DriveTech technique plus Vauxhall technology makes for a powerful combo

13 October 2008

81 miles per gallon out of a half laden Vauxhall Combo van? Yes, it IS possible, as Steve Johnson, Director of Communications for driver education specialist DriveTech, proved last week on the UK’s largest fuel economy event, the MPG Marathon.

Ably assisted by fastidious navigator Paul Marshall, the pair didn’t put a foot wrong on the challenging 400 mile route through the English/Welsh borders and coaxed the frugal Vauxhall to a wallet stretching ‘cost per mile’ figure of just 5.51p.

“The Combo has a delightful engine”, admitted Johnson. “It’s extremely flexible and pulls well from amazingly low revs. These characteristics allowed me to take full advantage of the sort of driving techniques that we advocate in our highly popular ‘Eco Real World’ driving courses for business drivers.

“It’s all about maintaining 100% concentration, planning well ahead and maintaining steady, smooth progress, with as few gear changes and as little braking as possible. Anybody can do it with a bit of training and some practice…….and it really pays dividends.”

The MPG Marathon took place on Wednesday October 8 and Thursday October 9, starting and finishing in Bristol with an overnight halt near Macclesfield. There were 40 competitors, nine of which were in commercial vehicles.

For further information about DriveTech fuel economy courses 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 2008 Green Fleet Award for ‘Best Driver Training Company’, 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.