Fraikin has renewed its partnership with NHS Blood and Transplant on the back of a new deal to continue managing its specialist commercial vehicle fleet.
As part of the deal, Fraikin will continue to manage NHS Blood and Transplant’s 350-strong vehicle fleet, comprising a mixture of emergency response cars, light commercial vehicles, electric vehicles and 7.5-tonne refrigerated trucks, all used to collect and transport blood and blood-related products nationwide.
The agreement extends a partnership dating back to 2002, showcasing Fraikin’s fleet management solution to critical service providers.
Fraikin has secured the deal after having delivered on NHS Blood and Transplant’s strict Key Performance Indicators, such as a minimum 98% vehicle availability and a first-fix rate for any breakdowns of 99%, during the previous contract.
John Lowden, national fleet engineering manager at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “Our work is reliant on a highly reliable and efficient vehicle fleet, with any unexpected downtime putting patient health at risk. That’s why we continue to place our trust in Fraikin. Its team’s flexible and proactive approach to vehicle maintenance, servicing and compliance is the perfect fit for our needs and allows us to focus entirely on patient safety across the country.”
The maintenance schedule is managed by the team at Fraikin’s headquarters in Coventry, which also provides a 24/7 support line for any immediate issues year-round.
Fraikin has also tailored the contract to maximise uptime, providing relief vehicle cover, at request and additional cost, from its own rental fleet – supplying NHS Blood and Transplant with temporary vehicles to replace any assets that are booked into the workshop.
NHS Blood and Transplant also continues to get full access to the FraikinView online customer portal, which provides a complete overview of all scheduled maintenance and repair work, alongside a wealth of vehicle documentation to aid fleet compliance.
Mark Geen, key account manager at Fraikin, added: “We’re thrilled to once again extend our partnership with NHS Blood and Transplant – which is by far one of our longest fleet management contracts. We’ve developed an incredible relationship with their team and it’s fantastic to see our experience and expertise helping to save lives.”
