There is room for significant improvement in the way service organisations manage and operate their fleets: that was a key message that emerged from Microlise's  inaugural Field Service and Fleet Conference held at the MIRA Proving Ground, Warwickshire earlier this month and supported by Field Service News. 

There is growing recognition among service organisations of the importance of developing the driving skills of mobile service personnel and the benefits it can deliver in terms of operational and employee safety and reduced costs.

Delegates at the Microlise event heard from the UK Government's Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency,  the Head of National Roads Policing Intelligence, logistics company  DHL and former Stig Ben Collins  alongside Microlise Director of Product Stephen Watson.  In a series of sessions, they are able to learn useful and practical information on everything from safe driving style and the use of technology to monitor driving performance, driver engagement and real world case studies of fleet management best practice.

To underline the importance of driving skills, Microlise fitted a fleet of vans, supplied by event sponsor Hertz, with telematics so that guests could be let loose on the MIRA City Circuit, which simulates the driving conditions found in an urban environment. The objective was to drive economically and safely; with drivers scored on how well they achieved this.  This practical element to the event underscored to many delegates the level of driving skills required and gave them a deeper appreciation of the challenges engineers face on a daily basis when travelling between each job.

On the subject of vehicle management, Mark Cartwright of the Freight Transport Association Van Excellence scheme shared that more than 49% of vans currently fail their MOT first time round.  Many service organisations do not have a policy of routine vehicle safety checks incorporated into their operations, he said.

It was an action-packed event where everyone gain a greater insight into this often-overlooked  element service management. FSN looks forward to hearing what topics will shape next year’s agenda.

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