After a significant decline during the worst Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, traffic returned to pre-pandemic levels in 2023 and continued to follow a long upward trend. British drivers covered almost 331 billion miles last year, according to the Department for Transport – a 10% increase on 2003, and almost entirely a 62% increase in light commercial vehicle mileage over that period.

While electrification and alternative fuels can help reduce the environmental impact of those miles, the push for more sustainable operations means companies are paying more attention to whether or not the trips are necessary.

For Sustainable Mobility Week, Fleet News and Ayvens surveyed 252 decision-makers for some of the UK’s largest fleets (with 250 vehicles or more) to discover how sustainability is influencing their operations, with most planning big changes ahead. Almost all respondents (98%) expect government environmental regulations, such as phasing out combustion engines and moving towards carbon neutrality, to change the way they operate over the next five years. next years. Half (48%) believe their organization’s mobility ecosystem will then be significantly different.

Break the status quo

However, early adopters have been very positive about the results of these changes. Nine in ten (91%) said aligning their fleet operating model with the government’s Sustainable Development Goals had been beneficial. Positive impacts included improved brand image and reputation (54%), improved operational efficiencies (54%) and the ability to access new customers or markets (43%), while 40% reduced their operating costs. Each of these factors provides some degree of competitive advantage to operators.

The results reflect a strong business case for electric vehicle deployment. Fleets that said electrification was part of their sustainability strategy were more likely to have improved their reputation and brand image (63%) or reduced costs (49%), but operational challenges remain. Nearly half (48%) of this group said they had difficulty finding electric vehicles that fit their needs, while 43% cited charging infrastructure issues. This compares to 39% and 36% respectively across the entire survey sample.

At the same time, 40% of respondents are reconsidering how they use their fleet – either by sharing vehicles, optimizing routes or better managing load – to help meet their environmental commitments. These fleets were more likely to claim reduced operating costs (51%) from their sustainability strategy than the survey average, while 48% said these initiatives had given them access to new customers or markets.

It’s also worth noting that these respondents cited market demand (44%) and pressure from investors or shareholders (41%) as the most important motivators for their decarbonization strategy, ahead of government regulations ( 39%) – which constitutes the first response for the entire survey. sample. Only 33% said the risk of climate change was behind these decisions.

Fit for purpose

Of course, decarbonization must also be economically and operationally sustainable. Nearly a third (30%) of fleets surveyed said sustainability was not a priority at the moment, and this share was highest among operators in the agriculture and construction sectors – with 43 % in each case. Although agricultural fleets were the most likely to report that customer demand influenced their sustainability strategy (86%), they were also the most likely to report a lack of vehicle choice as a barrier to their electrification plans.

While two thirds (67%) of respondents in the housing sector are reducing their dependence on vehicles and reducing their fleet to reduce emissions, this share falls to 19% in the retail sector and 20% in the public sector . Retail and public sector fleets were much more likely to focus on improving fuel efficiency, at 62% and 55% of respondents respectively, than the overall average of 40%. These assets may already be working as hard as they can.

An effective downsizing or electrification strategy relies on reliable data, as this can help identify assets that are underutilized or susceptible to battery power. However, only a third (34%) of respondents said they were investing in fleet management software or telematics solutions to help them meet their environmental commitments. As expected, adoption was highest among those who owned light commercial vehicles (38%) and heavy vehicles (45%).

The results show that decision-makers appreciate this visibility. Respondents who reported using telematics or fleet management solutions were more likely to say they felt “completely in control” of their company’s sustainability journey (48%) than the survey average ( 31%). They were also more likely to plan for electric vehicles (48% vs. 37%), reduce fleet (28% vs. 21%), and use (40% vs. 34%) than the sample as a whole.

Cost and CO2 balance

Biffa is targeting an efficiency improvement of 20% between 2022 and 2030, aiming to have the lowest possible carbon impact for its waste collection services. The approach is two-pronged: introducing alternative fuels such as hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), while suitable electric vehicles and charging infrastructure continue to mature, while conducting detailed quarterly efficiency reviews.

Darren Judd, Fleet Development Manager, explains: “Sustainability is at the heart of Biffa’s business, and many of our customers choose us because of our commitment to this area. That said, we still see a gap between expectations and reality, particularly when it comes to costs. We need to get creative and find ways to meet these expectations, without pushing prices too high.

“Telematics plays a key role in how we manage our fleet. It helps us track vehicle efficiency, route optimization and driver behavior. Our vehicles do not operate like traditional transport trucks: they make frequent stops, which weighs heavily on fuel consumption. Telematics allows us to monitor this and adjust accordingly. It’s about using this technology to refine the way we operate.

“In some areas of our business, we have implemented managed services that analyze telematics data and provide feedback to drivers. We have found that this approach produces real results, particularly in terms of fuel savings and safety. Safer driving often results in reduced carbon emissions, so the two go hand in hand.