July 2008 - EXPANDING TARGET VEHICLE HIRE OPENS NEW DEPOT IN SWINDON
Fast-growing Target Vehicle Hire has opened a new centre in Swindon - its ninth rental location - and is offering customers a free three-month Vehicle Monitoring trial.
The new depot, which opened on July 1, is located in Britannia Business Park, Radway Road, and adds to Target Vehicle Hire's existing network of rental outlets in Aylesbury, Banbury, Bicester, High Wycombe, Leamington Spa, Oxford, Reading and Slough
Since acquisition by Northgate Vehicle Hire, Britain's largest vehicle rental company, in 2002, Target Vehicle Hire has seen its fleet size increase from 1,000 vehicles to more than 3,000 vans, trucks and cars. Across the UK Northgate operates a fleet of more than 68,500 vehicles from 86 rental locations.
With a wide range of vehicles for hire, Target Vehicle Hire provides flexible, contract-free rental solutions under the Norflex banner. This means hirers can return a vehicle whenever they want, unhindered by the contractual terms imposed by rival providers.
Patrick Steer, managing director of Target Vehicle Hire, said: "Over the last six years, renting vehicles to businesses has only been possible because of the loyal support of our customers. We are very excited about moving into the new Swindon location; it is an excellent location which has massive potential as we look to further expand our rental business."
Target Vehicle Hire is offering to any business hiring a new vehicle on Norflex through the Swindon centre - as well as its other locations - the option of trialling a Vehicle Monitoring unit completely free of charge for three months. This free trial of Vehicle Monitoring allows vehicles to be tracked by satellite while they are out on the road.
The cutting edge technology is designed to help companies make drivers safer on the road and combat rocketing fuel costs with a potential 20% saving on bills - vital with pump prices at record levels and rising further.
A company using the system will know exactly how its vehicles are being driven and where they are going, so it can ensure that routes are as efficient as possible, provide automatic timesheets based on actual working hours, tackle dangerous driving such as speeding, with the added benefit of acting as a vehicle tracking device in case of theft.
Industry research suggests tracking systems can increase fleet productivity by 15% leading to significant reductions in fuel costs, save 15% on overtime claims and reduce insurance costs by 30% through cutting the number of accidents.
In addition, they can provide proof that a business has attended appointments and completed the work it said it was going to do, which can improve customer service levels. It has even been used to challenge time-based parking fines.
Vehicle Monitoring from Northgate uses the latest satellite technology to track the movements of a vehicle by picking up signals from a tiny transmitter and receiver box it is carrying.
Information is then relayed via the internet to any desktop PC with internet access, where it can be viewed in easy to understand reports by managers using a secure password system.
The savings companies already using the technology run into millions of pounds, with one firm that fitted just 10 vehicles with the system reporting cost reductions of up to £12,000 a month in fuel and overtime claims alone.
Mr Steer said: "Businesses are already seeing enormous savings every day by renting vehicles on Norflex fitted with our Vehicle Monitoring product and because we are so confident of its benefits, we are offering a free three month trial to new customers and current customers ordering additional vehicles for their fleet."
