Housing provider DCH has become the first social housing group in the South West to achieve the Freight Transport Association’s (FTA) Van Excellence good practice accreditation for light commercial vehicle operators.
DCH, which maintains and manages 23,500 homes in Devon and Cornwall, operates more than 250 LCVs, which in total cover around 300,000 miles per month.
DCH fleet manager Paul Ayris said: “For DCH operating in a challenging geographical area throughout the South West it is important that we are using sustainable, safe and efficient van operations.
“We achieve this by ensuring that our front-line staff are supported whilst driving via our fleet management support team ARI.
“Telematics support our operations team whilst providing feedback on our drivers to help maintain driver safety and mitigate risk.
“We are proud to be awarded Van Excellence accreditation after a vigorous audit to ensure our fleet operation is above and beyond current transport and government requirements.
“It helps demonstrate to our customers and employees that we are a responsible and safe vehicle fleet operator.”
DCH was supported during its application by ARI, which is the world’s largest privately held fleet management company, and a Van Excellence gold partner.
Jason Chamberlain, sales and marketing director at ARI, said: “ARI is a world leader in its commitment to safety and operational excellence. We’re proud to have supported DCH in achieving this highly sought-after accreditation and will continue to collaborate with the FTA in its drive to raise standards across van fleets.”
FTA head of vans Mark Cartwright said: “The Van Excellence scheme is an extremely robust and complete measure of an organisation’s approach towards the compliant, safe and efficient running of its fleet.
“I am delighted that DCH has achieved Van Excellence accreditation. This is an achievement which demonstrates the group takes its corporate responsibilities very seriously indeed.”