Fleet briefs: Latest from Osprey, Greenarc and R2C Online

Urban Air Port (UAP) has selected Osprey as one of its preferred partners to provide charging for non-aeronautical vehicles at its vertiport sites.

UAP intends to employ Osprey’s charging technology at several future sites throughout the UK.

During UAP’s three-week Air One event, Osprey provided several stations as a means of demonstrating on-site ‘charging as a service’.

Moving forward, this will form a part of UAP’s non-aeronautical revenue, the company said, which will be delivered through its digital platform and customer offering, ‘Urban-Air Choice’ and the accompanying app.

Ricky Sandhu, founder and executive chairman at Urban-Air Port, said: “Our goal is to provide agnostic ground infrastructure for EVTOL cargo and passenger air taxis, including ground transport, as demonstrated at Air One – a seamless, zero-emission, intermodal journey is now possible.

“We look forward to building holistic, viable and sustainable infrastructure solutions that can help us all achieve our net zero goals.”

Ian Johnston, chief executive officer of Osprey Charging, said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Urban-Air Port to provide safe, reliable and accessible charging at its future sites.”

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Greenarc Fuel Cards launches carbon offsetting initiative

Greenarc Fuel Cards has launched a carbon offsetting initiative to help drive forward carbon neutrality.

The initiative supports Greenarc customers and other commercial fuel users by funding several carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) prevention and reduction projects across the world.

Formally known as Craggs Fuel Cards, Greenarc Fuel Cards has recently changed its name to highlight its new vision and align their green focus to drive sustainability forward for fossil fuel users across the UK, the company said.

Matthew Crockett, managing director at Greenarc, said: “This is the next crucial step for our company and it’s important to us that we are able to educate and support our customers with methods to reduce their carbon footprint and look into alternative ways in which they can power their fleet.

“Owing to the Government net-zero target, the increased social spotlight on climate-change and the importance of legitimate green credibility for tenders and commercial contracts, it’s now more important than ever that businesses look to their own organisations carbon impact.

“Embracing a carbon offsetting scheme like this doesn’t just balance the CO2e output from an organisations fuel but also increases funding for green projects which can have a positive impact on many lives by bringing economic and social improvements to entire communities.”

R2C Online sees growth in services

R2C Online has revealed it has completed 10 million service, maintenance (SMR) and repair job sheets and 10 million driver checks in the last five years.

The company said the figures show a move towards the adoption of digital processes to streamline the way it works.

Tim Griffiths, operations, and product development director at R2C Online, said: “…the platform allows users to join a community of supporting suppliers and operators, it offers huge choice and in these challenging times that flexibility has been shown to be hugely beneficial.

“Business in the R2C community benefit from visibility. A workshop can be seen by any operator or manufacturer, so if a fleet needs work doing, they can see garages in their area that can do the job, and they can also schedule work, organise payment and manage sign-off and compliance all in one place. Access to each asset for all involved the work is driven through the platform.

“As you can imagine, at a time when there is a shortage of bays and technicians, and operators are stretched managing so many other fundamental issues, being able to efficiently manage SMR is massively useful, and this major growth and the sheer number of completed job sheets reflect that.”

RED Driver Risk Management becomes member of safe towing scheme

RED Driver Risk Management has been made an inaugural member of the Government’s new safe towing scheme, intended to give businesses accredited training for drivers who tow.

The new Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA)-backed scheme replaces the mandatory B+E test to tow a trailer or caravan, which the Government withdrew in December 2021, with a new syllabus and set of standards to be adopted by professional training organisations such as RED.

Seb Goldin, chief executive officer of RED Driver Risk Management, said: “We are delighted to be among the first providers in the country to adopt the new standard of trailer towing and this proves our commitment to helping businesses throughout the UK achieve the best standards for their drivers.

“It is important that drivers who are new to towing and those who tow regularly receive accredited training to make sure they have the skills and knowledge to tow safely.

“That there is now a new scheme in place will be a relief to many fleets who tow trailers and equipment for work, and we are pleased that the Government and the DVSA understood the necessity to put in place a new scheme.”

Ogilvie Construction latest FORS member

Ogilvie Construction has become the latest organisation to embrace the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS).

The company said that all commercial vehicles operating on behalf of Ogilvie Construction have FORS stipulated as a contractual requirement.

Stewart Morrison group health and safety manager at Ogilvie, said: “We have a duty of care out on the road, and our FORS Champion status gives us far greater transparency and control right across our transport activities. FORS helps us standardise and simplify - it provides a very logical roadmap to best practice for our transport partners to follow.

“A good number of our sub-contracted operators were already FORS Bronze members, but today, we now have the peace-of-mind of knowing that all vehicles operating to, from and on an Ogilvie construction project, will now be required to meet benchmark standards of safety and competency.

“With FORS aligned with our on-site Construction Logistics and Community Safety (CLOCS) compliance, we have the safety of our employees and site visitors very well prioritised.”

Ogilvie’s rise to FORS Champion status coincides with the appointment in January 2022 of a new FORS administration team managed by Sopra Steria.