The UK’s fleet sector has been battling vehicle supply shortages for several years, and the issue isn’t fully behind us. Semiconductor (chip) shortages, global logistics disruptions, and shifting international trade policies have all contributed to the problem. 

Add to that the growing demand for electric and hybrid vehicles (which rely even more heavily on chip components), and it’s clear that sourcing new vehicles will remain a challenge for some time. For fleet managers, this means protecting and optimising the vehicles you already have has never been more important.

Here are several strategies to help fleets stay resilient in the face of the vehicle shortage and keep operations moving — no matter how tight supply gets.

1. Extend vehicle lifespans through smarter maintenance

With the chip shortage still very much an issue, and replacing vehicles isn’t an option, extending their usable life becomes essential. That means adopting a more strategic, condition-based maintenance approach rather than simply following a fixed calendar schedule.

Seasonal tailoring is key. Winter, for instance, is the most dangerous time of year on the roads, bringing cold starts, salted roads, and longer hours of darkness — all of which place extra strain on tyres, batteries, and brakes. 

Additionally, shortages in spare parts and workshop capacity can also create bottlenecks, so plan servicing and inspections well in advance to ensure your vehicles get priority.

2. Place new vehicle orders well ahead of time

If there’s a long wait-time on vehicles you need to maintain and grow your fleet business, place your orders as soon as possible. Even if the contract or strategy you need them for is a while off, order early to give yourself the best chance of acquiring the vehicles in time.

3. Strengthen driver awareness through training

Driver behaviour has a direct impact on vehicle wear, fuel efficiency, and accident rates. In times when vehicle replacement is difficult, your drivers are key in keeping every asset undamaged and on the road.

Booking regular Driver Awareness Training from Cardinus helps reduce avoidable incidents, and in turn, helps to lower insurance claims and extend vehicle life through gentler use. We also provide Driver Assessor Training, to improve your ability to assess and plan interventions in-house.

4. Keep vehicles operating efficiently

Efficiency is the new currency. Simple measures like tyre pressure checks, engine diagnostics, and optimised route planning reduce wear and tear, improve fuel economy, and keep vehicles in service longer.

5. Manage risk across the whole fleet

The longer vehicles stay in service, the greater the exposure to risk — from mechanical failure to accident frequency. A structured, data-driven risk management approach is vital to protect both people and assets.

Tools like Healthy Working: Safe Driving, our fleet risk management software, help organisations understand and reduce driver risk through a combination of assessment, education, and behaviour change. The platform allows you to profile drivers, deliver tailored risk assessments, and create individual driver action plans, resulting in safer on-road habits across your fleet. Get a free trial of Healthy Working: Safe Driving

6. Reassess fleet policy and procurement strategy

Supply constraints also present an opportunity to rethink fleet composition. Extending vehicle life cycles, rebalancing between owned and leased assets, and reviewing EV adoption timelines can all help build flexibility into long-term planning.

7. Manage leases to fill capacity gaps efficiently

When vehicle shortages bite, short-term leases can provide useful stopgaps — keeping operations running while you wait for new stock. However, relying too heavily on temporary rentals can quickly become expensive. 

In many cases, negotiating contract extensions on existing leases is the smarter route. Extending current agreements maintains capacity without the premium rates associated with short-term hire, helping to stabilise costs while you ride out the supply squeeze.

8. Extend your approved vehicle lists

Fleet policies that restrict purchasing to a narrow list of makes or models can limit your options when availability drops. Broadening your approved vehicle list (within reason) increases your chances of sourcing replacements sooner. 

This flexibility can be the difference between maintaining operational continuity and facing prolonged downtime due to unfilled orders.

9. Be willing to compromise on specs

In a constrained market, vehicle manufacturers often prioritise producing lower-spec models to keep assembly lines moving. Fleets that insist on specific trims or optional extras may find themselves at the back of the queue. 

By remaining open to alternative configurations or modest specification changes, fleet managers can gain access to vehicles more quickly, keeping the business moving even if the specs aren’t a perfect match.

10. Decide if crashed vehicles really need to be written off

In normal times, writing off a badly damaged vehicle and ordering a replacement might make financial sense. But when new vehicles are subject to lengthy delivery times, repair can be the better option — even if replacement parts take a few months to arrive. 

A carefully repaired vehicle can often return to service far sooner than a new one can be delivered, helping to preserve fleet capacity and avoid long-term disruption.

And it’s not just vehicles that need some TLC after a collision. Road accidents can have a significant impact on driver wellbeing and confidence, which can potentially increase collision and productivity risks moving forward.

For this reason, we offer both Post-Accident Interviews and Post-Accident In-Vehicle Driver Training. Combined, these services help you understand why an accident occurred and get key workers back behind the wheel with confidence.

Build fleet resilience with Cardinus

It’s impossible to say when the vehicle shortage will end. Early on, many predicted that things would return to normal by early 2024, but here we are in the tail-end of 2025 with no clear resolution in sight. Based on the current situation, it’s entirely possible that there could still be issues leading into 2027.

However, although vehicle shortages are beyond your control, how you respond to them isn’t. By focusing on smarter maintenance, better driver training, and stronger risk management, fleets can weather the storm and emerge leaner, safer, and more resilient.

At Cardinus, our Fleet Risk Management services help organisations do exactly that, turning disruption into opportunity by maximising the performance and safety of every vehicle on the road. Contact us today to discuss your requirements.