For the first time, Mid- Devon District Council and Exeter City Council are merging their vehicle fleets and SFS has been awarded the seven-year contract for the provision, and maintenance, of approximately 210 vehicles.

SFS will be providing a range of vehicles such as RCV's, recycling vehicles, sweepers, hook loaders, tippers, vans, cars, telehandlers and grounds maintenance equipment.

The new fleet will include a number of electric vans and cars, and the refuse vehicles are being equipped with the latest safety features including reverse radar, cyclist safety technology and camera systems.

Stuart Noyce, Group Manager, Street Scene and Open Spaces, Mid-Devon District Council said: ‘Previously we purchased our vehicles outright and outsourced the maintenance from a number of suppliers. The contract with SFS is not only better value for money but much simpler. We have a fixed price with no unexpected costs, which is much better for budgeting, and one point of contact for maintenance. There are many additional advantages as a result of this increased harmonisation with Exeter City Council such as the ability to share equipment, carry out joint training and use each other's depots to park vehicles.'

Simon Hill, Service Lead for Fleet, Exeter City Council commented: ‘During this tender process we compared the costs of contract hire alongside our existing method of fleet procurement. The results showed that by contract hiring the vehicles with SFS we will make a saving over the lifetime of the vehicles and also speed up the replacement of older parts of the fleet with newer, lower-emission vehicles from year one of the contract.'

Specialist Fleet Services has recently also announced that the company has joined two public sector procurement frameworks. SFS has been named as a supplier on Lot 2 of the Crown Commercial Service's (CCS) Vehicle Lease, Fleet Management and Flexible Rental Solutions Framework (for the supply of commercial vehicles and related lease management services). The company has also been awarded a place on the National Procurement Service (NPS) All Wales Framework agreement to provide vehicle contract hire to the Welsh public sector.