| An expanded management team takes the driving
seat at Fleetsafe Group |
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| “The Fleetsafe Group’s
vision is o strengthen it’s market-leading position through
identifying and reducing risks faced by drivers and employers” |
A major re-organisation and expansion of the Fleetsafe Group will
pave the way for further innovative developments later this year
as the company takes occupational driving solutions to a new level.
Crowthorne-based Fleetsafe Group brings together a unique suite
of risk management services, from three independent limited companies,
DriveTech (UK), Risk Answers and DATA Programmes.
The Fleetsafe Group’s vision, supported by both academic
and governmental thinking, is to strengthen its market-leading position
through identifying and reducing risks faced by drivers and employers.
In partnership with the customer, the Fleetsafe Group helps create
a deeper understanding of a company’s exposure to risk and
associated costs, formulating a sound financial case and an action
plan for improvement. The changes have seen Chris Howell, who founded
multi-award-winning DriveTech (UK) almost 15 years ago, become Chairman
of the Fleetsafe Group.
As a result Jim Kirkwood has joined DriveTech (UK) as Managing
Director and Steve Harris has been appointed Chief Executive of
DATA Programmes. Jeremy Hay, a founding director of Risk Answers,
continues as Chief Executive of the company. Mr Kirkwood joined
DriveTech from Fujitsu-Siemens Computers, where his responsibilities
embraced the organisation’s UK Consumer Business, which included
the selling of desktop PCs and laptops into some of the UK’s
leading retailers.
Your fleet is safe in their
hands: the new and expanded Fleetsafe Group management team
(left to right) Jeremy Hay, Chief Executive, Risk Answers; Steve
Harris, Chief Executive, DATA Programmes; Chris Howell, Chairman,
Fleetsafe Group; Jim Kirkwood, Managing Director, DriveTech
(UK) |
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Meanwhile, Mr Harris is recognised as one of the UK’s foremost
experts on visual software development technologies. With more than
20 years’ experience in the UK software industry, he has provided
solutions and advice to a wide variety of organisations and industries,
from police forces to Formula 1 race teams. Mr Howell says: “We
have a board-level management team that embraces vast industry knowledge
and also, crucially, brings new thinking and innovative ideas to
the fleet risk management industry. “The government, health
and safety executive and the police have combined to ensure that
businesses with both large and small fleet operations should have
the management of occupational road risk at the top of their agendas.
“We will be combining our best-practice experience built
up over many years with fresh strategic and practical thinking to
enable fleets to manage their vehicles and their at-work drivers
effectively and efficiently while embracing the raft of recent and
imminent legislation.” Late last year Mr Howell was recognised
as one of the UK’s leading entrepreneurs in the Thames Valley
Business Magazine Awards 2003.
Mr Howell, who has steered DriveTech (UK) to become one of the
UK’s leading driver training companies, was one of six finalists
from an original entry of 80 directors and came third in the Entrepreneurial
Director Award, sponsored by the Institute of Directors.
It was the first time that Mr Howell has entered for a major business
award. However, for the past three years the company has won the
Institute of Transport Management’s “Fleet Award for
Driver Training”.
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| “Our new approach gives
fleets access to a huge wealth of knowledge and information
“ |
In his role as Chairman across all three companies Mr Howell says:
“Delegating day-to-day management of the businesses now enables
me to focus on specific projects. This will include existing projects
such as the recent Speed Awareness Scheme and Safer Rider initiative
both with Thames Valley Police, while instigating new projects such
as work on a global level in conjunction with the Transport Research
Laboratory.
“In addition, we are finalising a number of new initiatives
which will be announced in the near future and will further embrace
e-commerce as a mechanism for reducing fleet risk. While this will
involve the whole group it will focus on the increasing development
of DATA Programmes as we build the company into becoming the premier
technology solution provider for professional driver risk management.”
www.fleetsafegroup.com
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Journey into the future
Fleets are being invited to embark on The Journey –
a radical new approach to fleet risk management, which has
been launched by the Fleetsafe Group. The all-embracing concept
transports fleet decision-makers along a clearly signposted
A-Z risk management route with companies able to join and
leave the highway at any time, mixing and matching service
offerings on the way.
With occupational health and safety continuing to dominate
the hearts and minds of fleet chiefs as well as their director-level
bosses, Fleetsafe Group Chairman Chris Howell says: “We
are presenting a totally fresh approach with targeted risk
management solutions rather than the historic and stale blanket
approach offered by so many companies.”
The Journey involves all three companies within the Fleetsafe
Group, starting with Risk Answers, which will undertake an
audit of a company’s current occupational driving policies
and procedures and recommend, where necessary, changes to
improve management control in line with best practice recommendations
by the Health and Safety Executive. Second, drivers –
those who drive company vehicles and those who drive their
own cars and vans on company business – will have the
opportunity to undergo CD ROM or online driving risk assessments
to determine their risk exposure rating, which have been uniquely
developed by DATA Programmes.
Finally, based on the risk rating, a range of safe driving
solutions will be offered to employees. These could range
from driver training for high-risk drivers to e-training on
a specific aspect of driving to frequent communication updates
and additional advice for drivers rated as low risk, all delivered
by DriveTech (UK). In addition, DATA Programmes has developed
integrated database systems that enable individual fleets
to access comprehensive records of driver audit trails and
cost analysis.
Mr Howell says: “I don’t believe any other company
can offer a total fleet risk solution that is as comprehensive
as that available from the Fleetsafe Group. The menu of risk
management services we have developed enables fleets of all
shapes and sizes to mix and match products depending how far
they are already along the health and safety route. “Given
the ever-increasing interest that both the police and Health
and Safety Executive is having in occupational driving, I
don’t think the vast majority of fleets understand how
to tackle the problems they face.
“Our new approach gives fleets access to a huge wealth
of knowledge and information that will ensure their fleet
operation and all occupational drivers are fully compliant
with all current and imminent legislation. “Not only
will companies meet legal responsibilities, but they will
find that there are numerous spin-off benefits, many of which
will improve their profitability.” DriveTech (UK) Limited
– a leading driver-training company which provides a
comprehensive range of tailored and targeted driver-training
solutions from on-road familiarisation to anti-kidnap training.
It has won the Institute of Transport Management “Fleet
Award For Driver Training” in 2001, 2002 and 2003 and
the European award for 2004.
Risk Answers Limited – a specialist independent total
vehicle risk management company founded in 2001 by a number
of fleet experts to provide professional and dedicated fleet
risk management consultancy. DATA Programmes Limited –
founded in 2002, it provides CD ROM or online assessment programmes
to establish individual at-work driver exposure to risk and
individual risk ratings. In addition, DATA Programmes has
developed integrated database systems that enable comprehensive
driver audit trails and cost analysis.
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