Chevin managing director Ashley Sowerby says this was the first time since the recession that construction companies have had the means to reconsider how they run commercial vehicles, cars and plant.
"Clearly, construction had a really rough ride and fleet operations suffered as a result," states Sowerby.
"Vehicle lives were frequently extended on a short-term basis, for example, and there were few opportunities to examine policies covering key areas such as overall environmental impact," he continues.
"However, this pattern appeared to change in 2014, according to feedback from construction companies we work with. There was sufficient funding and breathing space to take a ground-up look at fleet operations."
Sowerby suggests that reviews looked at vehicle replacement cycles, CO2 footprint, compliance with legislation and the various schemes (such as FORS – Freight Operator Recognition Scheme) that apply particularly to the sector, as well as accident management.
"We are seeing increasing use of our latest mobile technology not just to meet O licence obligations, such as daily driver checks, but also similar obligations in LOLER and FORS," states Sowerby.
"Additionally, there is a growing recognition in the sector about the need for better management of accident risk, both in terms of reducing the likelihood of incidents and getting vehicles back on the road more quickly when they do occur. Again, technology available through fleet software is playing an important role."
Sowerby backs his assertions by pointing to significantly increased spending by construction companies on Chevin's fleet technology.
"The thinking appears to be that investments made now, while conditions are relatively good, will help to ensure that fleet efficiencies are optimised, whether the economy flat-lines or the recovery picks up speed."