Grey Fleet is the term used to describe a personal vehicle that is used for business and private journeys. In basic terms it is any vehicle that is not owned by the company.
A lot of companies are unaware of the road safety legislation surrounding “The Grey Fleet” and the driver’s and company’s legal obligations.
The following legislation has been put into place to keep workers safe.
- Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
- Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999
- Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007
The following points need to be addressed when managing a Grey Fleet vehicle.
The private vehicle must be insured by the owner or staff member so that they are covered to drive business miles.
Good practice is to ask to see a copy of this insurance policy.
A vehicle must be road legal with valid Mot and Tax.
Vehicle compliance can be manually checked on a regular basis but is time consuming and open to human error especially when using a spreadsheet or paper-based filing system. We would recommend using a fleet management system like Pocket Box Fleet which automates live data giving automatic updates and renewal notifications for the company transport manager and vehicle owner. leaving it easier to be checked.
A vehicle must be road worthy and fit for purpose.
Vehicle checks should be done regularly to ensure they are in optimum condition with no faults that could cause them to be unsafe for the driver or other road users.
Pocket Box fleet has a vehicle check system that can be completed on the driver’s phone. Faults and damage can be reported immediately, giving the transport or fleet manager a better insight into the condition of the Grey fleet vehicle. Some companies Grey fleet policies may have a vehicle age limit restrictions that can be easy forgotten about or mismanaged, leaving employees driving unauthorised vehicles.
At Pocket Box, as part of the vehicle check, the driver signs a declaration to say the vehicle is in a good, road worthy condition and is safe to drive.
The driver confirms that they are not impaired by alcohol or drugs, they are not suffering from fatigue or have any medical condition that may adversely affect their driving.
They also confirm that they can read a number plate from a distance of 20 metres or more with corrective lenses if necessary.
This vehicle check and fit to drive declaration ensures that the company is compliant and has done everything in its power to make sure that their Grey Fleet is roadworthy, legal and fit for purpose and that their drivers are fit and healthy to drive.
If you would like to find out more about managing your “Grey Fleet” contact Pocket Box today.
