…
GreenRoad, the world’s leader in driver safety and efficiency, and Belmont International, the UK’s leading independent insurance broker specialising in passenger transport, announced they have deployed the GreenRoad 360 service in 1,000 buses and coaches across the UK. This brings the total number of UK buses and coaches with GreenRoad’s service to 10,500, firmly cementing GreenRoad’s leadership position in this market.
Belmont started offering GreenRoad’s risk management service to bus and coach operators in November 2008 and has since won contracts with 23 bus and coach operators. Customers include Safeguard Coaches, Coach Services Ltd, Reynolds Diplomat and Sullivan Buses.
Through GreenRoad’s service, Belmont now has access to detailed driving information, making it far easier to predict fleet risk and offer specific risk management interventions. When it comes to renewing insurance policies, this will help Belmont and its clients negotiate improved insurance premiums and cover terms with insurers.
GreenRoad 360 is designed to stem the cause of crashes by enhancing driver decision-making while behind the wheel. Through safer driving, GreenRoad’s service improves performance across fuel consumption, operational efficiency, vehicle wear-and-tear and insurance costs. A typical GreenRoad customer sees up to a 10% reduction in fuel-consumption and emissions as well as a 50% reduction in accident frequency and resulting costs.
Through a partnership with GreenRoad, the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) and insurer Aviva, Belmont launched its CoachSave initiative last year. Among the many benefits offered, CoachSave allows CPT members to fix their insurance costs for three years, subject to claims performance, while benefiting from GreenRoad’s service to drive down accident and fuel costs.
Belmont, GreenRoad and Aviva will be demonstrating the benefits of CoachSave on Stand A5 at Eurobus, Birmingham, November 2 – 4, 2010. CoachSave’s customers include Acklams Coaches of Beverley, East Yorkshire who signed up after a visit to Belmont’s stand at last years Coach & Bus Live event. Acklams has a fleet of 22 coaches from minibuses to double deckers covering school transport, general private hire and overseas trips. As with many small businesses, even a small accident causes a major inconvenience to its operations. An accident not only means the vehicle off the road but processing claims is time consuming and involves a great deal of paperwork.
“There are always people at trade shows touting new ways to improve safety and reduce fuel, but when we came across Belmont and heard about CoachSave at Coach & Bus Live in 2009 we felt we had finally found a solution that offered tangible benefits – improved passenger comfort and safety, reduced fuel and lower premiums,” said Paul Acklam, managing director of Acklams Coaches. “While the financial savings from lower premiums and less fuel are attractive, reduced accidents also translate directly into less time on processing claims in the back office and more efficient operations.”
Alan continues, “Belmont’s claims ring true: since GreenRoad’s service went live in February 2010 we have seen risky driving manoeuvres drop by between 75 and 87% a week.”
The following are additional examples of customers who have deployed GreenRoad in partnership with Belmont:
Safeguard Coaches started using GreenRoad 360 in February 2010 after a recommendation from its insurance broker, Belmont International. Safeguard now uses the service in 34 buses and coaches from its depots in Guildford and Farnham, Surrey. GreenRoad has resulted in a 65% drop in risk, fewer incidents and claims and a noticeable reduction in wear-and-tear.
“Our team of 40 drivers are now much more conscious of safer driving. We are impressed that some are examining their profiles online at home and drawing our attention to their results,” said Andrew Halliday, Managing Director at Safeguard Coaches. “In addition to the safety and fuel economy features, the mapping function allows us to track our fleet and ensure that drivers reach their destination within the legal coach driving limits.”
Halliday concluded, “We believe GreenRoad 360 will pay for itself through the reduction in bus parts, fewer insurance claims and our improved insurance position.”
Coach Services Ltd, a bus and coach operator with depots in Thetford and Dereham in Norfolk. Coach Services Ltd has a fleet of 37 buses and coaches providing local services, school trips, private hire and continental travel.
Coach Services Ltd started using the GreenRoad 360 service in early 2010. Its driver safety improved immediately with a 60 percent reduction in excessive manoeuvres behind the wheel. While the driving standard has improved, fuel efficiency has improved by 11 percent, representing an enormous saving at the pumps and beating Coach Services’ expectations about the return on investment.
The vehicle tracking and heat map features in GreenRoad have proven invaluable. “We are now able to provide our clients with accurate information about where vehicles are without having to call up the driver. And when a driver starts a new route we can show them what awkward driving spots to look out for,” said Robert Crawford, Transport Manager at Coach Services Ltd.
“We are thrilled with the results,” continued Crawford. “Thanks to GreenRoad we can demonstrate our safety record, show how rides are now more comfortable for passengers, and prove that we are reducing our carbon footprint. We think these safety and environmental messages will resonate well with teachers and parents as well as other potential customers.”
GreenRoad’s approach begins by earning the trust of the driver by providing accurate real-time feedback on unsafe and inefficient driving manoeuvres. The real-time feedback encourages performance changes in the moment, not days later after reviewing reports or video. This empowers drivers to self-correct, reduces management overhead and is a key element in preventing crashes and improving fuel efficiency.
GreenRoad 360 helps maintain permanent performance improvements by engaging the driver at every step. Web analytics and GreenRoad Engage coaching programmes give the driver a deeper understanding of risk and the resources to mitigate it. In addition, incentive programmes are used to inspire drivers and enhance morale and company performance.
Phil White, Director at Belmont, comments, “As experts in bus and coach insurance and risk management we have always believed that a pro-active approach to managing driver behaviour pays dividends. The number of clients that we have now signed up to GreenRoad’s service, coupled with the fantastic results that they have been enjoying, proves that view. We constantly seek ways to reduce operator costs and aid the industry in improving safety and in GreenRoad we have found an ideal ally.”
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
