Little break from the norm today with a corporate announcement from our parent company, FleetCor:

FleetCor Technologies Inc., a leading global provider of fuel cards and parent company to Knaresborough-based The Fuelcard Company, has today announced its acquisition of AllStar Business Solutions Limited from The Arval Group for £194 million.

At present, AllStar has approximately 40 thousand customers and about one million cardholders, a large portion of who are small and medium sized enterprises. AllStar serves both business clients directly and strategic partners like Arval leasing who in turn serve their customers. AllStar fuel cards are accepted by all UK major fuel brands, including the leading supermarket chains.

In addition, Arval and FleetCor have entered into a strategic relationship where Arval will provide fuel card payment solutions to its customers through AllStar. Existing AllStar customers will see no immediate change to their service provision.

The Fuelcard Company and AllStar will continue to run as two separate businesses for the foreseeable future with The Fuelcard Company continuing to resell its existing Shell, Keyfuels, Texaco, Esso and European products. The Fuelcard Company will remain based at its North Yorkshire head quarters.

“We are pleased to announce the acquisition of AllStar, which is consistent with our global acquisition strategy of identifying attractive assets with performance upside. We believe that we can help AllStar realise its full potential, as we have in previous acquisitions, by bringing our best practices, technology and commitment to this portfolio,” said Ron Clarke, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, FleetCor Technologies, Inc.

“We believe that this sale is a positive move for AllStar employees, partners and customers. FleetCor brings global fuel card expertise, best practices and experience to AllStar, which, we believe, will enable us to improve the products and services available to its customers,” said Andrew Blazye, Chief Executive Officer, FleetCor Europe. “The [AllStar] brand will be retained.  Our intention is to run AllStar as an independent, separate business for the foreseeable future.”

“The Arval Group strategy is to offer a bundle of funding and fleet management services based on risk retention, whilst the business model for AllStar is very different as it delivers transactional fuel services. As a result, we favour a long-term partnership with a global card expert. This will allow us to focus on our core business for the benefit of our customers while continuing to deliver fuel management solutions by working with a provider that can further enhance the value proposition,” said Bart Beckers, Chief Executive Officer, Arval UK.

FleetCor financed the all cash acquisition with available cash and financing through its existing credit facilities. FleetCor expects the acquisition to be accretive to revenues and earnings in 2012. The Agreement for the sale and purchase of the entire issued share capital of AllStar Business Solutions Limited was entered into and consummated 12^th December 2011 between FleetCor Technologies, Inc., its wholly-owned subsidiary, FleetCor UK Acquisition Limited, and Arval UK Group Limited, as described in FleetCor’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC today. FleetCor intends to notify the U.K. Office of Fair Trading of this acquisition and comply with customary undertakings during the review process.

This week would not be complete without acknowledging the race for Downing Street. Let’s take a quick look at what each Prime Minister would bring to the transport industry and infrastructure if they receive the keys to Number 10.

All three party manifestos have their own unique transport policies and messages, but all agree on two key areas: the need to encourage greener, low or zero-carbon motoring, and the need to reduce congestion.

On the former, Labour and the Conservatives both want to encourage the take-up of green cars by introducing a network of recharging stations, while the Liberal Democrats would expand public transport to provide an alternative to private cars altogether.

On the latter, the three parties seem to have rather individual takes on solving congestion. Labour would extend hard-shoulder running on motorways, alongside targeted motorway widening including the M25, and the introduction of further penalties against utilities for disruptive roadworks.

The Tories, meanwhile, would encourage telecommuting and create a Transport Carbon Reduction Fund for green transport initiatives. Finally, the Lib Dems would focus on public transport as an alternative to driving.

And what about the future of fuel costs? All parties plan promote low or zero-carbon vehicles, trying to move us away from dependency on conventional fossil fuels. In addition, we think the Tories’ proposal for a ‘Fair Fuel Stabiliser’ to tackle the issue crippling fuel duty rises is intriguing: when fuel prices go up, fuel duty would fall, and when fuel prices go down, fuel duty would rise.

It is clear, meanwhile, that the Lib Dems empathise with those living in rural or remote areas where there is no alternative to driving. In their manifesto they call for dedicated help, including a fuel discount scheme, allowing a reduced rate of fuel duty to be paid.

All the above initiatives show promise and progress, but who will take the driving seat on May 7? That remains to be seen.

Fuel cards on www.businessfuelcards.co.uk give you the added benefit of HMRC-approved invoices, ensuring you reclaim 100% of VAT on business fuel expenses.

Ever get the feeling you’re being watched? The truth, of course, is that you are – and in a major way. As if the CCTV cameras on every street corner were not enough – the UK has more than any other country in the world – turn the ignition key and it won’t be long before your vehicle is photographed or filmed by the speed camera on every footbridge and flyover.

And now the Home Office has begun trials of a new speed camera which combines number plate reading technology with GPS data from satellites.

The SpeedSpike system will use the satellite readings to calculate the average speed of drivers under surveillance by assessing the time it takes them to travel between two points.

It is currently being tested at sites in Southwark, London and in Cornwall.

A spokesman for the AA reacted calmly to the announcement, telling the Daily Telegraph: “It is a natural evolution of the technology that is out there.”

Undoubtedly true. Once an upmarket technical novelty, GPS has made the journey to becoming humdrum and every-day in just a few short years. Many mobile phones now feature built-in GPS.

How long will be it before satellite surveillance of traffic becomes humdrum and every day? Don’t bet on it being very long.

Achieve added control over your fuel purchases with a fuel card.  We will help you to manage your account and transactions for optimum efficiency and convenience.

There are two different ways of looking at new poll findings announced this week by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) – apparently three in four people (73 per cent) would not hesitate to report elderly friends or relatives if they felt their driving was not up to scratch.

Grassing up Granddad or protecting him from a potentially fatal accident? Of course many older people are highly competent drivers – with decades of road experience behind them. It is also true that accelerator-happy young males are far more likely to be involved in accidents than older motorists.

But the years catch up with everyone and after a certain number of birthdays, older motorists are more likely to suffer from impaired hearing or vision, have slower reactions or other ailments which might make them a danger to themselves or others on the road.

An online poll conducted by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) also found that 68 per cent of people think roads would be made safer by the introduction of a mandatory test for drivers over 70 years old.

That’s pretty unlikely to happen – it would be a logistical nightmare, not to mention a significant financial imposition on the limited budgets of retirees.  Many would need to take lessons to practice test manoeuvres they may not have carried out in the required way since they passed their test however many years before.

But the Government does require all motorists aged 70 or over to officially renew their licence every three years and to declare any medical conditions likely to affect their driving. But does every pension-drawing motorist do so religiously and honestly? It’s unlikely.

Stuck in traffic?  Burning fuel?  Visit our Fuel Card website to see how you could save money on your next journey with a fuel card.