The Freight Transport Association’s VanFTA division premiered a pair of initiatives at the 2016 CV Show, with both the Van Excellence Small Fleet Programme and FTA Live Drive Pro systems being unveiled to the industry.
The Small Fleet Programme is aimed at fleets of 10 vehicles or fewer that consider themselves too small to enter into the full Van Excellence programme and audit. For £40 a month, firms get a FleetCheck fleet management system, electronic copy of the guide to Van Excellence, access to certain FTA member services and information channels, and can apply remotely for the Van Excellence audit should they feel ready to do so.
FTA Live Drive Pro is a link-up between the organisation and Lightfoot’s in-cab driver behaviour advice system, that gives driver feedback in the form of a three-strike system where only the third misdemeanor is reported back to the fleet manager.
“We’ve had a lot of feedback from employers about driver behaviour management,” said FTA van boss Mark Cartwright. “Telematics is about more than just tracking – it’s understanding and managing driver behaviour.
“It does come at a discount to FTA members and the return on investment is very swift,” he continued. “Most are seeing 10-15% fuel savings very quickly.”
The association is also increasing the use of its VanFTA branding, of which the Van Excellence scheme is a part. “We have always used it internally, but the time is right to relaunch,” said Cartwright. “Van Excellence is the one that has always got the headlines, but VanFTA is more about getting that message across that the FTA has significantly more to offer operators than Van Excellence.”