Companies operating vehicle fleets are becoming more discerning, targeted and sophisticated with their driver training as the range of options available through the online market grows.

Jonathan Mosley (pictured), director of sales and marketing at leading online driver risk assessment and training organisation E-Training World, says gone are the days when every driver would be ‘plonked’ onto a half-day course.

Instead, he says forward thinking businesses are now mixing online training with in-vehicle tuition, and addressing specific issues rather than opting for a ‘sheep dip’ approach.

“If a company used to have a poor accident record, many would simply put all their drivers through an in-vehicle course,” said Mosley, “however that happens far less often nowadays.

“Most businesses use an initial online risk assessment to draw up a profile of each driver, so that they can determine their strengths and weaknesses.

“In many cases this is then compared to accident records and fuel usage to decide what training is required, if any, and what form of training is most appropriate.”

With an extensive array of online courses available today as well as the traditional on-road defensive driver training, Mosley says that fleet managers can now select a menu of training interventions that will be pertinent to each driver – whether that’s speed awareness, manoeuvring, use of mobile phones or whatever the issue is that is causing accidents and costs to rise.

“All drivers are different and this results in a far more sophisticated approach, as well as channelling investment into the right areas,” explained Mosley.

“A few years ago we may come across tow out of ten companies that wished to apply targeted and tailored training to their drivers.

“Now, its far more common place with eight in every ten asking for a menu of courses so that relevant training can be given.”
 

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