NRS appoints Drive Smarter for driver training

NRS Healthcare  has appointed Drive Smarter to provide driver assessor training to operations managers across its 19 offices around England and Northern Ireland.

The training includes an initial two-day programme with a one-day follow-up to be held later in the year. It is aimed at providing the information needed to make objective assessments of individual drivers as part of NRS's ongoing commitment to safety in the workplace.

At the end of the course, each assessor will be trained to perform a 90-minute assessment that will determine if a driver requires further interventions or training - often needed when a driver is required to operate a larger vehicle than they may be used to. It also teaches assessors techniques for presenting feedback to drivers to ensure that the process is objective and positive.

Drive Smarter has worked with NRS to produce a rating system of bronze, silver and gold, with the goal of bringing all drivers to a gold standard. Drive Smarter will continue to work with NRS to provide a sustained driver safety programme through communications, further driver training and a 'driver of the year' event.

NRS fleet manager Alison Owen says feedback so far has exceeded expectations. "The initial programmes have been well received by everyone taking part," she said.

"Some of our operations managers had already received advanced driver and assessor training but they have described the Drive Smarter programme as one of the best course they have taken.  More importantly, they report feeling confident that they can apply the skills learned and make a significant impact on fleet safety.

"As a leading service provider in the healthcare sector, NRS takes its corporate social responsibility very seriously. This initiative is an excellent way of demonstrating our commitment to the safety not only of our drivers but of all other road users, as well. It also shows that we can be as proactive in promoting community safety as we are at providing an efficient and reliable service to our clients."

NRS training manager Brian Barratt recently completed his initial two-day training and is keen to commend the quality and relevance of the programme. "I was most impressed by the levels of understanding shown by the Drive Smarter professionals who delivered the programme," he said afterwards. "I now feel properly empowered to use my new understanding in delivering the assessments and helping to raise standards of driver safety throughout NRS."

Drive Smarter's Andy Turner aded: "NRS has demonstrated its commitment to a gold standard of driving throughout their fleet. It is exciting for us to partner a team of such enthusiastic and motivated people. We look forward to a long-term relationship where safety is enhanced, fleet costs are reduced and risks are minimised."