Fleets that are not taking advantage of MOT forward booking options during the autumn surge are at higher risk of VOR, or vehicle off-road time, says Prestige Fleet Servicing.

Almost 10 million UK vehicles will require an MOT during September, October and November 2022 as a result of the COVID-19 testing suspensions implemented by the government (DVSA). Garages will see a forecasted 3.27 million vehicles for MOTs in September, compared with 2.64 million in the same month four years ago in 2018.[1]

With many businesses forced to hang onto ageing vehicles for longer than intended due to current new vehicle shortages, fleets are already under rising pressure to be more vigilant about vehicle maintenance and repair. Unexpected mechanical failures, especially from older models, can put a serious dent in profits when it comes to business downtime if vehicles are required to be off the road for a significant period of time. Annually, the unplanned repair and servicing of vehicles costs fleets an estimated £2.4 billion.[2]

But fleets can beat the forecasted backlog by planning ahead, says Penny Stoolman, managing director, Prestige Fleet Servicing. “Being unable to service a vehicle when it is off road for repair or is waiting for an MOT due to long waiting times is undoubtedly going to cost your business money. However, forward booking MOT and servicing work can reap rewards when it comes to reducing VOR time, especially during periods of uncertainty.

“Pre-scheduled downtime will lower your risk of VOR. Across the Prestige garage network, we offer a 90-day forward booking facility that fleets can take advantage of as part of a proactive approach towards servicing, maintenance and repair (SMR). Working in partnership with businesses such as ours, businesses can also access savings of up to 30% on dealership labour rates and parts.”

For more information, visit https://www.theaa.com/business/prestige-fleet-servicing.

Encompassing over 580 approved garages across the UK, Prestige provides service, maintenance, and repair (SMR) work, as well as MOTs, for vehicles UK-wide. Part of the AA, Prestige serves over 60% of the fleet sector, supporting companies of all sizes across B2B, B2C and the used vehicle warranty sector.  Prestige works in partnership with motor industry standards organisations such as the Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) and The Motoring Ombudsman, to make sure their garage network maintains a high standard with any issues reported and rectified quickly.

[1] DVSA MOT Test Volume Forecast for 2022, GIPA Aftermarket Intelligence

[2] https://www.commercialfleet.org/news/van-news/2019/04/02/van-downtime-costing-business-24bn