivers are fully aware of the cost of this benefit.
Sort out your mobile phone policy!
It is now illegal to use a hand-held mobile phone while driving. Have you put in place
a mobile phone policy? It is Gfleet's view that the only sensible policy is a total ban on the use of any
type of mobile phone while driving. All the evidence suggests that hands-free and hand-held are just as
dangerous - it is the conversation itself that is the distraction not the use of the phone.
Make sure your drivers know how to use their voice mail systems (consider training!). Think about combining
the ban on phones with a requirement to stop every two hours to take a break from the road and
catch up on voice mail and even email. Add an SMS message portal to your company email system so it is easy for
colleagues to send text messages direct from their desktop email to mobile phones. ACT NOW!
Full report RoSPAMobilePhones.pdf (256Kb)
RoSPA Web Site Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents
Up to a third of road traffic accidents involve someone who is at work - that's equivalent to 20 deaths a week and 250 serious injuries. The HSE has published "Driving at work - Managing work-related road safety" and it is a must-read for all organisations who expect staff to drive as part of their working day - either in a company car or in their own car.
Can you say that all your drivers have a valid driving licence? Are they all fit to drive - when did they last have an eye test? Are you satisfied that your vehicles are in a safe and fit condition? What about the ones your staff own but you pay them a mileage rate to drive? Are your work schedules realistic?
Just a few of the questions you should be able to answer to reduce the chance of one of your drivers becoming one of those statistics.
Full report HSEDrivingAtWork.pdf (233Kb)
Drivers in London have been paying a congestion charge to enter the inner area between 7.00am to 6.30pm since February 2003. The charge of £8 must be paid by 22:00hrs the same day (£10 if paid between 22:00 and midnight) or a fine of £120 is be imposed (which falls to £60 if paid promptly). London is the first UK city to introduce a scheme on this scale and is using sophisticated digital number plate recognition technology.
Visit: Congestion Charging For London for more information.