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Sign inNovus
Changing the story around safety
Results at a glance
Fleet size:
300 vans
Industry:
Property management
Fleet goals:
Fleet safety, reducing emissions
MPG increase:
5.1%
Dangerous driving:
89% reduction
CO2 reduction:
163 tonnes
Novus Property Solutions is a leading housing maintenance, retrofit, fast-track fit out, and refurbishment company dedicated to delivering high-quality services across various sectors. With a rich 127-year history, Novus has established itself as a trusted partner for clients seeking excellence in property management and improvement.
The company operates a substantial fleet, enabling its skilled team to travel between sites. However, although driving forms an integral part of their daily operations, it was not always treated with the attention it required. Many drivers saw their vehicles as mere tools, neglecting the importance of safe driving practices, vehicle care, and the company’s reputation.
This mindset led to persistent issues: significant wear and tear on vehicles, rising collision rates, and a disengaged driving workforce. Recognising the need for change, Novus took decisive steps to transform this entrenched culture of unsafe driving and poor fleet
A shift in statistics
Improving the driving experience and the longevity of the Novus fleet began with the onboarding of all-new vans. Operatives were kitted out with the most effective vehicles for their needs, ensuring that every driver had the right tools for the job in order to deliver the high-quality service Novus’s clients would be expecting. However, the team knew that this wasn’t enough to encourage their fleet of drivers to drive safely, and that an innovative solution was required to bring about a full cultural shift.
The fleet’s existing telematics technology was fairly basic, offering standard vehicle tracking and reports, but no real analytics or driver safety score. What this meant was that any and all driving feedback was retrospective, often given long after the instance of dangerous driving had taken place.
On average, the Novus fleet was seeing 25% of its vans written off each year due to a high volume of collisions – an issue that a backdated conversation with a manager was unlikely to fix. Novus realised they needed in-cab coaching to help stamp out the aggressive driving habits seen across the fleet, and decided to trial Lightfoot’s proactive technology.
Initially, vans were installed with Lightfoot’s driver coaching devices in blind mode, allowing our team to gather real-world driving data over several weeks as a benchmark of how Novus’s drivers were handling their vehicles before receiving any in-cab training.
Once the live mode kicked in and drivers began following the real-time coaching, the difference was incredible. Our trial showed that Lightfoot reduced dangerous driving by 89%, improved fuel consumption by 5.1%, and brought almost every driver up to Elite level (scoring 85% or more).
By travelling in a more considerate way, with fewer aggressive manoeuvres such as rapid acceleration, speeding, harsh braking, and sharp cornering, the Novus fleet has significantly improved its road safety levels, and since rolling out Lightfoot’s advanced technology, not a single fleet vehicle has been written off. In monetary terms, this is also a huge win for the company, who estimate that with Lightfoot they’ll be saving around £80,000 through accident reduction, a further £35,000 in reduced downtime, and upwards of £75,000 in annual fuel bills. On a monthly basis, this equates to savings of £54 per vehicle, and represents a substantial improvement throughout the whole fleet.
Commenting on the changes that Lightfoot has brought about in Novus’s drivers, Phillip Morton, Principal Consultant - UK Risk Control & Engineering, Global Risk Consulting, Commercial Risk Solutions - at Aon said: "It's fantastic to see the difference that Lightfoot's technology is already making to the Novus fleet. Effective risk management often requires a multi-faceted approach, and the use of innovative solutions such as a driver coaching system can be what takes that risk management strategy from good to great. We look forward to seeing Novus Property Solutions go from strength to strength as its partnership with Lightfoot continues and driver safety increasingly improves."
Everyone’s a winner
The cultural change is well underway since introducing Lightfoot into the Novus fleet, with the company reporting that drivers are finding it more relaxing to get from job to job as they leave their aggressive driving tendencies behind and focus on travelling in a smoother, safer way.
It’s also a net positive for the environment, with gentler driving resulting in less pollution from vehicles. By driving with Lightfoot, Novus are set to prevent 163 tonnes of CO2 a year being emitted by their vans, which ties in well with the property company’s net zero goals. Like many businesses, the fleet is the biggest source of emissions for Novus, and they plan to move towards hybrids and EVs in the coming years, with a pledge to no longer onboard ICE vehicles into the fleet. Reducing the output of their existing vehicles puts them well on the way to a more sustainable fleet, and looking to the future, the more efficient driving style that Lightfoot brings out in their drivers will help them see better results in electric vehicles down the line.
Richard Smith, Head of Supply Chain and Procurement at Novus Property Solutions, had this to say about the effects of Lightfoot within the fleet so far:
“ What Lightfoot’s done for us is amazing. We knew we needed something that was going to revolutionise the way we run our fleet – after all, if you stand still, you’re just moving backwards. So we knew it had to be something innovative that would really help us change things up culturally.
We ran the trial and the difference was like night and day. Seeing the results from the blind phase to the live phase, you could’ve knocked me over with a feather, seriously! We had one driver who went from 150 penalties in the weeks before the coaching to an Elite Driver once that in-cab coaching came in. And that’s just one example. I think that level of proactivity is just phenomenal.
The truth is, any fleet greater than one vehicle – you can’t manage it effectively from a remote location, because you can’t influence what’s happening when you’re not in that vehicle. But with Lightfoot, you’re able to effectively manage every vehicle, every second of the day without having to do anything, because your drivers are getting that feedback in real-time. They’re self-managing. It’s brilliant tech and I’d recommend it to every fleet. Do a trial and you’ll fall off your chair at the results.”
5.1% MPG increase
163 tonne CO2 reduction
89% less dangerous driving
Results that matter
Novus has successfully changed attitudes towards driving by introducing Lightfoot into the fleet, and this strategy is now paying off in myriad ways. Not only are drivers safer, calmer, and more considerate about how they handle their vehicles, but it’s also helping the company to operate in a more sustainable manner, all whilst saving Novus money and time.
If you’re looking for an advanced fleet management solution that will help you reduce emissions, cut fleet fuel costs, improve road safety, and motivate and reward your drivers, then look no further.
Lightfoot can help you revolutionise your fleet for long-term, sustainable success. Make an enquiry or call us on 01392 340419 to find out more.
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