BVRLA membership hit a 20-year high in 2018, a year that saw the association scale up its operations to meet the needs of a growing and increasingly diverse membership.
Representing over 980 organisations with a combined fleet size of over 5 million vehicles, the BVRLA has grown all membership categories, including brokers and associates, and many newcomers have been SMEs.
BVRLA Chief Executive, Gerry Keaney said: “2018 brought unprecedented levels of uncertainty for UK business and as we can expect more of the same in the year ahead, the need for business support has never been greater.
“The BVRLA can really add value, especially for those smaller businesses who may not have access to in-house teams of specialists. We are delighted to be supporting a broader range of businesses and are looking forward to welcoming fleet operators into our new membership category launched this month.”
Keaney explains that with the support of its board, the BVRLA committed considerable investment into infrastructure and resource in 2018:
“We expanded the team, extended the building, increased research, launched a new website and boosted our internal and external expertise. We are already starting to see the impact of this investment. Greater levels of engagement, higher volumes of interactions and increased operational effectiveness are being delivered across all areas of the association.”
2018 saw a step-change in the amount of times that the BVRLA and its members have been invited to participate in, or speak at, meetings and events hosted by ministers, government officials, local authorities and other industry leaders. The association sees this as evidence that policymakers and influencers are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of the BVRLA and appreciate the value of having them at the table.
The BVRLA kickstarted 2019 by publishing its latest Business Plan outlining three long-term strategic priorities: Business Growth, Brand & Reputation and Future Mobility.
The Business Plan also outlines steps being taken to ensure that the association continues to strengthen industry representation, provide a louder voice of influence, develop deeper industry insight and boast a wider service offering to deliver greater value to members.
-ENDS-
Notes to editors:
The BVRLA 2019 Business Plan can be viewed on the BVRLA website
The BVRLA Annual Review summarises the association’s 2018 activities and highlights feedback from over 280-member organisations who took part in the association’s annual Member Survey.
