MILTON Keynes based Activa Contracts is equipping a 60-vehicle fleet with Lightfoot technology.
Lightfoot is an in-cab driver behaviour system. It can be fitted to company cars and vans, and delivers real time visual and verbal guidance to employees on their driving style via a dashboard-mounted screen.
Activa Contracts says it will allow fleet managers to meet occupational road risk management obligations, and cut overall operating costs. All vehicles will be equipped by end 2018.
The driver behaviour technology is going into the North East Autism Society fleet.
Vehicles are typically Vauxhall Vivaro Minibuses and Ford C-Max MPVs used to transport children and adults with autism and are driven by some 270 people.
The society delivers a wide range of services to children and adults with autism including education, social and vocational programmes, employment skills and provides a range of residential homes, supported living arrangements and short break facilities.
Lisa Murphy, the North East Autism Society’s governance support manager, who is charged with operating the fleet, said:
“Lightfoot technology is being introduced for multiple reasons but all linked to safety and encouraging people to adopt a smoother style of driving when behind the wheel.
“Reducing insurance premium as a consequence of fitting the technology across the fleet, limiting vehicle wear and tear on components, and also delivering fuel savings as a result of smoother driving will cut fleet costs with the savings ploughed into the running of frontline services.
“Additionally, Lightfoot’s tracking tool means that the Society can continuously monitor each vehicle’s location, which is important in respect of both drivers and occupants’ personal safety.”
During an initial pilot project on 10 vehicles, the Society also recorded fuel savings of 8.6% – equivalent to around £15,000 a year.
Activa Contracts is a fleet funding and management business and part of the Arnold Clark leasing business. Arnold Clark Finance sits at number 10 in the FN50.
