Fleet managers should welcome the end of paper tax discs, according to The Fuel Card Group. Steve Clarke, marketing manager, said: “This will save management and administration time, as well as being good for the environment. Going digital also means that it should become impossible for a company vehicle to be on the road without tax. An email reminder can be dealt with instantly in a couple of clicks, removing delay and uncertainty.”

The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced the change in his December 5^th Autumn Statement. Traffic cameras will increasingly be used to check automatically that cars are taxed.

Steve Clarke said, “Tax discs made sense when they were introduced in 1921, but not now. With everything stored centrally, the police can check the tax, insurance and MOT status of any vehicle in seconds, so this is just tying up a loose end. As leaders in online fleet management services, we have to applaud the government for catching up with the idea of automation.”

The Fuel Card Group’s MileageCount system includes automatic reminders of key vehicle dates.  The status of vehicles’ tax, insurance, MOT and servicing can be checked at any time, along with drivers’ licence details. The system suits both owned and ‘grey’ fleets and incorporates a comprehensive host of services that help fleet managers, from vehicle maintenance to driver training and beyond. For more information, please click here.