Here at Sussex Transport we couldn’t be happier to report that we have been awarded FORS Gold Status. The first dedicated haulage provider in West Sussex and at the time of writing one of only 25 transport companies in the UK to be awarded the accolade.
FORS Gold Sussex
Sussex Transport has been a member since August 2013 and since receiving FORS Accreditation has achieved a number of benefits.
We were introduced to FORS as a contractual condition to meet MACE standards. As we were experiencing a period of rapid growth commercially we were in a position to apply for accreditation and discovered that there were both commercial and operational benefits. More and more of our customers were seeking more information about FORS and we decided to look further into the scheme.
We passed the initial Bronze assessment first time round which showed us that the policies and procedures that we had in place were working positively for our business. We were told that what we had implemented was excellent and could be applied to a much larger business. From there we achieved FORS Silver in 2014 and again in 2015 with a view to achieving FORS Gold.
Once we were Bronze we really made use of the benefits on offer such as the DVLA driving licence checking which took the headaches out of physically reviewing licences. This service has also aided our post-accident investigation procedures as we have seamless access to full licence details. We also took full advantage of the discounts available for additional vehicle safety equipment such as proximity sensors and camera systems. We see FORS as a fundamental tool to achieve best practice and ensure the safety not only of our staff but of vulnerable road users too.
FORS Safe Urban Driving CPC and additional E-Learning has been a great way to get our drivers involved with FORS, to improve their knowledge and to see tangible benefits. FORS also prompted us to install a new telematics system so we could view fuel usage and efficiency by driver and vehicle. The training coupled with a powerful Telematics and RIBAS system keeps us safe in the knowledge that our drivers have all the tools they need to perform their jobs safely and efficiently. We have seen improvements in the driving style of all of our drivers and positive feedback from the training and additional equipment.
With FORS, we now have a Best Practice specification to work to. All of our new vehicles come with 4 way recordable camera systems, close proximity warning systems, turn-left alarms and VRU signage. The training and equipment has enabled us to negotiate a better deal on our insurance premiums and our insurers even contributed to the cost of equipment. We have also tendered for and won larger contracts due to FORS and the associated systems and technologies that have been introduced circa £2M ensuring continued job security for all staff.
Becoming FORS Gold solidifies the hard work of all the staff at Sussex Transport who are dedicated to moving the company forward and promoting high standards across the industry. Our staff have embraced change and are proud to work for a high performing operator.
