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Sign inShepherds Bush Housing Association
Keeping drivers safe on and off the road with Lightfoot
Results at a glance
Fleet size:
50 vans
Industry:
Social housing
Fleet goals:
Driver safety, cost reduction
MPG increase:
5.9%
CO2 reduction:
11 tonnes
Idling reduction:
7%
Shepherds Bush Housing Association is an award-winning organisation providing safe and affordable housing for those in need throughout nine boroughs in West London. The housing association has a responsibility to its tenants to keep their homes in proper working order, which translates into a busy fleet of plumbers, electricians, decorators, and other tradespeople travelling around London to tend to any repairs that need carrying out.
Like many businesses, SBHA has been facing rising fleet costs in recent years, from an increase in insurance premiums to the recent record-breaking fuel prices at the pumps. As a not-for-profit organisation, it’s essential that the association is able to reduce its operational outgoings wherever possible. So when the concept of Lightfoot was introduced by the company’s insurance broker, the team at SBHA were all ears.
No looking back
Shepherds Bush Housing Association prides itself on being an innovative organisation that is always open to new ideas, so it’s no surprise that Lightfoot’s unique driver coaching technology caught their attention. And after a successful trial of the in-cab devices, there was no hesitation in rolling out the cutting-edge fleet management solution.
The fleet-wide launch of Lightfoot coincided with the rollout of SBHA’s updated vehicles, meaning the organisation’s employees were all set to get the maximum benefit from their new vans – and the results speak for themselves.
SBHA has been able to achieve far greater fuel economy thanks to the smoother driving style encouraged by Lightfoot’s real-time driver feedback, with savings of 5.9% across the entire fleet. Not only are the association’s workforce accelerating and braking more gently, but they have also reduced idling time by 7%, helping to keep fuel consumption low. This more economical way of driving is also great news for the environment, which ties in with SBHA’s sustainable approach as a responsible business. The group is now preventing just under 12 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year, and it’s all down to the way that drivers are handling their vehicles with Lightfoot’s guidance.
Smoother driving equals safer driving, as cutting down on aggressive habits means drivers have more time to anticipate the road ahead, react to potential hazards, and carry out any necessary manoeuvres. Prior to using Lightfoot’s van fleet management system, the organisation was dealing with an array of avoidable insurance claims for traffic accidents, but now that instances of dangerous driving have been curtailed by a fantastic 71%, these claims have all but disappeared.
The outcome of all of this is that even though expenses are generally trending upwards for the fleet industry as a whole, Shepherds Bush Housing Association has found that the savings achieved through Lightfoot have granted them cost neutrality, helping to ease the sting of rising prices in all areas of their fleet operations.
“I’m a huge champion of Lightfoot’s fleet risk management technology. With costs going up across the board, it’s a vital bit of kit for fleets and I couldn’t recommend it enough – there’s nothing else quite like it out there. There really are no downsides and the positives are immense, from reduced emissions and better MPG to huge improvements in road safety, which as Shepherds Bush Housing Association has seen, can have a significant impact on accidents and insurance claims.” – Phil Hayes, Insurance Consultant to Shepherds Bush Housing Association.
Keeping safety on track
It’s not just the change of driving style that’s helping SBHA keep its drivers safe - Lightfoot’s vehicle tracking software has also been a great addition to the organisation’s driver safety strategy. With several locations to cover throughout West London, the tracking system helps SBHA maintain visibility of its employees and check that everyone has arrived at and left the various housing sites as planned.
In fact, the vehicle tracking functionality has proved so essential to the daily operations of SBHA that the live location map within the Lightfoot fleet management portal has earned a permanent feature on the central screen within the organisation’s head office. This way, all staff can see the whereabouts of their fleet vehicles at all times, allowing them to check in with drivers whenever necessary. This also makes it easier to schedule repairs, as Shepherds Bush Housing Association can send out the closest tradesperson to the job for maximum efficiency.
As well as streamlining their operations, cutting down on admin time, and helping keep drivers safe, the fleet vehicle tracking feature has provided another unexpected benefit to SBHA – protecting the fleet from insurance fraud. With any branded van, there’s always the risk of false claims being made against the fleet, alleging that a vehicle has been involved in an accident and the fleet driver was at fault. With live vehicle tracking data readily available, the team can painlessly dispute claims by proving that their vehicle was never even in the vicinity of the incident, which helps the organisation to further protect its premiums and manage claims.
Here's what SBHA’s fleet manager, Bogden Malik, has to say about the introduction of Lightfoot to the fleet:
“The fleet is essential to the work we do here at Shepherds Bush Housing Association, and since adding Lightfoot to our vans we’ve seen a big difference in the way our operatives are travelling in them. From an operational point of view, the impact has been huge, not just in the savings but in keeping an eye on the location of vehicles with accurate data to maintain our team’s safety.
The team are happy too – I’ve heard from several drivers that they find it motivating to receive positive feedback at the end of every journey, and using Lightfoot myself I’ve experienced the same, it’s a nice touch to be complimented on your driving! The guidance has helped even our best drivers get better, and everyone’s enjoying competing in the driver leagues. In fact they’re all trying to continually improve their driving to beat each other and score first place!”
5.9%
MPG increase
7% idling reduction
11 tonnes
of CO2 saved
Results that matter
The only way is up for the Shepherds Bush Housing Association fleet, which has already seen drastic improvements in many key areas of its operations. As the industry faces the challenge of rising costs on all fronts, the organisation is protected from fuel price increases and unnecessary insurance claims with Lightfoot’s money-saving risk management technology.
If you’re looking for an advanced fleet management solution that will help you reduce emissions, cut fleet fuel costs, improve road safety, and motivate and reward your drivers, then look no further.
Lightfoot offers so much more than fleet telematics – but yes, we do that too – and can help you revolutionise your fleet for long-term, sustainable success. Make an enquiry or call us on 01392 340419 to find out more.
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