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Road charity Brake, together with Direct Line, released damning research this past week that showed that three in ten people are willing to risk driving after drinking alcohol and a massive fifty three per cent are happy to drive the morning after a heavy night of drinking, even though they may still have enough alcohol in their bloodstream to put them over the limit.

Whilst the survey does show a lower number of young drivers, down by fifteen per cent on 2007 figures, admitting to drinking and driving it still remains the most likeliest age group to test positive for alcohol after a crash.

Brake are calling for drivers to remain safe this Christmas by totally abstaining and offer the following advice:

• Never drink and drive – not a drop: Also ensure you do not need to drive early the next morning if having more than one or two drinks;
• Plan ahead to get home safely: Never get into a car with a driver who has been drinking even a small amount;
• Speak up: If you see a friend or loved one about to drink and drive tell them the horrific consequences aren’t worth it.

“Christmas is a time for family and friends to get together and celebrate. But for some of the families Brake supports, it’s a sad time when they remember loved ones who have been killed in crashes caused by drink-drivers – in many cases young, inexperienced drivers who didn’t think through the consequences. Their deaths were preventable, and we all – young and old – have a responsibility to do what we can to prevent further drink drive deaths and injuries. We can do that by pledging to never drink a drop of alcohol before getting behind the wheel, never get in a car with a driver who has been drinking, and to speak up about drink driving to friends and family this Christmas. Making this commitment could save your life, or the lives of loved ones,” said Julie Townsend, Brake campaigns director.

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The Department for Transport have revealed that of the £27 million collected in motoring taxes in 2010 only £9.45 million was spent on local and national roads, a mere third of the funds amassed.

“This is highway robbery. Using so little of the taxes motorists pay on road upkeep is plainly unfair. Motorists are also paying the price as Britain’s potholed and increasingly dangerous roads take their toll, damaging tyres, wheels, steering and suspension. Cuts are clearly going to have an impact on transport investment, but as more roads become more potholed and dangerous, spending on infrastructure now will save money in the long-term,” stated IAM director of policy and research Neil Greig in response.

We want to hear you views on the DfT’s revelations. Is spending more than a third of revenue entirely on roads realistic? Or do you agree with IAM and feel this falls woefully short of the mark?

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Staying with IAM. Whilst many of us are feeling the thaw, driving in snow and ice is something more than a few people will still have to contend with this coming week.

IAM chief examiner Peter Rodger offers his top tips and advice stating:

“Avoid travelling unless completely necessary, and don’t ignore police warnings or advice to not travel on specific routes. Can you work remotely, or change your schedule?”

• Make sure your windows are clear and that you have all-round visibility before you set off. Also take the time to clear snow off the roof of your car;
• When driving in snow, get your speed right – not too fast that you risk losing control, but not so slow that you risk losing momentum when you need it;
• Start gently from stationary, avoiding high revs. Stay in a higher gear for better control, and if it is slippery, in a manual car move off in a higher gear, rather than just using first;
• If you get yourself into a skid the main thing to remember is to take your foot off the pedals and steer;
• Only use the brake if you cannot steer out of trouble. Double or even triple your normal stopping distance from the vehicle in front so you are not relying on your brakes to be able to stop. It simply may not happen!;
• It’s better to think ahead as you drive to keep moving, even if it is at walking pace;
• Plan your journey around busier roads as they are more likely to have been gritted;
• Avoid using short cuts on minor roads – they are less likely to be cleared or treated with salt, especially country lanes and housing areas;
• Bends are a particular problem in slippery conditions – slow down before you get to the bend, so that by the time you turn the steering wheel you have already lost enough speed;
• On a downhill slope get your speed low before you start the descent, and do not let it build up – it is much easier to keep it low than to try and slow down once things get slippery.

If the worst does happen keep track of where you are. If you do have to call for assistance, you need to be able to tell the breakdown or emergency services your location, so they can find you. Also, if you must leave your vehicle to telephone for assistance, find a safe place to stand away from the traffic flow. If you have just lost control the next driver could well do the same in the same place. And remember that on motorways and dual carriageways it is always better to leave your vehicle and stand a short distance behind and to the safe side of it. Don’t stand in front of it if at all possible.
For more advice on driving in the snow don’t forget to visit the IAM’s website at www.drivingadvice.org.uk.

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Fleet Support Group (FSG) have announced their acquisition by Automotive Resources International (ARI), an American group of family companies. There will be no change in FSG’s management structure or staff positions as a result of the acquisition for the Chippenham based company.

FSG Chairman and founder Geoffrey Bray hailed this as the start of an “exciting new era for the company, its staff and its customers."

"Both FSG and ARI are privately-owned family business and have a similar ethos of partnering with customers and driving efficiency through pro-active management and a zero-tolerance approach to unauthorised expenditures. Both organisations partner with their customers to create solutions that enables a fleet to perform at peak efficiency. Both organisations already offer turnkey solutions for public and private sector fleets. Added value for our customers will be achieved through synergies from joining the ARI family,” he added.

"This significant acquisition is another vital step as we continue to expand the scope of our services and our geographical reach. Everyone at ARI is extremely excited about FSG joining our family of companies and about the opportunities that lie ahead of us in the European market,” stated ARI President Carl Ortell.

Lord MacLaurin, who will continue as a non-executive director of FSG and is former CEO and Chairman of supermarket giant Tesco, and former Chairman of Vodafone, said: “The association of FSG and ARI is very exciting for both parties. ARI will have a toehold in the UK which will provide a stepping off point for Europe, while FSG will be able to leverage its prestigious customer portfolio on to the international stage.”

FSG, which was acquired for an undisclosed sum is set to celebrate its 25th anniversary next year.

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And finally…

Christmas is coming early thanks to Leasedrive, who, to celebrate the launch of their new website is offering one day free car or van rental to new customers.

Sales and marketing director, Paul Fleming, at Leasedrive said: "Our website has been completely revamped with a totally new look and feel. What is more, as fleet management experts, we invite visitors to our website to challenge us, under a new "Challenge the experts" section, by letting us know what issues they currently face. Our experts will then respond with the most suitable solution via e-mail or telephone.

Vehicles included in the offer are Ford Mondeos, Vauxhall Insignias and Ford Transit Connects and the new website can be found at www.leasedrive.com.

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If you have any views on the featured stories this week we’d like to hear from you so don’t be shy and use the comments box below. Whether you are driving a car, van, truck or sleigh, remember to keep safe and drive carefully and so until next time all of us here at Fleet Directory wish you all a Very Merry Christmas.

The independent fleet management company has insisted that day to day operations will be the same as before with no changes to management or personnel either.

2012 signals the 25th anniversary since the Chippenham-based company began providing fleet management services.

Chairman Geoffrey Bray believes that customers of Fleet Support Group and Automotive Resources International will benefit by combining their expertise, skills and range of services.

He explained: “Both FSG and ARI are privately-owned family business and have a similar ethos of partnering with customers and driving efficiency through pro-active management and a zero-tolerance approach to unauthorised expenditures.

“Both organisations partner with their customers to create solutions that enables a fleet to perform at peak efficiency and already offer turnkey solutions for public and private sector fleets.”

Extremely excited

ARI President Carl Ortell said the “significant acquisition” was an equally vital step for ARI.

“Everyone at ARI is extremely excited about FSG joining our family of companies and about the opportunities that lie ahead of us in the European market,” he commented.

“We have many North American clients where our unique ability to deliver customised solutions has provided exceptional results and we believe adding FSG to our family will provide even more flexibility with our global clients and prospects.” 

FSG provides fleet management to some well-respected names such as Balfour Beatty Utility Solutions, NATS Ltd (formerly National Air Traffic Services Ltd.), Network Rail, RWE npower, Travis Perkins, Warburtons and WHSmith.

First to IAM Drive and Survive who have teamed up with ACE to provide a tailored risk management package to those customers who place their insurance requirements with ACE as part of their cover.

“Even with conventional insurance in place, every accident results in additional avoidable costs incurred by the business such as non-delivery of goods and loss of goodwill, not to mention the costs of accident investigation. For this reason, ACE has designed this package to better meet client needs, taking material steps to improve training and implement systems which can reduce accidents and improve safety for everyone," commented ACE casualty risk control manager Phil Myers.

The new coverage will be done at ACE’s expense and will commence with a full assessment, including a face-to-face ‘health check’ to ensure the current level of risk of the customer’s fleet operations. After this IAM Drive and Survive will assist in the design of a comprehensive and bespoke package ensuring measures such as regulatory compliance, industry best practice and essential protection for staff are met.

“With around a third of all road accidents in the UK being work related, no company with a fleet of vehicles can afford to ignore the positive impact a sound risk management strategy can make. By partnering with ACE, we can now provide companies with the opportunity to improve the safety of their employees whilst reducing the costs arising from accidents, added IAM Drive & Survive head of training operations Simon Elstow.

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Staying with IAM, the road safety charity are urging drivers to think about fitting winter tyres now and avoiding the rush.

With the UK experiencing increasingly harsher winters it makes sense for drivers to change to a tyre that has a better grip on snow and ice and winter grade rubber, which is better able to deal with the freezing temperatures as opposed to standard tyre rubber that can harden in low temperatures.

“The weather we experience in the UK is nowhere near as severe as many other countries, but with the past two winters having been particularly bad, motorists in the hardest-hit areas may feel reassured to have the extra grip winter tyres afford. An alternative to the expense of changing tyres is to carry snow chains or snow socks to fit when the snow gets deep, however, never be tempted to reduce pressure to increase grip as tyres with low pressure do not have any more grip and are prone to overheating and blowouts," commented IAM chief examiner Peter Rodger.

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News this week came from ACFO that Stewart Whyte was to step down as director after 17 years on the board, feeling now was the time to make room for “new blood”.

“I have decided to resign as a director for a number of reasons. However, the major reasons are to avoid a potential conflict of interest which may develop with one particular aspect of my Fleet Audits work; together with a need to accommodate changing domestic circumstances. Nevertheless, I remain enormously committed to ACFO. It is a tremendous organisation and one in which I passionately believe. I will continue to give ACFO my full support and ensure that Fleet Audits maintains its active membership," he explained.

Stewart Whyte’s association with ACFO began in 1985 when he became the secretary to the organisations southern region. He was elected to the ACFO board in 1994 and his term has been uninterrupted, and will remain so until his official resignation date of September 30 this year. The ACFO board will decide shortly whether to co-opt a director to replace Mr Whyte and bring it back to full strength.

“I, board colleagues and the entire ACFO membership have hugely valued Stewart’s fleet knowledge and experience gained over many years. Although he has resigned as a director, I am delighted that Stewart will continue to be closely involved in ACFO both through the membership of Fleet Audits and the delivery of a comprehensive secretariat service to the membership,” commented ACFO chairman Julie Jenner.

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Staying with ACFO and indeed chairman Julie Jenner, it was also released this week that she has joined the judging panel for the Energy Saving Trust Fleet Hero Awards, which is open to fleets of any size in the public and private sectors.

The competition covers eleven categories: Best Public Sector; Best Private Sector; Innovation in Fleet Management; Innovation in Car and Van manufacture; Innovation in Services and Systems; Industry Supplier; Leadership; Smarter Driving; Grey Fleet Management; Business Mileage Management; and Van Fleet Management, and the deadline for initial applications is September 20 2011.

"The Energy Saving Trust Fleet Hero Awards celebrate the very best practice in efficient fleet management and, therefore, I am delighted to be part of the judging panel," she commented.

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National Mobile Windscreens has signed new long-term supplier agreements with three of the biggest global names in the industry; Pilkington Automotive, Dow Automotive Systems and Esprit Windscreen Systems, in a year that sees one of the original founders of the National Windscreens consortium celebrate its 40th anniversary.

“The new long-term partnerships underline our commitment to using high quality products from the world’s leading suppliers to the automotive glazing industry," commented Phil Lomas, Managing Director of National Mobile Windscreens.

“We are delighted at the opportunity the new contract gives us of continuing the close relationship Pilkington has had with National Mobile Windscreens over many years.”
Steve Vickers, Dow’s Commercial Account Manager for National Mobile Windscreens, said: “Dow Automotive Systems is delighted to confirm the continuation of its long-term relationship with National Mobile Windscreens by renewing the contract for supply of glass bonding solutions and associated services," added Chris Hanley, Commercial Director, Pilkington Automotive.

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LeasePlan announced this week that it has entered into a new partnership with Toyota Motor Europe in order to bring its corporate fleet clients the new Prius Plug-In Hybrid vehicle, which it recently trialled.

“We are excited to enter into this new partnership with Toyota in connection with the new Prius Plug-In Hybrid. For many years we have worked with our clients on improving both operational and environmental fleet performance. It is partnerships such as these that help us continue to meet the needs of our clients and, at the same time, further support our ambitions in this area. The insights we will gain through this relationship will be valuable to our sustainable mobility approach and will further support our global GreenPlan service,” commented Vahid Daemi, Chairman of the Managing Board and CEO of LeasePlan Corporation N.V..

Swiss, Dutch and UK clients of LeasePlan will have an opportunity to test drive the vehicle in the coming months with client demonstrations already completed in Italy and further demonstrations planned for Germany in the lead up to the IAA international motorshow this month.

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Fleet Support Group (FSG) are predicting a rise in demand for pay-on-use maintenance rather than contract maintenance and the change in accounting rules for leased assets together with increased reliability of vehicles it seems are to blame.

FSG Sales Director Marcus Bray suggests that pay-on-use maintenance is also a way for businesses to make cost savings to their fleet operations: “There really isn’t any justification for paying a risk premium for contract maintenance anymore when there is no longer any risk. Many of our customers are already experiencing significant cost savings as a result of the implementation of robust vehicle, driver and journey management techniques and a zero-tolerance attitude to inappropriate service, maintenance an repair costs.”

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And finally…

Driving Test Success – a driver’s learning tool – suggests that the best way to beat nerves when taking a driving test of any kind is to reach for the fruit bow! Sound bananas? Well, yes.

Apparently bananas contain Typtophan which is a type of protein that once digested is converted into the body’s ‘happy hormone’ serotonin, helping you relax and keep your nerves at bay. It also tops up the body’s potassium levels, which can drop when stressed and can also help to normalise your heartbeat and send oxygen to the brain.

And with that illuminating piece of knowledge we here at FleetDirectory.co.uk bid you adieu until next week’s round-up of fleet and fruit related news. We hope you will take a moment to leave your views on the subjects covered in this article using the comments box below. And remember people, drive carefully and dispose of those banana skins carefully…

Underwritten by international insurer Catlin Group, the cover, which can be either comprehensive or third party fire and theft, uses HM Revenue and Customs’ tax-free Approved Mileage Allowance Payments (AMAP) as its premium basis, the rate of which is increased for the first 10,000 business miles increased from 40p to 45p per mile on April 6. The grey fleet insurance premium can then effectively be funded from within the additional 5p per mile paid by employers to own car users. For comprehensive cover the premium rate quoted for one potential customer is 4.1p per mile and for third party fire and theft cover it is 3.3p per mile.

Pay as you go

Steve Hall, Development Director in the Bristol office of Willis, who created the product, said: “We believe the scheme is unique and overcomes all the administration issues associated with employers checking whether or not staff have the correct insurance in place on their own cars to drive them on business journeys.

“While the insurer requires a deposit premium, which depends on the number of grey fleet drivers involved in the scheme, the premium is collected on a pay-as-you-go basis from employees’ mileage expense claims. What it means in financial terms is that if insured on a comprehensive policy, employees will receive 40.9p per mile with the remaining 4.1p per mile deducted by the employer to pay for the cost of insurance.”

Catlin require a monthly mileage declaration and through the scheme, employees can also benefit from significant discounts and personal insurances to help them reduce their daily cost of living.

Removes the headache

Mr Hall said: “We created the grey fleet insurance solution after being approached by a customer that Fleet Support Group had identified through RiskMaster had a number of issues around grey fleet management including business insurance cover.

“We were already well aware that many public and private sector organisations that allow staff to drive their own cars on business were finding it difficult to ascertain whether staff had the correct cover for business in place.

“Creation of this product, which we believe is an industry first, removes the insurance administration headache for employers and cost effectively ensures that employees have the correct cover in place when driving their own cars on work-related journeys.”

FSG Chairman Geoffrey Bray added: “We believe this new insurance product will prove extremely popular as it removes a significant area of concern for employers and employees alike.”

Willis Limited is a Lloyd’s Broker, authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority for its general insurance mediation activities only.

The survey was compiled by Gary Kent, who runs Toot Rock Consulting with more than 30 years’ fleet experience and is the third such report collated.  It took information from more than 100 organisation’s occupational road risk management systems and found that none of the alternative products to FSG’s provide a linked audit trail of drivers, vehicles and journeys, including ‘grey’ fleet drivers, to the same level.

Mr Kent concluded: “To totally manage at-work driving, three essential areas need to be addressed in the control process – the driver, the vehicle and the journey. RiskMaster continues to be the only fully-automated, web-based, seamlessly-linked end-to-end control system that comprehensively addresses the three elements.

“RiskMaster continues to appear to be the current UK market leader in the provision of a complete software-based occupational road risk solution. It appears to respond most robustly, holistically and comprehensively to the zeitgeist of occupational road risk.

Mr Kent warned that to rely solely on a road safety management system’s claim to full satisfy a company’s duty of care could be a dangerous assumption, he said: “This could expose management to a possible charge of management failure in the event of a fatality where the service/product used has clearly not properly addressed the issue.”

Wiltshire Council is currently analysing the results of a RiskMaster pilot scheme involving a total of 250 at-work drivers. Another user is Balfour Beatty Utility Solutions and one of its drivers said: “It is good to know that [the company] is taking driving risk seriously and is proactively working with employees to prevent risk from driving incidents.”

As the UK’s largest independent vehicle management company, Fleet Support Group believes tight service maintenance and repair controls paired with a zero tolerance attitude to unauthorised expenditure is vital to businesses keeping their budgets in line.

The company was responsible for Office Depot saving over £47k and Travis Perkins nearly £250k in 2010.

Geoffrey Bray [pictured], Chairman of Fleet Support Group – which looks after approximately 50,000 vehicles – said: “Pence per mile figures are the most accurate mechanism for monitoring individual vehicle costs.

“The key to reducing fleet operating costs is driver management so it is vital that ourselves and our customers use fleet maintenance data to manage employees. Many clients have achieved dramatic cost reductions by using data in a more proactive way.”

Simple

Using a traffic light flagging system, FSG can keep tabs on fleet operating costs. Green is deemed satisfactory and on target, amber indicates that the account may need some tending to while red would require urgent attention.

“Some companies can get bogged down in reams of management reports and, as a result, pay little attention to the information contained within,” added Mr Bray.

“So we believe that our traffic light reporting system is a simple mechanism for drawing decision-makers’ attention to important action areas.

“We are practising what we preach: that cost management is key. But we are delivering our verdicts in a straightforward, easy-to-understand format.”

Satisfaction

FSG also offers a fixed price maintenance policy, which means no nasty unexpected repair costs.

Peter Weston, Transport Manager at Home Retail Group – which owns Argos and Homebase, said: “It is amazing that our pence per mile figures are identical to 15 years ago.

“Working with FSG we are totally confident that the company is spending our money as though it was their money and is constantly monitoring every penny to ensure value for money.”

Peter’s satisfaction with FSG was behind the company’s decision to change the funding and management arrangements on the 500-strong Homebase fleet.

Mr Weston added: “We have a very varied fleet across 17 manufacturers with cars ranging from two-seaters to directors’ prestige cars so it is far from easy to keep maintenance costs in check, but FSG is succeeding to do just that.”

The Fleet Support Group web-enabled RiskMaster programme has been implemented in the pilot scheme, which will run through to the end of March 2011 and if successful will see all 4,500 to 5,000 ‘grey’ fleet drivers enrolled.

Wiltshire Council Chief Executive Andrew Kerr said: “Wiltshire Council is committed to ensuring the health and safety of its employees and as such it takes responsibilities relating to work-related road safety very seriously. In order to achieve this we need to have one consistent policy to safeguard our drivers.

“It is the Council’s intention that by demonstrating such leadership through the implementation of the RiskMaster safe-driving programme we will encourage other organisations, particularly our contractors, to implement similar safety policies as well.”

Fleet management (FleetMaster), maintenance management (ServiceMaster), accident management (CrashMaster) and short-term vehicle hire (HireMaster) as well as RiskMaster are the frontline services that FSG is delivering to Michelin through a dedicated account manager and 24×7 driver helpdesk.

Mr Stack, who has been managing the Michelin fleet for many years was instrumental in the decision-making process alongside the organisation’s procurement team said: “The decision is in line with Michelin’s policy to outsource all non-core business activity to expert providers.”

“I believe we can bring added value to the Michelin fleet and further enhance the service that drivers have received for many years from John Stack,” commented FSG Sales Director Marcus Bray.

“Craig spotted the cat between the inlet manifold and the cylinder head. He called me to have a look and the cat looked petrified. We had to take the airbox off to get close to the animal because it had got itself so hemmed in. The cat then buried itself in the back of the engine and it took two hours to tease it out from beneath the bonnet,” said Garage owner John Scollen.

Mr Scollen contacted the driver, who had driven the van from his home in Rotherham to Leeds, but he said he wasn’t the cat’s owner.

An inspection of the cat by a local vet to see if it had been chipped failed to identify the owner so Mr Scollen handed over the animal to the Leeds branch of the Canine Defence League with a £10 donation.

“We believe the cat probably climbed into the engine to keep warm before the driver set off from his Rotherham home. It was a lovely black cat, very friendly and well trained although it was a little frightened by its new surroundings. We gave it some milk and fed it and tried to make it feel at home in the garage. We hope that by giving the cat to the Canine Defence League it found the purrfect home. We think the cat had been in the van for sometime because we found fur in sections of the engine compartment. It is the first time that we have found an animal under the bonnet of a vehicle. We have previously only found evidence of squirrels having climbed aboard and eaten away at air filters and chewing through wires,” added Mr Scollen.

“Masterview is usually used to identify and provide a record of work that is required on vehicles that go into out garage network for service, maintenance and repair. This is the first time that the video technology has identified an animal in a vehicle,” commented FSG Operations Director Julian Bailey-Watts.

Whittaker Fleet Care Ltd, of Birmingham, the busiest garage in the company’s Masterserve network with 1,200 service, maintenance and repair (SMR) jobs undertaken on behalf of FSG clients in the past 12 months won the title of Garage of the Year, a title they previously achieved 2 years ago.

Meanwhile, Churchfield Motor Repairs of Nottingham, the smallest garage in the network,of Nottingham, won the Going The Extra Mile Award for the most compliments from customers and the FSG operations team as a percentage against a workload of almost 500 SMR jobs.

Both businesses received their awards at FSG’s annual Masterserve Supplier Workshop Day in Chippenham, which attracted bosses from many of the garages in the Masterserve network, which marked its 10^th anniversary in 2010. The network is composed of 500 independent garages nationwide of which 140 are approved Masterserve garages.

To qualify for both awards the independent garages had to complete at least 300 mechanical jobs on vehicles run by FSG clients. A total of 48 garages qualified, but the list was then whittled down to a final 10 as each had to achieve better than 99.5% against key performance criteria.

David Whittaker, Managing Director of Whittaker Fleet Care, which has carried out repairs on behalf of FSG since 1991, and was also highly commended in the Going The Extra Mile Award category, said: “I am thrilled. The award gives Whittaker Fleet Care tremendous cudos; tremendous credibility; and recognises the commitment and dedication of all the professional staff we employ.”

Meanwhile, Churchfield Motor Repairs is owned by Chas and Barbara Marshall and the garage employs just one other person. The company was highly commended in the Garage of the Year Award.

Mrs Marshall said: “It is a very proud moment for the business to be recognised in this way. External recognition for the work we undertake is fantastic. To know that we are so highly thought of is a tremendous accolade.”

Phil Todd, Masterserve Network Manager at FSG, which is Britain’s largest independent fleet management company with 55,000 vehicles on its books, said: “Both garages continued to perform superbly in the past 12 months and fully deserve their awards. For Whittaker Fleet Care to perform so well given the significant volume of mechanical work they undertake is testimony to the workmanship of all their staff.

“Meanwhile, it is very gratifying that a small business such as Churchfield Motor Repairs can mix it with major organisations and come out on top. Since FSG launched the awards the business has always featured in the shortlist but never won. For such a small company to win this award is exceptional.”

It is the second year that the Going The Extra Mile Award has been made, while the Garage of the Year Award was launched in 1996.

Mr Todd added: “Our network of Masterserve approved garages is annually undertaking more and more mechanical work because our fleet customers recognise the importance of keeping vehicles in tip-top condition.

“They are very conscious of the importance of duty of care compliance in respect of ensuring that servicing and repairs are carried out in accordance with manufacturer requirements and they recognise that the network delivers value for money without compromising on safety. Additionally, from a residual value viewpoint, it is vital that vehicles are maintained in good condition.”

Also highly commended in the Garage of the Year Award category were: AMG Automotive Services of Doncaster; Brown & Rose Ltd, of Leeds; Churchfields of Nottingham Collision Motor Services, of Portsmouth; Derby Transit Centre; Fiddes & Sons, of Swindon; GEP Motor Engineers, of Bolton; Masters, of Bristol; and New Duston Garage, of Northampton.

Also highly commended in the Going The Extra Mile Award were Brown & Rose Ltd, of Leeds; and Masters, of Bristol.

Automotional’s web-based driver profiler has been embedded within FSG’s online RiskMaster technology, while a range of additional services are also available including e-learner road safety modules, nationally-available behind-the-wheel training and off-road activities at the company’s Donington Park headquarters.

FSG chairman Geoffrey Bray said: “Cost management is the single biggest issue facing all businesses and we believe that our partnership with Automotional will bring significant financial returns to clients in the form of fuel and maintenance savings, improved vehicle residual values, reduced insurance premiums and numerous productivity and administration benefits as a result of employees being involved in fewer crashes and driving more smoothly.

“As a business we like to forge partnerships with very well established and respected professionals in specialist areas to enhance our fleet solutions offering to customers and help them to make financial savings and ensure their fleet runs along best practice lines.”

Automotional director and co-founder Andy Neale said: “For most companies, the most significant financial returns as a result of implementing risk management measures are in fuel savings, which we estimate to deliver a minimum budget saving of 7%.

“Introducing at-work driving safety solutions is a no-brainer and organisations get all the other benefits free of charge – health and safety legislation compliance, improved staff morale, reduced absenteeism, administration savings etc.”

Fleets engaged in the Government-backed Safe and Fuel Efficient Driving programme have achieved MPG improvements of around 16% as a result of encouraging drivers to focus on reducing carbon emissions, improving their fuel efficiency, driving more safely and saving money by using gears better, avoiding over-revving the engine and maintaining a better distance from vehicles in front by not dabbing at the brakes, as well as better road awareness. Other benefits for businesses include a longer vehicle life.

Neale added: “Our profiler is completely flexible and can be tailored to the individual needs of each business. Unlike most driver ‘profilers’ we do not fix the parameters to identify low, medium and high risk drivers.”

He said most profilers will identify high-mileage drivers as high risk, but in some cases, particularly if employees are experienced drivers, that may not be true. Instead, he said, young drivers travelling low mileages may present the most significant road safety dangers.

Neale said: “We will analyse the potential risks with clients and then will bespoke the profiler to determine the extent of the risk among drivers. We don’t risk-rate employees; we provide the assessment tool and link it to clients’ criteria.”

The cost of Automotional is included within RiskMaster, which as its focal point provides employees with a Permit to Drive following a DVLA licence check and creates an individual and comprehensive Driver Operating Life Report from which data is used to continually assess individual drivers.

Now in their 10^th year, and sponsored by ARVAL, these prestigious awards recognise the achievements of those working to help reduce the number of costly, and in many cases fatal, road crashes involving at-work drivers. Last year’s winners included Balfour Beatty, Fleet Support Group, Gateshead Council and Royal Mail.

Entries are invited from organisations running any type of fleet, and from companies that provide products or services to fleets, who have worked to improve safety. Awards are available in ten categories:

1. Road Risk Manager of the Year Award for the risk or fleet manager who has implemented exemplary road risk management policies with proven results.
2. Company Driver Safety Award for the organisation that has implemented initiatives that do most to promote safe driving among employees.
3. Fleet Safety Analysis and Action Award for the organisation that has implemented the most effective procedures for carrying out risk assessments, crash data analysis, and introducing tailored interventions.
4. Safe Vehicles Award for the organisation that has implemented the most effective maintenance procedures and technology to improve the safety of its vehicles.
5. Eco Fleet Award for the organisation that has done the most to improve safety and the environment by introducing green initiatives, from innovative travel plans, to fuel efficient driving and more.
6. Road Safety in the Community Award for the organisation that has worked hardest with its local community to improve road safety for all road users
7. Fleet Safety Provider of the Year Award for the fleet service provider that has offered outstanding services to improve fleet safety
8. Fleet Safety Product Award for the product that does the most to improve fleet safety through technology
9. Vehicle Manufacturer Award for safe vehicle design
10. Kevin Storey Award for Outstanding Commitment to Road Safety for the organisation or individual that has gone above and beyond the call of duty in its commitment to road safety, not just within the company but also the wider community. Organisations cannot enter this Award themselves, but can nominate someone else within the industry by emailing fleetsafetyforum@brake.org.uk

To see a full list of last year’s results, visit www.brake.org.uk, click on Events, then Fleet Safety Awards.

Whether entering an award or not, organisations are invited to attend the awards dinner, which will include a drinks reception, three course meal, and an evening of entertainment, fundraising and dancing! Tickets cost £95 each or £900 for a table of ten. As an extra incentive, a year’s subscription to the Fleet Safety Forum is FREE with every table booking.

A charity auction and casino will take place on the night, with all funds going to Brake, the road safety charity, to help fund their life-saving educational work and care services for road crash victims.

To book tickets for the dinner dance or request an entry form contact Brake on 01484 559909 or fleetsafetyforum@brake.org.uk. Entry forms must be returned by email by Friday 30 April 2010.