SAFED for Vans wins Environment Award

31 May 2007

Jim Kirkwood, DriveTech's Managing Director comments on the recent announcement that the SAFED for Vans programme, which offers advanced driving skills to van drivers, has won the Environment Award in the 2007 Van Fleet World Honours. The trophy was presented at a special ceremony held at the Royal Automobile Club, Pall Mall in late May.

"We're delighted that the SAFED for Vans programme which DriveTech (UK) and Momenta collaboratively piloted and rolled out has been recognised as a major success. CO2 issues are clearly on the agenda of businesses both large and small. This innovative scheme has proven, beyond doubt, that focused and appropriate driver training can make a difference, not only to road safety but the environment as well."

The Van Fleet World Honours are presented annually to those van manufacturers and service companies who have, in the opinion of the judges, achieved the highest possible level of excellence in their sector. The judging panel is chaired by industry professional, George Emmerson, who has managed fleets at IBM, NHBC and Black Horse Agencies. Members of the judging panel include Ken Rogers, John Kendall, Natalie Wallis and Ross Durkin from Fleet World's editorial team, Alan Cole of Glass's Guide and fleet manager Jackie Pomfrett. Residual value, maintenance cost and reliability data is also provided by ALD Automotive, Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions and ING Car Lease.

Commenting on the award, Van Fleet World John Kendall said:

'We can argue over the big environmental issues facing the motor industry. Is global warming caused by man-made emissions? Are greenhouse gas emissions a more serious threat than toxic exhaust emissions? But the one fact that won't go away is that we are using up our stocks of fossil fuels at an alarming rate. We need to find ways of conserving our remaining reserves.

'Reducing fuel consumption can only help to achieve that aim and it has the added benefit of simultaneously reducing vehicle emissions. Since it is also the single largest controllable cost for most fleets, just about everyone has a vested interest in cutting fuel consumption.

'SAFED - Safe and Efficient Driving began as a Department for Transport initiative for truck drivers, but was rolled out to include vans in January 2006. With support from Momenta and DriveTech (UK), the scheme set out to train 3,500 drivers initially in safe and efficient driving techniques, but the DfT went on to fund another 3,500 drivers, bringing the total to 7,500 at the end of March 2007. The result was that the fleets involved found they could save thousands of litres of fuel, while maintaining journey times. Exposure to accident risk was also reduced and drivers felt under less stress. No fuel saving devices, just best industry practice,' added Mr Kendall.

From January 06 to March 07, the Department for Transport funded 7,500 van drivers across England to train in the SAFED technique. After March 2007, the programme became available on a commercial basis.

EDITOR’S NOTES

DriveTech is the UK's leading provider of  ‘driving at work’ risk management, driver assessment and driver training solutions.

DriveTech’s goal is to reduce both an organisation’s vehicle business costs and the personal risk for ‘at work’ drivers, by significantly improving driver ABC – attitude, behaviour and competence – therefore supporting driver safety and corporate ‘duty of care’ requirements.

DriveTech (UK) has won the Institute of Transport Management’s ‘Fleet Award for Driver Training’ in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 and its ‘European Driver Safety Specialist’ award in 2005.

For further information contact:

David Richards at DriveTech (UK) at david.richards@drivetech.co.uk or 01344 467271.