Simulator is a first
Beatty Plant & Fleet Services has become possibly the first enduser fleet in the country to launch its own state-of-the-art driving simulator to reduce the risk of crashes and improve vehicle fuel efficiency...
Balfour Beatty Plant & Fleet Services’ managing director Steve Farmer in the driving simulator
The company, one of the most recent organisations to become a ‘business champion’ under the Government’s ‘Driving for Better Business’ safety programme, which is managed by RoadSafe, operates a fleet of approximately 8,500 vehicles including 4,500 company cars, 3,000 light goods vehicles and 1,000 HGVs. In addition, the Derby-based company manages around 2,000 short-term contract hires every year for Balfour Beatty Group.
Key to Balfour Beatty Plant & Fleet Services becoming a ‘business champion’ has been the introduction of the company’s ‘Driver Risk Management’ programme – a four-stage initiative, which has been developed in association with Cranfield University and is available to all Balfour Beatty Group employees. The simulator is a key part of the programme and is located in the company’s new Driving Risk Management Centre.
Balfour Beatty Plant & Fleet Services managing director Steve Farmer said ‘people are a company asset that cannot be replaced’ and added: “It is the ambition of Balfour Beatty Plant & Fleet Services to reduce the number of collisions and consequentially the total collision cost. Increased concentration on driver safety awareness and risk mitigation will significantly contribute to reducing the collision cost incurred.”