2025

TVM420 - E-bike storage in council facilities - 311225

An authority has cycle storage facilities in order to promote and support staff active travel for their commute. 
A key obstacle has however been with the insurers who are not prepared for E-Bikes to be stored due to the risk from battery related fires. 
They would like to know if anyone has faced a similar issue and what solutions they came to for addressing this? 

TVM419 - Qualifications and additional payments for staff - 301225

A member authority is interested in understanding if they make any additional payments to staff to recognise their qualifications, such as an ‘O License’ and/or COTC. 
 If so, what is the level of additional payments made?

TVM418 - Software for pool vehicles - 171125

This local authority would like hear from any councils who use any software or a company to support them in pooling fleet vehicles (where you can book pool vehicles and also track their location).  They would like feedback on the name of the solution you use and the pros and cons of the system.

TVM417 - Spare Seat Schemes - 121125

A member authority is currently reviewing aspects of its existing Home to School Travel and Post 16 Travel Policy Statement. A contentious element of the existing policy is our current Spare Seat Scheme where they enable families of pupils who do not meet that stated eligibility criteria to purchase spare capacity on transport services they arrange (contracted) travel to School/College.
 Thery are keen to understand how many Council’s operate a similar scheme, how it is structured, and the administration/processing of Spare Seats, plus the varying role a private transport provider may play.
 They  are requesting support to benchmark this aspect of Home to School Travel and will share the feedback received in return.

TVM416 - Repair and Maintenance of Workshop and MOT Equipment - 291025

This Local authority is seeking information from other Scottish Authorities on who they use for the Repair/Maintenance and calibration of workshop and MOT equipment. Any responses are greatly appreciated.

TVM415 - MOTs - 231025

Please can we submit a network query for the following:
 1.    Do other Local Authorities undertake private MOTs? 
 2. If so, how many vehicles do they MOT?
 3. What is the charge per MOT and how much income is generated?

TVM414 - External contractors for vehicle maintenance - 201025

A member authority is seeking information regarding external contractors for vehicle maintenance.
 Specifically, they would like to know, where a Local Authority has an external contractor in place for all vehicle maintenance, and do not operate their own Fleet workshop-
 1.    Do you have different categories or sizes of vehicles split into different lots within the maintenance contract?
 2. For light vehicles, small cars and vans etc - what is stipulated within your requirements of the contract? For example - MOT and servicing only. Are there additional safeguards built in that cover breakdowns/ repairs etc?
 3. For LGV’s and buses, do you only include servicing/ regular safety inspections/ MOT’s within the contract specification?
 4. For LGV’s and buses, do you also include all repairs (other than damage) within the contract specification? 
 Any other information regarding your different types of contract specifications would be appreciated. 

TVM413 - Tyres & Fleet - 141025

A member authority has a query on tyres and contracts:-
In regards to the control & changing of tyres on your fleet of vehicles, please confirm if your current service provision is either:
⦁    Inhouse
⦁    External
⦁    Blended
 Please expand and provide any additional details as appropriate.

TVM412 - HGV technicians – pay and retention – 110925

An authority would like to know:

• What they pay in basic wages for fully qualified HGV technicians
• Their working patterns
• For areas that operate on pay bands, do you apply a market rating if the pay scale is at the maximum?
• If so, what percentage is typically applied?
• Are there any additional payments or initiatives made to support staff retention?

TVM411 - Managing A Staff Vehicle Pool Fleet – 110825

This local authority is seeking information on how other authorities manage their vehicle fleet. This local authority operates an electric vehicle pool fleet that staff can book for business travel. However, their current booking system does not provide sufficient data to accurately assess vehicle utilisation in conjunction with their telematics data. Therefore, they would be interested in understanding the systems other local authorities fleet team use through the following questions:

The deadline for responses to the following questions is Wednesday the 27th of August.

1. Does your Local Authority operate a staff vehicle pool fleet for business travel?

2. How do staff book a pool vehicle?

3.Do you use a booking system designed for this sole purpose or an existing booking functionality i.e. Outlook?

4. Does your booking system provide reporting functionality and if so what data do you gather/report on?

5. What is your current fleet management system? (for all fleet, not specifically pool vehicle)

6. If no system is in place, do you have any plans to introduce a staff vehicle pool fleet in the near future, and if so can you share any details on what this might entail?

TVM410 - Managing and Procuring vehicle parts – 100625

A member authority manages the repairs and maintenance of its fleet in-house. If you manage your fleet in-house, can you please advise how you go about procuring vehicle parts ensuring compliance with Public Contract Regulations 2015 / Procurement Act 2023?

• How are your parts stocks replenished?
• Do you operate an imprest stock system?

TVM409 - Telematics and speeding in fleet – 040625

A member authority currently uses telematics data to enforce a policy regarding speeding in their fleet vehicles (HGV and light vehicles).

They would be interested to find out if other authorities use telematics data to enforce speeding, and if and how they use it to take formal action for repeated breaches.

TVM408 - Fleet Management Systems – 040625

A member authority is currently reviewing their Fleet Management System and would appreciate knowing about experiences from other authorities on:

1. Who is your current Fleet Management system supplier?
2. How long have you been using this system?
3. Is it a fully digital solution?
4. Do Supervisors and Technicians distribute, receive, and update workloads digitally?
5. Does the system manage vehicles, plant equipment, and hire vehicles?
6. Is it integrated with a stores system for vehicle parts?

• If so, how does this integration operate?

7. Does the system include performance monitoring tools to measure operational efficiency?

TVM407 - Fleet Management Systems

A member authority is currently reviewing their Fleet Management System and would appreciate knowing about experiences from other authorities on:

1. Who is your current Fleet Management system supplier?
2. How long have you been using this system?
3. Is it a fully digital solution?
4. Do Supervisors and Technicians distribute, receive, and update workloads digitally?
5. Does the system manage vehicles, plant equipment, and hire vehicles?
6. Is it integrated with a stores system for vehicle parts?

• If so, how does this integration operate?

7. Does the system include performance monitoring tools to measure operational efficiency?

TVM406 - Training for Technicians on Evs – 290525

A member authority would like some insights on EV training for technicians:

• Have any local authorities put their Technicians and MOT Testers through formal EV training?
• Who was the training provider?
• Are there any requirements for refresher training, and if so, how frequently is it needed?
• Was the training funded internally, or was external funding available?
• Has the training led to any changes or upgrades in your workshop facilities?

TVM405 - Council Tractors – 210525

A member authority would like to understand more about the use of Tractors (specifically medium/Large Tractors) for Gang/Flail mowing, Golf course/Large area meadows work.

• What Make/Model are members using?
• Do Councils buy or hire/lease their tractors
• How many units do they run?
• What engine sizes are they?
• What Power output – bhp?
• What is the average fuel use L/Hr or MPG?
• What PTO options do they use?
• That is the average annual hours used?
• What is the average retention/renewal period for Tractors.
• Do they maintain their own tractors or have outsourced SMR

TVM404 - Service Level Agreements for Fleet Services - 120525

A local authority is in the process of reviewing their internal Service Level Agreements for fleet services provided to other services within the Council. They are interested to hear how other local authorities have developed their internal SLA’s and would be grateful if anyone could share an example of their SLAs along with a full breakdown of costs for e.g. staffing, software, servicing, parts, road fund licence, insurance etc.

We appreciate some of this information may be sensitive therefore if you are unable to share as part of the query, could you please confirm if you would be happy for the local authority to contact you directly to discuss this information.

if you could please send responses by Tuesday 27th May 2025.

TVM403 - Replacement compact sweepers - 100425

A local authority is looking to replace their compact sweepers. They would therefore be grateful for information on the make/ models of sweepers others are currently using?

In particular they would be interested for any feedback on the Scarab Ravo R2 compact sweeper including performance and reliability etc.

TVM402 - ASN Transport- 090425

This local authority is seeking to understand more information on methods and pricing of ASN transportation. To gather insight, they would appreciate answers to the following questions:

• Cost of an escort for ASN transport. Is there a methodology to calculating a rate for an escort?
• Do contractors charge waiting times?
• Do ASN contractors have a standard cost per mile for cars and minibuses?
• Have any authorities conducted any cost-benefit analyses on external vs. internal ASN transport?
• Are budgets within ASN transport under pressure? And what are those pressures, i.e. transport costs or are numbers rising?

TVM401 - Drugs and Alcohol Policy / Testing - 280325

A member authority is currently reviewing their existing drugs and alcohol policy and looking for information from councils who operate drug and alcohol testing.

Please answer the following:

1. Do you have a policy on testing?
2. Would you be willing to share it?
3. Is this a Council wide policy or fleet and safety critical roles only?
4. Does it involve random testing? involves a selection of employees at random at regular intervals and testing them
5. Does it involve post-incident testing? when an employer tests the employee after there is an incident that causes an injury, damage or a near miss
6. Does it involve for-cause screening/testing? may be used as part of a drug and alcohol policy when there are reasonable grounds to suspect that there is a misuse of drugs or alcohol in the workplace
7. Does it involve testing for new starters?
8. What does your test involve (e.g. equipment / location etc.)?
9. Is the testing carried out in-house / externally or both?
10. Do you have an approved/signed off DPIA?
11. If you do not have a policy for testing, is your authority actively working towards implementing it?
12. If you have decided not to pursue random testing, what alternative action do you take, if any?

TVM400 - Electric Vehicles - 250225

A member authority is keen to compare itself to others on the progression to electric vehicles

Please provide the following for your fleet:

• Number of Electric Cars?
• Total number of Cars?
• Number of Electic Vans?
• Total number of Vans?
• Number of other electric vehicles in fleet?
• Type of other electric vehicles (RCVs etc)

TVM399 - Fleet Decarbonisation within building services - 030325

A local authority would like to know how other member authorities are progressing with fleet decarbonisation, particularly within building services:-

1. Have you made progress with replacement panel vans?

2. Do you have any particular preference to manufacturer?

3. Do these offer suitable range, payload and load capacity?

4. Have any changes been made to your service area to accommodate vehicle charging or due to reduced available daily mileage?

5. Have you experienced any additional downtime to your service area due to charging needs?

6. Do you offer depot and home charging facilities to charge these vehicles?

TVM0398 - Staffing for Winter Maintenance - 070225

A member authority is reviewing the staffing of winter maintenance activities:

Please can you provide answers to the following:

1. Do your staff carry out winter service operations in addition to their day to day roles?
2. How long do your staff work for out of hours winter service actions (gritting)
3. How do you manage working hours for staff to ensure they do not exceed 11 hours duty time within a 24 hour period?
4. Do your winter service drivers use tachographs and run ‘out of scope’ for gritting activities?

• If no, please provide information on how you operate this function.

5. How long do you leave between winter service actions if road surface temperatures are expected to remain below treatment thresholds?

6. How long in hours do you consider salt to be effective once spread ?

TVM397 - Drug and Alcohol spot checks/210225

This local authority is interested to know if other member authorities carry out drug and alcohol spot checks on staff. In particular:-

1. Do you carry out internal spot checks and what is the process for this?

2. Have there been any HR issues around this?

3. Did this process cause any conflict with Trade Unions?