The overwhelming majority of fleet operators say that they don’t think their staff are driving in an efficient, eco-friendly and safe manner.

A Fleet News online poll revealed 89% of respondents thought their drivers were falling short of the eco standards.

Patrick Nolan, fleet manager with Carillion Utility Services, said the problem was that the effects of driver training “wear off” over time.

“We are finding the best way to manage compliance is telematics monitoring speeding on road conditions, daily mileage, producing driver CO2 scores on a monthly basis and base lining them to measure driver improvement or otherwise and fairly senior management reporting of results,” added Nolan.

“Where we have a problem, our best results have been through a combination of driver training followed by disciplinary action if needed. It is a bit resource intensive, but it is working.”

The poll result came as no surprise to Dominic Marder of DriveSense, which trains around 2,000 business drivers each month.

“It’s a natural human trait not to be able to maintain the same standard of driving we achieved on the day of our test all those years ago,” said Marder.

“However, regardless of the ‘stick’ of duty of care and health and safety legislation, there’s a growing understanding amongst fleet operators that real bottom-line benefits exist in proactively addressing the situation, not least of all the potential to save lives and do our bit for the environment.

“For many companies though, it’s simply a matter of doing what’s right – equipping employees with the skills they need to do their job more safely.”

The Energy Saving Trust, which also offers driver training through its Smarter Driving course, echoed Marder’s sentiments.

“We are not surprised by the results,” said Nigel Underdown, head of transport advice at the Energy Saving Trust. “In fact through our own research at the Energy Saving Trust we know on average company car drivers achieve an unimpressive combined mpg less 15%.”

Marder added: “If your fleet has not been engaged with safe and green driving, give it to them. Educating your employees on safer driving is going to pay back in droves – saving money on reducing accident rates, insurance premiums, personal injury claims, administration, off-road inconvenience and so on.

“Just half a-day training for each driver coupled with a simple sustainability programme is all it takes.”