Safety focus boosts demand for Kwik-Fit
The ever-increasing focus by companies on at-work driver safety is driving up tyre safety checks and brake inspection work to unprecedented levels at Kwik-Fit Fleet, Britain's largest independent fast-fit business...
Initial tyre checks result in about 20% of vehicles inspected requiring attention
Two years ago Kwik-Fit Mobile carried out 150,000 tyre safety checks on company cars and vans demanded by safety conscious fleet operators and undertaken in company car parks or the driver's location of choice. Last year the figure increased to 200,000 and this year technicians expect to complete 250,000 inspections.
The explosion in tyre safety check business has led to 20% of Kwik-Fit Fleet's 200-strong mobile van fleet now being dedicated to tyre safety checks - work that is undertaken in addition to callouts to repair or replace damaged tyres.
Initial tyre checks result in about 20% of vehicles inspected requiring attention. Extrapolated across the UK's three millionstrong company car and approximately one million van parc it means that up to 800,000 vehicles could be running on at least one unsafe tyre.
Typically tyres maybe under or over inflated; tread maybe below, or close to the 1.6mm legal minimum across the central three-quarters of the breadth of the tyre and around the entire circumference; tyre wear maybe irregular which may indicate a wheel alignment or vehicle loading problem; or the wall of a tyre may be damaged. The current fine for driving on illegal tyres is £2,500 per tyre and three points per tyre on a driving licence.
Head of Kwik-Fit Fleet Mike Wise said: "Tyres are the only part of a vehicle that are in contact with the road so it is essential that they are in tip-top condition. Ensuring tyres meet the legal requirements is a vital part of any corporate risk strategy."
Tyre safety checks on almost 9,500 British Gas Home Service light commercial vehicles driven by the organisation's engineers who provide a range of services, including installing and servicing domestic boilers, remain a major feature of the organisation's fast-fit contract with Kwik-Fit Fleet.
British Gas fleet operations manager Colin Marriott said: "Our customer-focused operation means that there is little time for vehicles to be off the road. Consequently, we expect the majority of vehicles to be serviced by Kwik-Fit Fleet's mobile technicians to ensure downtime is kept to an absolute minimum.
"It is also vital that we meet all our at-work driving health and safety obligations and the unique tyre inspection service that Kwik- Fit is providing will help achieve that aim."
Meanwhile, Kwik-Fit Fleet's no appointment centre-based Brake Safety Programme was offi cially launched into the corporate sector at the beginning of 2004. That year the company reported a 41% rise in fleet-specific brake work and in 2005 the year-on-year increase was around 40%. In 2006, the company saw a further 19.4% rise and this year brake-related business is expected to grow by more than a quarter.
Mr Wise said: "We are fitting an increasing number of company vehicles with new brake pads, with work being driven by a combination of extended vehicle service intervals and the growing importance of at-work driving safety that means regular brake inspections are more critical than ever."