Page 44 - Fleet

Company Car Drivers Bulletin 2022 – Edition Four

Vehicle Security Please can all colleagues maintain a high level of awareness in regard to the security of their
company cars as we have experienced several recent incidents. Here are some tips:
• Never leave your car insecure when unattended – turn the engine off and lock the doors every time you leave it, no

matter how short a time you are away from the car.
• Make sure all valuables are kept out of sight, especially charging cables which are increasingly attractive to thieves

• When parking overnight, always try to park where your vehicle can be seen from your house or in a well lit area
• As a backup, always register for the manufacturer app for your car and activate the “Find my car” functionality
• Store your keys safely at home, never leave them close to the front door, use a Faraday wallet for keyless cars
• If you have any concerns about vehicle security, please contact the fleet team on fleetadmin@hss.com

Vehicle Supply Update Unfortunately the supply of new cars continues to worsen, as
several new issues have complicated the supply chain process further. The average lead time is
now 12+ months
• Ukraine was a major source of parts for new cars. These are sadly not available and the
production of new cars has slowed.
• The recent COVID lockdowns in China has delayed the production of Tesla, BMW EV, MG

and Polestar brands.
• Numerous manufacturers are implementing either one off large cost increases or regular

small increases, which is making some models too expensive for certain grades. Whilst HSS
is looking to support colleagues as much as possible, some price increases are
unsustainable
• A new dynamic is the continued demand from the general public (retail) who are buying
cars either at list price or with minimal discounts. This has caused some manufacturers to
reconsider the high volume, lower margin fleet business and prioritise cars for their
showrooms. This is a major cause of the hire car shortage, as they have historically sourced

heavily discounted cars

Company Car Inspections You should now have received your login for PreDrive and
the instructions for completing your first vehicle check. A reminder that you should be

checking your car on a regular basis, especially before any long journey but you are only
required to record the check on PreDrive once every 6 months.
If you haven’t yet received your login, please contact fleetadmin@hss.com