The Institute was established as a not for profit organisation in 1992 in response to a clear need for professional standards in vehicle management of cars and light vans.

Fleet management had become increasingly complex due to the financial, technical, legal and political nature of the business.

Throughout the nineties there was an increased focus on quality standards, vehicle safety, contract hire, leasing and taxation. Coupled with a reduction in layers of management and increased levels of delegation in most organisations, this heightened the need for increased professionalism within corporate fleets and fleet service support specialists.

Currently a corporate fleet is likely to represent the second largest cost, after payroll, for many organisations.

The demands on the individuals responsible for managing fleets have expanded even further to embrace legislative changes in health & safety and duty of care plus the rising importance of green issues. And the fleet remit has now extended to include employee mobility management and corporate social responsibility.