FirstGroup adopts safe ‘green’ driving approach

Safe environmentally-friendly driving is being practiced by thousands of drivers employed by FirstGroup, Britain’s largest bus operator.

The company, which operates a fleet of 9,000 buses, has introduced GreenRoad’s technology-based service in a bid to reduce fuel consumption by 500 litres a year per bus by modifying driver behaviour.

FirstGroup is using GreenRoad’s service in thousands of buses just 90 days after the launch of its DriveGreen programme.

When First trialled GreenRoad 360 earlier this year the company saw a significant decrease in the amount of carbon dioxide emissions from its buses and a 70% decrease in the number of unnecessary driving manoeuvres.

First drivers will be empowered to change their behaviour behind the wheel through a combination of automated feedback in the form of a red-amber-green LED display in the cab and online coaching tools. To give drivers even further incentive, FirstGroup is providing a £2 million reward pot for those drivers who achieve and maintain the highest standards of driving.

Graham Belgum, business improvement director for First, said: “We are beginning to see the fruits of our labour in terms of safe and efficient driving.”