Unprecedented demand for fuel saving courses

25 September 2008

Even before the latest round of fuel price hikes, leading driver education provider DriveTech was experiencing an increase in demand for its Eco Driving courses but in recent weeks the brakes have really come off and enquiries have seen an unprecedented rise.

In 2007, out of a total of 11,768 individual corporate customers that took part in practical training courses with DriveTech, some 941 (8%) were put forward for Eco-Driving courses, most commonly as part of DriveTech’s Eco Real World Combination Course (ERWC).

In the first half of 2008 however demand for the ERWC has risen by 47%. DriveTech estimates that its customers have saved some £86,000 worth of fuel and reduced carbon emissions by at least 200 tons in this period alone as a result. Fuel Economy workshops, which minimise staff downtime but can be almost as effective as practical on-road training, have increased in popularity by 34% in the same time period.

The ERWC equips drivers to drive defensively whilst applying fuel saving techniques, all in a manner which is adaptable to everyday driving life and which will not compromise journey times. Much of this course’s popularity is down to the fact that DriveTech is the acknowledged leader in the field of Eco Driving, having won the contract to develop and deliver the training programme for the Department of Transport’s Safe And Fuel Efficient Driving (SAFED) scheme in 2005/6. The SAFED programme confirmed that it is possible to make fuel savings of at least 10% without affecting journey times.

DriveTech’s Fuel Economy workshops for corporate customers are available in several different guises – two hour interactive group workshops, online WebEx real time seminars and half hour mini ‘Pit Stop’ seminars, the latter being ideal for the lunch break period.

Further information about all the DriveTech brands, including DriveTech FleetSafe, please refer to www.drivetech.co.uk

For further information, members of the media should contact
Steve Johnson on direct line +44 (0)1344 467896, mobile +44 (0)7894 621134 or on steve.johnson@drivetech.co.uk

Editor's Notes

DriveTech (UK) plc is one of the UK’s leading providers of road risk management, driver assessment and education. We work both with organisations whose employees ‘drive for work’ and with members of the public, who are offered education as an alternative to prosecution by the police.

DriveTech’s vision is ‘working together to eliminate road death and serious injuries’ by providing the most effective and innovative solutions, using education and technology, to minimise risk for all road users.

DriveTech (UK) has won the Institute of Transport Management’s (ITM) ‘Fleet Award for Driver Training’ in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 and the ‘European Driver Safety Specialist’ award in 2005. In September 2007, it was named the ITM’s ‘UK Driver Training Solutions Specialist’ for making ‘the most significant impact upon the Driver Training and Safety sector over the past decade’.

In 2007, DriveTech (UK) won the South England and South Wales regional award of the Bank of Scotland Corporate ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ of up to £5m, interest-free funding and was runner-up in the national Grand Finale. In addition, the company was named runner-up in the 2007 Thames Valley ‘Business of the Year’ award.