Relay’s fleet has been supplied with new software that gains information from the engine’s diagnostic system to determine how vehicles are being driven. Negative behaviour being identified includes harsh braking and acceleration, gears not being changed smoothly and engines left to idle unnecessarily.
Score cards are produced for each driver on a weekly basis to show them how their driving skills are rated and where improvements are needed. The process is transparent, so that drivers also know how they rank against each other.
The score cards above are an assessment of the driving skills for Drivers 1 and 2 over long distances, with Driver 1 achieving an A star with 88.9% overall rating and Driver 2 scoring 69.25% overall and getting a C rating. One of the major differences between them in driving behaviour can be seen in the Greenband category, which relates to the optimum zone for changing gears according to the correct engine revs.
The Driver Behaviour scheme, which has been rolled out across all Relay depots, has a wide range of benefits.
Stuart Berry, Relay’s Internal Process Manager, explains: “This initiative provides for an increased focus on safety, reduced fuel consumption and less wear and tear on the vehicle. There is also support at hand should a driver consistently under-achieve in any given areas, because we have employed qualified assessors to give individual hands-on advice on how to improve driving skills.”