BUILDING INDUSTRY DRIVES DOWN COSTS WITH STREETCAR

The building industry has become one of the fastest to adopt the car club concept, according to new figures from Streetcar for Business, the UK’s largest pay as you go car hire service dedicated to the corporate community. Part of the highly successful Streetcar (http://www.streetcar.com) brand, the corporate scheme offers a diverse fleet of BMWs, VW Golfs, Polos and Transporter vans and has seen membership soar from 900 to almost 2100 in the last year as organisations choose the service as an alternative to managing their own fleet or using private hire vehicles. In particular, the number of members from the building sector has almost trebled in a year as many search for a way to cut costs through the recession. Commenting on the sector-specific rise, Brett Akker, Streetcar’s co-founder, said: “It’s clear that the current economic climate has forced many building sector companies to review their cost base and look for innovative ways to reduce outlay. Streetcar gives companies flexible and immediate access to a range of new vehicles, cutting out the admin and maintenance overheads associated with running their own fleet and affording them significant savings.” Streetcar offers businesses 24/7 access to vehicles on an hourly basis from as little as £4.21 per hour. As well as the cost savings1, corporate use of car clubs has been shown to help companies cut their carbon footprint2, as well as reduce administration and the risks associated with in-house fleet maintenance and safety. **Dan Davidson, Managing Director of Build Team said: "We have found Streetcar to be an extremely effective transport option. We are able to scale our operations up or down very quickly without the need for investing in a permanent fleet – this represents huge cost savings for us. Since bookings can be as short as half an hour, it has also allowed us to put our sustainability policy into practice by booking vehicles only when we need them.” In the residential community, Streetcar has become an increasingly popular alternative to traditional car ownership. Consumer membership has more than doubled in just over 12 months to over 75,000 and is expected to rise to 250,000 by 20123. The scheme boasts over 1000 locations across seven cities; London, Brighton, Cambridge, Southampton, Guildford, Maidstone and Oxford. The company is planning to launch in Bristol in March. -Ends- For all media enquiries, please contact Louise Evans or Charlotte Maule on 01252 725346 or 07891 242476 (out-of-hours) **Case Study Build Team is a central London building company with a difference. They pride themselves on their methodical and professional approach to full design, refurbishment, build and maintenance, as well as the sustainability of how they go about their projects. This focus on practical frugality and the environment impacts equally on the company’s transport policies. When a new member of the team joins, they are given a branded bicycle to get around from project to project, though Managing Director, Dan Davidson does say, “You can’t get many tools on a bike!” So to combat this, the company has a small number of LPG vans to cater for clients with very specific maintenance needs, along with a Streetcar account. With over 20 Streetcars and vans parked within one mile of Build Team’s Holborn-based offices, and because bookings can be as short as just half-an-hour, the company is able put their sustainability policy into action by booking vehicles precisely when they need them. Cost is also a positive factor with half an hour in a Streetvan coming in at just £3.89. Dan estimates that they have saved up to 50% on their transport costs. Dan gives a perfect example of how Streetcar fits the efficient approach the company has to their projects. “Just the other week, two ground-workers were able to cut down a 2-day job into just half a day. Instead of driving out from central London to a site in Woking, they took the train out to Clapham Junction and picked up a Streetcar from there. By doing this they were able to avoid traffic and get on site early. One then assessed what needed to be done, whilst the other set off to a local tool hire shop.” Streetcar is also great if a supplier lets them down on a delivery, or they have a last minute need for materials. This flexible and cost-effective approach to transport provisions has saved Build Team from compromising their professional image by using ad-hoc man-and-vans, sacrificing time going to conventional car hire or being forced to increase their permanent fleet size at cost to themselves and the environment. Streetcar also allows them to cater for their rapid growth with considerable ease. Dan says, “Whenever we win major new contracts, I always tell the project managers to locate the nearest Streetvan to the site as one of their first priorities. Then I know they’re set.” And with vans nearby to their major developments in Kensington, Pimlico and St John’s Wood, this has proven to be a sensible approach.

Tags: