According to the AF survey, more than 6.1 per cent of all fleet cars are currently equipped with air conditioning, compared with 3.1 per cent a year ago. And if present projections are carried out, more than 9 per cent of all fleet cars will be air conditioned by the end of 1964. This would mean a threefold increase in the number of units in fleet use within two years.
Business and leasing cars have the highest number of air conditioned units. Utilities, government and police fleets generally don't go in for air conditioned cars and probably won't until the cost factor is greatly reduced. There appears to be a growing trend toward air conditioned taxicabs, apparently influenced by competitive factors.
The majority of the fleets answering the survey had factory in stalled units-72 per cent against 18 per cent for dealer installed units. A toll of 10 per cent of the respondents said they install their own units.
Generally, air conditioning for fleets cars has its greatest acceptance in the South and South West, the survey revealed, although many fleets in Northern areas are beginning to equip their vehicles with air-conditioning.
A great number of the fleets said that if their drivers want air conditioning, they must pay the cost. Several firms have set a flat fee for air conditioning, the most mentioned figure mentioned being $10 per month. One large Southern fleet said it installs air conditioning if the driver agrees to pay $1.25 per week.
Several companies reported that they have calculated the cost of air conditioning at $150 per year. A few firms reported that all expenses are paid by the driver with the driver receiving a refund when the car is sold and the air conditioning unit removed.
The general trend on under-the-dash units is that they are transferred from car to car, regardless if they are company or salesman owned.
Increased employee morale and efficiency were the major reasons cited for the use of air conditioning, the survey showed. In several cases, the case for air conditioning cam from top management rather than the fleet administrator.
"I haven't tried to sell air conditioning, management convinced me," one fleet administrator replied.
