Managing a fleet of over 2,000 vehicles from the middle of the Irish Sea brings its own rules. Here, Andy Barker, Director of Shared Services, Isle of Man Government explains how island geography, supply chains and workforce challenges shape everything from procurement to electrification – and what UK local authorities might learn from a smaller, more joined-up approach.
- Running a fleet on the Isle of Man brings distinct supply chain, parts, and servicing challenges that UK local authorities may not face. How does this influence your approach to fleet procurement and maintenance planning?
One of the biggest differences from UK operators to the Isle of Man Government is the importance of forward planning. Access to manufacturers, specialist repair providers and replacement parts is generally much quicker and more readily available within the UK. On the Isle of Man, we’re operating within an island environment where weather, shipping schedules and wider supply chain disruption can all influence the availability of vehicles and components.
As a result, resilience is a much greater consideration when making procurement decisions. We look beyond the initial purchase price and place significant emphasis on whole-life asset management, including reliability, parts availability, manufacturer support, technician training and long-term maintenance requirements.
That approach helps ensure our fleet remains available to support essential public services, whether that’s maintaining the highway network, emergency response services, public transport operations or delivering other frontline government services. Effective procurement isn’t simply about buying vehicles; it’s about investing in assets that will continue to deliver reliable service throughout their operational life.
- How is the Department of Infrastructure approaching fleet electrification given the island’s specific energy infrastructure and geography, and what’s realistic given the terrain and distances involved?
Like many public sector organisations, we’re committed to supporting the transition towards lower-emission vehicles, but our approach is based on operational suitability rather than adopting technology for its own sake.
The Isle of Man’s geography presents both opportunities and challenges. Many fleet journeys are relatively short, making some vehicle categories well suited to electrification. At the same time, we operate emergency response vehicles, heavy goods vehicles and specialist plant that work in demanding environments where current battery technology may not yet provide a practical alternative.
Every fleet operator is trying to balance sustainability ambitions with operational resilience and value for money. Having the appropriate charging infrastructure in the appropriate locations is key to transitioning the fleet; many of the Government depots/buildings do not have capacity to charge many vehicles due to power constraints, particularly when you consider simultaneous charging of heaving goods vehicles, buses or vans.
Our approach has been to assess each vehicle category individually, considering operational requirements, whole-life costs, charging infrastructure and technological maturity before making investment decisions. As vehicle technology continues to evolve, we expect further opportunities to electrify the fleet where it supports both environmental objectives and service delivery.
- With the wider UK fleet sector facing a shortage of skilled technicians, how are you building and retaining engineering capability within a smaller, island-based workforce?
The shortage of skilled technicians is one of the biggest challenges facing the fleet industry and it’s certainly not unique to the UK or the Isle of Man.
Recruiting and retaining qualified technicians has been an increasing challenge for many years, particularly as vehicle technology has become more sophisticated.
Our response on the Isle of Man is to focus on developing talent locally. We engage with colleagues in Education to promote apprenticeships and we have an on-island college (UCM) that operates a Level 3 City & Guilds in Motor Vehicle Maintenance and Repair. Apprenticeships remain an important part of building future engineering capability, supported by ongoing professional development and manufacturer-specific training to ensure technicians are equipped to maintain increasingly complex vehicles.
Modern fleet engineering is about much more than traditional mechanical repairs. Technicians now require expertise in diagnostics, electronics, software systems, alternative fuels and emerging vehicle technologies.
One of the strengths of working within the Isle of Man Government is the variety of the fleet itself. Our engineering teams maintain everything from emergency response vehicles, light commercial vehicles and passenger transport through to heavy goods vehicles, airport fleet, specialist plant and winter maintenance equipment, providing a diverse and rewarding technical environment.
- The Department of Infrastructure covers a broad range of services – how do you balance competing demands across different vehicle types and user departments within one fleet operation?
Fleet management is ultimately about understanding the operational needs of the services we support.
The Isle of Man Government operates a diverse fleet of over 2,000 assets. Each service has different priorities, operational pressures and vehicle requirements.
Every organisation has finite resources and competing demands. The difference on the Isle of Man is that the scale of government enables close collaboration between service areas, allowing us to develop a more joined-up approach to fleet planning and investment.
Maintaining regular engagement with service users allows us to understand operational requirements and ensure vehicles are fit for purpose while delivering value for money throughout their lifecycle.
A centralised fleet management approach also enables us to standardise vehicle specifications where appropriate, improve utilisation, make informed investment decisions and ensure resources are targeted where they deliver the greatest benefit across government.
- What lessons have you taken from UK local authority fleet practice, and where do you think the Isle of Man’s approach offers lessons the other way?
In my experience working across both UK local government and the Isle of Man Government, there is a great deal each can learn from the other.
Many UK local authorities have led the way in areas such as fleet decarbonisation, telematics, compliance management and data-driven asset management. Their scale often provides opportunities to pilot new technologies and develop innovative approaches that benefit the wider public sector.
Equally, I believe the Isle of Man offers valuable lessons in collaboration and strategic integration. Operating within a smaller jurisdiction enables close working relationships across government, allowing operational services, policymakers and decision-makers to work together more effectively when planning long-term fleet investment.
Operating as an island jurisdiction also encourages a strong focus on resilience. Procurement decisions, maintenance planning and asset management all require longer-term thinking because replacement vehicles, specialist support and supply chains cannot always be accessed as quickly as they can elsewhere.
Ultimately, regardless of geography, fleet management is about the same fundamental objective: providing safe, reliable and sustainable vehicles that enable essential public services to operate effectively and deliver value for the communities they serve.
Photo: Andy Barker is Director of Shared Services, Isle of Man Government © LinkedIn
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