FORS Accreditation Makes Dafcon Stand Out From The Crowd

Introduced in 2008, the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) is a voluntary system operated by Transport for London. It advocates and encourages safe working practices, legal compliance and care on the road.

For Fleet Managers, FORS can help a business stand out from the crowd. It's an effective way to demonstrate to prospective and existing customers that your business works to standards above the legal minimum requirements.

Gaining accreditation for the scheme also grants access to a range of benefits that offer a competitive advantage.

An annual subscription costs vary depending on the number of vehicles that an operator has, however fees traditionally start at around ??65.

But is it worth it?

Shane McGillycuddy, Assistant Transport Manager at Dafcon definitely thinks so.

His company, based in London, was endorsed by FORS back in 2012 and achieved a bronze accreditation after their first assessment. The accreditation instantly became a useful asset as some customers within the industry started to insist on membership as a condition of contract.

Fast forward to 2015 and as of September the 1st, large construction sites across the capital will only let the companies onto their site with a silver accreditation from FORS.

McGillycuddy told Navman Wireless: "It's really important for major contractors to see that your company promotes safety. With FORS accreditation, companies that are considering working with you know that your drivers will have been privy to the risks faced by vulnerable road users because of the courses and training provided by FORS.

"They're also aware that your company will have invested in safety equipment for its vehicles to ensure they are as safe as possible whilst on site.

"The more accreditation we get from FORS, the more evidence we have of showing that we take safety seriously and that we can meet contractual requirements."

Although FORS was originally focused on London; companies have started to embrace it in both France and Ireland.

Telematics and in-vehicle cameras are also helping companies like Dafcon gain increased FORS accreditation.

McGillycuddy added "We have cameras fitted in all of our trucks and have received discounts for driver training courses because of our FORS membership.

"Telematics help because being able to demonstrate good driver behavior and lower Co2 emissions is extremely important. If your company currently has a bronze accreditation the only way you can get silver would be to provide the data you receive from business vehicle tracking to show that your business is simply doing the right things".

Click here to find out more about how fleet tracking??from Navman Wireless can help your business gain FORS accreditation.

Barney Goffer has worked within the Telematics industry since 2008 and??is Regional Sales Manager at Navman Wireless UK Ltd.??