Fleet operators are increasingly taking matters into their own hands as vehicle downtime becomes a rising concern, with data showing a shift towards more proactive management of repair and maintenance processes.
According to the 2025 Arval Mobility Observatory Fleet and Mobility Barometer, 44% of businesses are now devoting more time to managing service and repair, as they seek to minimise the impact of vehicles being off the road.
The use of daily rental vehicles as a stopgap has also surged, with 41% of fleets now relying on short-term hire to cover gaps in availability – up from 34% in 2024.
John Peters, head of Arval Mobility Observatory in the UK, said: “This is undoubtedly an effective way of resolving low vehicle availability but arguably an expensive option at a time when fleet budgets are under pressure. It could be that for many fleets, it is the only solution available.”
The research also showed that 47% of fleet operators were factoring in a manufacturer’s ability to supply parts when choosing vehicles – a practical response to parts shortages that continue to plague the industry.
Peters said: “This is probably a reflection of practical experience.
“Fleet managers are avoiding car and van makers who have proven unable to provide fast access to parts – something that has a direct impact on vehicle availability.”
The number of fleets reporting vehicle unavailability due to delayed repairs jumped from 18% last year to 24% in 2025 – a third more than the previous year.
Peters said: “While having vehicles off-road has always been a problem for car and van operators, it has undoubtedly become more prevalent since the pandemic thanks to issues such as a shortage in workshop capacity, a need for more trained technicians, and challenging parts availability.
“All of these are having an ongoing impact on vehicle operations and many fleets apparently think things are getting worse.”
Only 30% of businesses were found to keep vehicles on the road while awaiting repair – down from 40% in 2024 – a change that reflects growing concerns around ageing fleets and the safety risks of driving damaged vehicles.
Peters said: “Our feeling here is that the general ageing of fleets that has taken place in recent years means driving cars and vans while an issue exists is becoming less and less of a viable option.
“Older vehicles are simply more likely to create serious safety concerns.”
Approaches such as maintaining a pool fleet (28%) or introducing new service and repair suppliers (28%) saw little change since last year.
Peters said: “Reading these statistics, we see that downtime remains such a prominent issue in the fleet sector.
“Ensuring vehicles are available is in many ways a very high concern for drivers. Five years after the pandemic, the fact our research suggests this remains a growing difficulty shows how those running fleets still face mounting problems in this area.”
