Fleet software supplier Jaama has become an Associate member of the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS), reinforcing its commitment to raising standards in the fleet industry.

FORS is a voluntary scheme for fleet operators aimed at improving the quality of fleet operations to levels compliant with a national standard.

Many Jaama customers have already achieved FORS bronze, silver or gold accreditation. Associate status is for fleet suppliers which do not run commercial vehicles but that wish to help drive up operating standards across the sector and add value to the FORS scheme.

A FORS spokesman said: “We are delighted to have Jaama as a FORS Associate providing an exclusive benefit to the FORS community.”

Furthermore, to celebrate its Associate member status, Jaama is offering FORS applicants and members a series of benefits:

  • A free process review to clearly establish and document a fleet’s business and system requirements to achieve or maintain the FORS standard
  • 50 free driver licence checks with every Jaama Key2 Vehicle Management System ordered
  • A 5% discount on all initial driver licence check orders.

Jaama’s Licence2Check, which is delivered online and provides a complete audit trail of driver information and licence checks helping towards comprehensive road safety and duty of care compliance, seamlessly links with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s driver records database.

Jaama, in partnership with its commercial vehicle fleet customers, is focused on promoting best practice as demonstrated when it became one of the first organisation’s to partner the Freight Transport Association’s Van Excellence scheme which it joined almost three years ago.

Jaama managing director Martin Evans (pictured) said: “In recent months we have been meeting with customers, discussing FORS, and ensuring our system supports the FORS accreditation process.”

The FORS standard defines basic requirements for fleet decision-makers to follow in four key areas: Management, vehicles, drivers and operations. Within each section there are a series of key requirements primarily based around: Legal compliance, safety, efficiency and environmental protection.

Evans said: “Those standards and requirements exactly mirror the best practice benefits that Jaama promotes to fleets when they decide to implement our Key2 software.”

As a FORS Associate member, Jaama is further demonstrating its commitment to promoting commercial best practice through practical action by:

  • Setting the FORS’ best practice standards and legal compliance by promoting FORS to its customers
  • Monitoring and seeking to continuously improve compliance functionality within Key2

Evans said: “Technology is a major aid to making fleet administration easier for fleet managers and ensuring vehicles are operating in tip-top condition and comply with legislation.

“As well as Key2 technology delivering financial savings and improved operating efficiencies, businesses using the software are generating administration benefits as fleet department employees become more productive. This means they are able to turn their attentions to other more strategic management areas as a consequence of the time savings generated by Key2.”

FORS was launched by Transport for London (TfL) in 2008 to improve road safety and help reduce the wider environmental and traffic impacts of freight and fleet operations. In January, TfL appointed AECOM to expand FORS across the UK, in a move to allow more fleet operators to benefit from consistent operating standards. More than 210,000 vehicles from 2,400 companies are now accredited to FORS.