A 63% reduction in fleet road traffic incidents in the past decade and a 19% reduction in vehicle emissions in the past six years are testimony to the ‘back to basics’ approach to Gateshead Council’s transport strategy adopted by Graham Telfer.

A 25-year career with the local authority, which covers a population of 200,000 people, now sees the fleet manager embracing new technologies to further drive efficiencies across the 470-strong fleet, which includes up to 80 vehicles on flexible spot hire.

The council’s transport service is committed to creating an accident and injury free culture, but Telfer says tackling driver competency was only one issue relating to the focus on addressing safe working practices.

Therefore, the back to basics review addressed vehicle acquisition strategies and end-of-life disposals – defleeted 3.5-tonne Ford Transit tippers are given a new life as gritters – and crucially all in-life issues have seen a string of initiatives introduced.

They include driver assessment and training for all employees, a special focus on young driver training including apprentices, daily vehicle defect checks, tracking devices fitted to more than 50 vehicles, telematics now being rolled out to vehicles with 40 equipped to date, and a mission to spread the ‘drive the smart way and save money’ message to the wider business community.

A decade ago on a significantly smaller fleet than today, Gateshead Council’s at-fault and non-fault accidents numbered around 350 – an average of around one per vehicle. Damage however minor is recorded. Despite major fleet expansion followed by some contraction over the following years, the huge decrease in incidents to 130 in 2013/14 – an average of 0.28 per vehicle – has been driven by a range of measures.

These include training and assessment for all drivers incorporating a 60-minute practical driving session with one of four council-employed assessors and an extended drive for new drivers, instruction on safe and fuel efficient driving, licence and eyesight checks, a major focus on safety in a rewritten drivers’ handbook, regular depot toolbox talks, and driver and depot gate vehicle walk round checks. Site notices relating to key issues including a ban on mobile phone use, the importance of safety checks and use of seatbelts are also displayed.

Initiatives are supported by a training and disciplinary process that could trigger additional driver training and employees being taken off driving duties.

More recently, those occupational road risk management initiatives have been supported by the introduction of trackers on a range of vehicles including those driven by lone workers, care workers visiting vulnerable people, gritters and 24-hour call out units. It has resulted in a reduction in unnecessary journeys and fuel wastage caused by engine idling.

Meanwhile, driver behaviour monitoring technology has been fitted to around 40 vehicles in the past 12 months with more to be equipped as they join the fleet.

Instantly available league tables highlight driver performance and to-date have delivered a 5% fuel saving on the 240,000 gallons of diesel used each year.

Further financial benefits are expected to include savings on vehicle component wear and tear as employees adopt a more sympathetic driving style.

New commercial vehicles are limited to a maximum speed of 56mph, low rolling resistance tyres are fitted where operationally suitable and engine control acceleration has been remapped to improve fuel economy.

Additionally, the council has made own-car use a move of last resort for employees by introducing 12 Ford Fiesta diesel cars and four electric vehicles as pool vehicles. They are also available to the public outside office hours via the Co-wheels car sharing scheme.

A review of grey fleet costs and mileage coupled with issues around document administration of vehicles contributed to the decision. The authority has consequently cut employee own-car use by 50,000 miles a year (25%) and has slashed its carbon footprint by an average 40 tonnes a year. Today, employees must contact the hire desk to check pool car availability. If one is not available, staff are then asked to review their schedule to fit in with vehicle availability.
Only as an absolute last resort is own car use allowed. “We looked at all the issues around grey fleet use and a cost analysis showed that it would be more beneficial to operate a fleet of pool cars,” explains Telfer.

“Employees accept the decision because they are aware of the public sector funding cuts that are in place.”

Meanwhile, Gateshead Council’s long-established focus as a pioneer of alternative fuels has continued with electric cars and light commercials joining the fleet: in the 1990s it ran vehicles on biodiesel and liquefied petroleum gas.

Telfer says: “We will continue to monitor new and emerging technologies as well as developing relationships with partners to ensure we achieve our common aim – the minimisation of our carbon footprint and driver risk.”

He believes the council is flying the flag on both fronts in the north east having won a string of fleet safety and environmental awards over the years, most recently being highly commended in the road risk manager of the year category in the Fleet Safety Forum Awards 2014 run by road safety charity Brake.

“Council taxpayers and local businesses want to see that their money is being spent wisely and it is through the operation of environmentally-friendly vehicles and safe driving strategies that we can show costs are being reduced,” says Telfer.

“Gateshead Council is committed to the challenge of achieving a cleaner environment with the belief that it is essential to work with the public in both an advisory and partnership role.”

Against a background of an ever-challenging public sector funding environment, Telfer has cut 70 vehicles from the fleet in recent years and annual mileage by about 70,000 miles, notably through improved utilisation, rescheduling work and reducing spare capacity particularly driven by the use of data from tracking and telematics technology.

It is operating against the ever-present constant of budget cuts that remains Telfer’s biggest challenge.

“We continue to look to innovate in terms of new technology and are always vigilant to see what Government funding is available to enable new vehicle technologies to be introduced to further reduce our emissions,” he says.

“Budget controls will be in place for the foreseeable future and as a fleet we must be very adaptable and flexible and accepting of change.”
Critical to that, says Telfer, is the willingness of council employees to accept change and be prepared to adapt to new methods of working.
“All drivers are ambassadors of the council and with that comes responsibility,” he says.

“They are fully aware of the funding circumstances that the authority operates under and, because we can prove that the initiatives we have introduced are financially beneficial, employees are accepting of them.”

Last year a new online fuel management system was introduced enabling average fuel economy data and CO2 emissions to be measured in real-time against preset ‘low’ and ‘high’ parameters applied to individual vehicles and driver training or maintenance actions implemented, if required.

Annual CO2 savings are a major factor in the fleet replacement process with departments encouraged to downsize vehicles, for example from panel vans to car-derived vans, and there is a commitment to purchase vehicles with lower emissions in line with Energy Saving Trust guidelines.

Telfer heads a 60-strong team that includes fleet administrators and mechanics – the council undertakes all its vehicle maintenance in-house.

Last year the transport services department won the council’s customer service excellence award after notching a 95% customer satisfaction rate to add to its list of external awards.

Telfer adds: “The recognition has come despite ongoing budget cuts and that is testimony to the whole team because they make things happen.”