Hi, my name’s Alan Boddington and I am the founder and owner of FMS (Fleet Management
Services to give it it’s full name).
As a former father of a disabled daughter, I had personal experience of some of the
challenges around wheelchair accessible vehicles, but could also see what enjoyment it
brought to be able to get out and see the sights and visit places of interest. It always made
her day.
That personal connection drew me to seeking to support care operators to provide that
opportunity to the people that they care for, especially for those who may generally just be
based in a home and its surrounding garden. To be able to safely and comfortably get out to
the seaside or a lake, enjoy the open countryside, go to a farm or garden centre, or even a
visit to the pub, is so uplifting for the residents.
I’ve been involved with sourcing and supplying a wide range of vehicles to specific customer
requirements for over 25 years, and still have many clients that I have dealt with over that
time; it’s pleasing that it now includes the sons and daughters of original customers,
hopefully reflecting my focus on the highest quality of customer service.
That ethos has been taken into the sourcing and supply of wheelchair accessible vehicles for
the care sector, where our approach is to work with each provider and even the home
managers to define the exact type of minibus that would meet their individual needs and
budget. We’ll then go and source options around that vehicle spec for clients to choose.
Unlike other minibus providers, we won’t steer you into vehicles we already have in stock,
we’ll find you what you want. We actually hold very little stock, which is generally for
demonstrations and loan should a client’s minibus be off the road for any reason. Our focus
is also on the service and support as homes use their minibuses, right through to a buy-back
when you’re ready to refresh or update your transport provision. It’s an end-to-end lifecycle
service that most other suppliers do not provide.
We’re proud as a family-owned business to be providing such a service to those in our
society that benefit greatly from access to suitable transport, that adds an important and
joyful extension to their lives. It’s lovely to see pictures on social media of the residents of
the homes that we support, and the fun that they’re able to have.
A bit about me – I’ve got two grown up children that I’m extremely proud of, and live with
my partner, our young daughter and my stepson. Family time is everything to us, whether
that’s enjoying our caravan in Norfolk or spending other quality moments together. Any
downtime that I do get I like to unwind by river fishing, on a put-back basis of course, with
several fishing friends.
I love my life, and if I can bring joy to someone else by helping with their greater mobility,
then that makes it even more rewarding for me.