VLS re-win Northern Gas Network’s contract for the provision of fleet management services
Northern Gas Networks (NGN) is the company responsible for the distribution of gas to 2.7 million homes and businesses in the North East, Northern Cumbria and much of Yorkshire via 37,000 km of pipelines. In delivering this vital function, NGN own and operate a fleet of commercial vehicles and plant assets of around 800, for which they require a fully comprehensive fleet management services solution.
VLS already have a strong and long-standing strategic partnership with NGN, having been the successful bidder when NGN approached the market for these services in 2013, our initial contract commencing on 1st March 2014. This excellent relationship will now be extended following the most recent tender exercise, VLS again being the successful bidder for the next contract which commences on 1st September 2020.
VLS Commercial Manager, Justin Bower, said “We are absolutely delighted to have been successful in re-winning this contract and to be extending our great relationship with Northern Gas Networks for another three years initially, and with the possibility of five further years at annual extensions.
“We are well versed in the management of utility fleets in particular, having provided this service for the fleet vehicles and plant items that we own and supply to our shareholder/parent companies Northern Powergrid and Northumbrian Water for many years. NGN benefit from utilising eight of our own nine workshops within their operational area at Hexham, Howdon, Pity Me, Thornaby, Northallerton, Castleford, Bradford and Hull, as well as five of our six mobile plant vans working in the same patch and backed up by our network of approved maintenance service partners.”
VLS Contract Manager for NGN, Chris McFadden, adds “All of our teams here at VLS will be working very hard every day to ensure we continue to deliver for NGN during this latest contract. We are of course delighted at this further success and will ensure that NGN’s fleet continues to remain safe, roadworthy and compliant with legal requirements at all times.”
VLS’s fully comprehensive service includes:
- Provision of all service, maintenance and repair requirements
- Planned maintenance scheduling, tracking and alert notifications
- Legal event compliance
- Provision of a dedicated 24/7 driver helpline
- Roadside breakdown recovery and repair services
- Accident management services
- Fuel card management and administration
- Short-term hire services
- Road fund licence renewal
- Downtime management
- Asset disposal services
- Management of fixed penalty notices and fines