It’s the coveted award that every Transdev bus driver takes pride in winning – and now the company is celebrating after around 200 of its team achieved ‘Fleet Elite’ status for their smooth and safe skills behind the wheel.
The news means nearly one in five of the bus Transdev’s drivers across the North of England has reached high standards set by the globally recognized scheme – with Transdev’s teams achieving the highest rise in award winners in Britain among companies of its size.
Telematics company GreenRoad records driver performance remotely using its Eco Driver equipment installed on every Transdev bus. Its ‘Fleet Elite’ measurement program is internationally recognized as the bus industry’s gold standard for safe driving.
To gain ‘Fleet Elite’ status, drivers are monitored for a full year using on-board equipment. Each driver must achieve an average of five or fewer events, such as harsh braking or acceleration, in every 10 hours on the road to qualify for the award.
Transdev’s success is good news for its customers, as safe driving helps the bus operator to deliver a consistently high quality of service and passenger comfort, with fewer accidents and a more reliable service among the key benefits.
The bus firm also makes savings when its GreenRoad scores are kept low by reduced fuel usage, which are passed on by rewarding drivers who reach ‘Fleet Elite’ standards – while lower emissions benefit everyone as combined with the latest engines, smooth driving helps to clear the air in the North’s town and city centers.
I’m delighted at these excellent results achieved by our amazing teams across the North. GreenRoad rightly sets high standards and our colleagues have certainly risen to the challenge with a 59 per cent rise in the number of our drivers recognized as reaching ‘Fleet Elite’ status.
As always, our number one priority is safety for our customers, our colleagues and everyone who uses our region’s roads alongside us. With traffic levels now rising with the relaxation of pandemic travel restrictions, it is more important than ever that we deliver consistently high standards behind the wheel every day.
The benefits of smooth and safe driving can be seen not only among our teams, but also on the roads. Our drivers’ success reflects the thorough standard of training and mentoring they receive as well as their own determination to be among our industry’s best.
Vitto Pizzuti, Transdev Operations Director
Transdev’s driving teams can check their own performance as monitored by GreenRoad using the company’s in-house mobile app – while each of its drivers who achieve ‘Fleet Elite’ standards receives a message of congratulations, a pin badge and a monetary gift as a thank you from the bus operator.
We work closely with Transdev to monitor driving performance using best-in-class safety telematics, powered by advanced technology and artificial intelligence, which together with our many years of experience recognizes the positive power of immediate driving feedback.
Transdev’s impressive results show how important reaching and maintaining the highest standards of safety really is. A low score recorded by our Eco Driver monitoring equipment means a smooth and safe journey and lower emissions, with success rewarded through the Fleet Elite incentive program.
The professional and colleague recognition, together with monetary rewards, that drivers gain by achieving ‘Fleet Elite’ status has proven to be an effective incentive leading to smoother driving, fewer accidents, lower fuel consumption and reduced accidents. Everyone benefits from this.
David Ripstein, GreenRoad CEO
On the first picture Three of Transdev’s proud Lancashire ‘Fleet Elite’ award winning bus drivers (from left) Witchway’s Shabir Sharif, Rosso driver Sharon Beetle, and Munaf Saleh from The Blackburn Bus Company.
On the second picture you could see three proud Transdev winners of ‘Fleet Elite’ status for smooth and safe bus driving (from left) Harrogate’s The 36 driver Miles Body, Dave Precious from the Cityzap York to Leeds express, and Jenny Riley from The Keighley Bus Company.