It’s quicker but are the high risks worth it?
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Businesses are increasingly turning to motorbikes to deliver improved customer service, but training and risk management is crucial if riders are not to become another crash statistic in Britain’s highest-risk road user group, reports John Maslen...
WITH congestion rising and travel times increasing, motorcycles could offer the best way for fleet drivers to get from A to B without the queue, but getting them to their destinations safely will be one of the biggest challenges managers face.
Driving a company car can be dangerous enough at times, with tens of thousands of accidents on the road involving at-work drivers every year.
But the statistical dangers of riding motorcycles are much higher than driving a car – Government figures reveal that motorcyclists are the single most vulnerable group on Britain’s roads accounting for just 1% of all road traffic, but for almost 20% of all those killed on the roads.
During 2007, there were 588 motorcyclist deaths, down 2% on 2006, but serious injuries were up from 5,885, to 6,149, according to Department for Transport data. Slight injuries were down from 16,842 to 16,722.
Face value
Taken at face value, the risks involved don’t seem too bad when it is realised that 30,191 pedestrians and 109,100 car drivers were killed and injured last year. But there are just 1.2 million motorbikes compared to more than 31 million cars, and bikes tend to travel fewer miles. In fact, figures from the Department for Transport show that motorcyclists were about 50 times more likely to be killed in a crash per mile driven/ ridden compared to car drivers last year.
So with the increased risks involved in riding, how could any business consider two-wheeled transport a viable alternative to the car?
The answer lies in training, risk management and the jobs motorcycles will be called on to do.
With the right preparation and the right people, a trained rider on a motorcycle can remain accident free for years (see case studies below).
And once the element of risk is dealt with, a fleet can then make the most of the massive operational benefits of using motorbikes.
For many companies, the speed of response to customer demand is a key factor in choosing two wheels. That was a major reason for the AA to introduce and recently extend its twowheeled operations.
Congestion can cause havoc with response times, but by using motorbike patrols in London and five other major cities, the AA can beat the jams to help motorists get mobile again quicker.
The motoring organisation now has 50 patrol motorbikes providing cover for members up to seven days a week.
Before launching the motorbike service, a rigorous driver training programme was introduced in association with the Institute of Advanced Motorists. All bike users chosen for the patrols had also already passed their test and had extensive experience on two wheels.
Meanwhile, Siemens Traffic Controls has a motorcycle service which reduces the time it takes engineers to repair traffic controls in London.
The motorbikes have side panniers, a top box and flashing amber beacon, and they provide a swift method of responding to fault calls and distributing spares. Journey times have been reduced by 75% in some cases.
Depending on congestion levels, a car might take up to two hours to reach a site. By comparison, a motorcycle can take as little as half an hour.
Leasing
Specialist motorcycle leasing company Motorcycle Management claims that motorbikes can reduce urban travel times, which in turn makes companies more efficient and saves them money.
Tony Draycott, director of Motorcycle Management, argues that using bikes for employees such as computer engineers, inspectors, and couriers could double their productivity compared to four-wheeled transport. He said: “Every study consistently shows motorcycles achieve shorter transit times than any other form of transport – and that includes public transport. Managers can beat congestion and all the associated costs of running a fleet by investing in two wheels rather than four.”
But he argues that safety must come first if riders are to meet their targets, rather than meet their maker.
He said: “Simply finding a rider with a motorcycle licence, purchasing a machine and then allowing them to proceed, without planning training and implementation, is highly inefficient and highly irresponsible as well.
Cost-cutting jam-busters
THE Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA) says motorcycling can cut costs and beat the jams for Britain’s companies.
It held a ‘Ride to Work Day’ as part of this year’s National Motorcycle Week to highlight the benefits of business biking.
Craig Carey-Clinch, from the MCIA, said: “Our annual campaign research highlighted the amount of time and money that people in this country waste driving to work in cars every day.
“The research also revealed that commuters are jealous of the motorcyclists who pass them in commuter traffic every day. The idea today is to persuade them that rather than sitting in traffic feeling frustrated, they should take their bike test and join them.”
‘Ride to Work Day’ highlighted that motorcycling cuts congestion and as a result, cuts pollution from time spent in jams, while it also reduces journey times. Commuter motorcycling accounts for two-thirds of powered two-wheeler trips, according to the MCIA.
Benefits
“To enjoy the full benefits of the introduction of motorcycles to a fleet, managers need a process-driven approach with steps covering a full risk assessment, identification of the appropriate riders, evaluation, training and budgeting.”
A spokesman for Siemens agreed: “We use experienced riders who are fully-trained and there is ongoing training support for any issues.”
And with the right training a motorcycle fleet can remain completely accident free, according to Tom Wickert, managing director of motorcycle taxi service Passenger Bikes.
For safety, its riders all have extensive experience on the road, but have also gained the Institute of Advanced Motorists’ certificate and had their riding ability checked by an advanced police motorcyclist prior to carrying any passengers.
He said: “In a month, we probably travel as many miles as most motorcyclists clock up in a year. Annually we can travel up to 40,000 miles and our passengers are mainly business customers.
Bumps
“They have incurred occasional slow speed bumps but no-one has been hurt. The bikes have protective areas on them and they are all large models, so they are very sturdy. Our bikes also have ABS and all the riders are highly-trained.
“If the roads are quiet, then the time saving is about one-third compared to a car, but we can halve the travel time in normal congestion and when there is bad congestion, the savings are particularly large.”
So despite the frightening statistics, it is possible to manage riders and the risks they face to minimise the dangers of motorcycling.
There are other hidden dangers that can only be managed from experience, such as diesel spills, which turn tarmac into an ‘ice rink’, potholes and pedestrians.
But in all cases training is the key, according to the RMI Motorcycle Rider Training Association (MRTA).
Siemens Traffic Controls has a motorcycle service which reduces the time it takes engineers to repair traffic controls in London
Kevin Bryan, MRTA chairman, said: “While the statistics demonstrate that there is still much work to be done to further reduce the motorcycle casualty rate, these latest figures are a sign that even with increased motorcycle traffic, up 8% over the previous year, motorcycling is gradually becoming safer.
“Part of this is attributable to the Government’s Motorcycling Strategy and the efforts of the training industry which is continuing its drive to deliver safer and better trained riders into the motorcycle community.
“The MRTA is far from complacent, and the hard work will continue to further improve the quality of training and road user education to ensure these safety improvements are continued.
“Motorcyclists continue to be among the most vulnerable users and it is up to all road users to recognise this, not just motorcyclists themselves.”
The route to safe motorcycling
To ride a motorcycle an employee needs to go through a series of tests to ensure they will be safe on the road.
Called Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) it was introduced in 1990 to help reduce the very high crash rate among inexperienced motorcyclists.
CBT must be completed before a learner moped or motorcycle rider is allowed to ride on the road with L-plates or D-plates in Wales.
Riders cover five elements in order, with an introduction, practical on-site training, practical on-site riding, practical on-road training and practical on-road riding.
Trainees must, by law, receive a minimum two-hour on-road ride and can’t take to the road unless the instructor is certain they are safe. The next step is the full licence test, which is similar to the test to gain a car licence, with a theory test, an eyesight test, vehicle safety questions, a test of driving ability, a test of specific manoeuvres and a question about riding with a passenger. Riders are fitted with a radio and earpiece and given directions by a following instructor.
Passed
Once the standard motorcycle test has been passed a rider is restricted to machines of 33 bhp for two years. These models are generally between 50cc and 125cc, but can be bigger if the engine is restricted to reduce its power to the legal limit for new riders.
From next year, new motorcyclists will have to undergo much more rigorous tests.
The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) will launch a new practical motorcycle test on March 30, 2009. New exercises include:
- At least two exercises carried out at slow speed, including a slalom
- At least two high-speed exercises, including avoiding an obstacle at 32 mph.
- At least two braking exercises, including an emergency brake at a minimum speed of 32 mph.
Additional training beyond the standard motorcycle test should be considered essential for employees riding for work purposes.
Post-test training can help any rider develop their skills, which will enhance their riding pleasure as well as improve safety. According to RoSPA, advanced riders are 20% less likely to have an accident. Riders who take an advanced certificate can also benefit from other advantages such as lower insurance premiums.
Helmet ratings could help save 50 lives
Fifty lives a year could be saved, the Government has predicted, after groundbreaking motorcycle helmet safety ratings were revealed this year.
Ratigs for many of the most popular full-face helmets on the market were published after testing by SHARP – the Safety Helmet Assessment and Rating Programme set up in a world-first by the Department for Transport.
The SHARP tests – which award ratings of between one and five stars – showed that the safety performance of helmets can vary by as much as 70%.
Road Safety Minister Jim Fitzpatrick said: “Too many motorcyclists are dying on our roads – they account for just 1% of all road traffic, but for 19% of all those killed. But if all riders wore the safest helmets available, 50 lives could be saved each year. That is why we started the innovative SHARP scheme.
“Helmets from across a wide price range and from a variety of manufacturers have received four or five stars - so all riders should be able to find a high-scoring helmet in a size and style that fits them and at a price they want to pay.”
All helmets must meet minimum legal safety standards but the SHARP scheme uses a wider range of tests to provide riders with more information on how much protection a helmet can provide in a crash.
For details, log on to: http://sharp.direct.gov.uk
Case Study 1
When it came to his six-mile commute to work, Michael Traher knew the ideal machine for the job – a Suzuki GSX1300-R Hayabusa, one of the fastest bikes in the world.
“It isn’t your average commuter bike, but I also use it at the weekend and it is a lot of fun,” he says of the bike, which he rides from his home in Bromley to Croydon during the week, where he works as systems manager at the International Airline Passengers’ Association.
But with power comes responsibility and for Mr Traher, a rider for 12 years who has never had an accident, the same rules apply whatever you are riding on the commute. You have to be very defensive and expect people to do the unexpected. Be aware of the common causes of accidents, particularly when filtering through traffic,” he says. “Don’t filter too fast, remember cars might pull out suddenly or pedestrians might run out in between cars, and make eye contact with drivers.”
Such safe riding provides a predictable 10 to 15-minute commute. Mr Traher added: “With a car or public transport it can vary so much, from 15 minutes to an hour depending on traffic.”
Case Study 2
With a fleet of 16 Suzuki Bandit 650cc motorbikes covering a total of 320,000 miles a year, safety has to be a priority at London-based courier Goldstar International Express.
The bikes can cover up to 200 miles a day as part of the firm’s delivery service and training is an essential element of its approach to risk management.
Barry White, managing director of the firm, established in 1993, said: “Safety is paramount to our service delivery. All riders have a full licence, but we do our own risk assessments and training as well.
“All the bikes are maintained by an authorised Suzuki dealer and this is a key issue, because when you see the bikes used by some couriers, they look like they are about to fall apart.”
Servicing is every 4,000 miles, but all riders have been trained to carry out their own detailed checks every week. All motorcycles are replaced every two years or 40,000 miles.
Mr White said: “All our drivers are told that safety is very important to us and that they must put safety first, including obeying speed limits.
“It is important because we want packages to be delivered on time and also the bikes belong to the company and we want them returned in good condition.”
Mr White, whose firm also has 21 vans, said that he is campaigning for the authorities to help make motorcycles safer on the road.
He added: “I think that the safety of motorcyclists would be improved if they were allowed to use bus lanes in London. We have written to Transport for London and made representations asking them to change the current rules.”
From January 5, 2009, for an 18-month trial motorcycles, scooters and mopeds will be able to use the capital’s bus lanes.