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Sign inVoyage Care
Reaching new heights of fleet performance
Results at a glance
Fleet size:
610 cars and vans
Industry:
Care
Fleet goals:
Fewer incidents, vehicle management
Range increase:
11.7%
Average driver scrore :
92%
Voyage Care is a long-established specialist care provider, working across the UK to support people with autism, learning disabilities, brain injuries, and other complex needs. The organisation prides itself on delivering person-centred care, allowing the individuals it works with the opportunity to live the best life possible, with as much independence as they choose.
What this looks like in terms of day-to-day operations is a varied fleet made up of petrol, diesel, hybrid, and electric vehicles travelling to and from Voyage Care’s care homes and day centres, people’s homes, and areas in the local community. Across the 600-plus strong fleet, there are company cars used by operations managers, light commercial vans used by the site maintenance team, and a large number of service vehicles – these are predominantly people carriers and wheelchair accessible vehicles. These make up the majority of the fleet, and are used to transport people to appointments, supermarkets, activities, and days out. It’s a critical part of Voyage Care’s function, with any incidents, unscheduled maintenance, or unexpected downtime having a huge impact on the people it supports and their routines.
With this in mind, Voyage was keen to find a fleet management solution that would allow the team to better manage their vehicles, with more accurate data of who was driving what and when. And more crucially, there was a focus within the fleet team of improving the culture around safety, with a view to reduce the rate of incidents such as collisions and speeding. The reason for this is that the majority of employees driving Voyage’s fleet vehicles are not professional drivers, instead they’re employed as care support workers with driving simply making up part of the job. This could make driver training difficult, and Voyage needed a solution that would positively influence driver behaviour and help employees drive in a more prudent manner.
Levelling up the fleet
Voyage Care knew that its fleet was not performing badly – in comparison with fleets of a similar size, it was certainly no worse off, and the reality is that the more vehicles an organisation has, the higher the fleet’s accident rate will be. However, due to the nature of Voyage Care’s work, with the fleet transporting vulnerable people every day, the team recognised that there were still improvements that could be made. The loss ratio of the fleet was relatively high, and although the majority of these claims weren’t hugely serious - most involved stationary objects, e.g. reversing into a parked car or clipping a wall – it was hoped that introducing new technology into the fleet would help to raise standards and encourage those travelling in company vehicles to drive more considerately. After all, any incident - big or small - had the potential to have a significant knock-on effect for the people being cared for.
It was this that led the team to trial Lightfoot within Voyage Care’s fleet, with the aim of discovering if our in-cab driver coaching solution was the key to creating a more uniform driving style across all vehicles that would help to deliver on the business’s safety goals.
One surprising result for Voyage Care from their free trial of Lightfoot was the confirmation of just how well their drivers were already driving. Previously, the organisation had used a basic tracking tool in their fleet, and so had no way of assessing driver performance other than by looking at the number of incidents recorded across their vehicles, which can paint a negative picture of overall performance. Instead, by monitoring Voyage’s drivers during the blind phase of the trial, we found that many were already driving in a fairly safe and efficient manner, with the average score reaching an impressive 88%. What the rest of the trial showed however was that this could be notably improved upon, with the live phase – when drivers begin receiving audible and visual feedback from the Lightfoot device – taking that average score up to a fantastic 92% whilst bringing every driver up to a similar standard, regardless of prior skill level.
The trial also demonstrated a 55% reduction in dangerous driving behaviour, putting Voyage Care firmly on the path towards safer, more considerate driving throughout its fleet. Guidance from Lightfoot’s in-cab technology also resulted in a 6.5% reduction in fuel consumption in standard petrol and diesel vehicles, a 9.8% fuel saving in its hybrid vehicles, and an 11.7% increase in range in the fleet’s EVs. Across a typical year, this will see Voyage Care save around £50,000 in fuel costs and reduce its annual carbon footprint by 101.98 tonnes of CO2.
Whilst improving road safety was always the driving force behind Voyage Care’s decision to try out Lightfoot’s fleet management solution, the fuel and carbon savings proved to be great secondary benefits, especially as much of the organisation’s funding comes from local authorities, where sustainability is always a key focus during the tendering process. As a result of these trial results, Voyage soon began rolling the full Lightfoot system out across its mixed fleet.
Leveraging data
Lightfoot replaced Voyage Care’s existing telematics technology, which offered only a basic level of vehicle tracking. Now, with Lightfoot’s extensive fleet management portal at their disposal, the team have found there is a lot more they can do within the fleet.
The weekly driving score given to each driver and the safety improvements that come along with it still remain some of the most important elements for Voyage’s management team to monitor, but another favourite feature is the FNOL alert system. FNOL, or First Notification of Loss, allows the team to act quickly if ever a suspected serious incident should occur. The system notifies the team immediately, giving them the chance to reach out to the driver straight away, as well as pinpointing the exact location of the vehicle in case assistance is required. Teamed with Lightfoot’s Driver ID system, it’s providing Voyage Care with the tools they need to fulfil their duty of care obligations to drivers and passengers if ever a serious situation arises.
The team are also in the process of setting up regional league tables within the Lightfoot app, with the aim of sparking some light-hearted competition between drivers across the country, adding an extra element of gamification to their employees’ Lightfoot experience.
Speaking on the adoption of Lightfoot within the fleet, John Adams, Head of Procurement & Fleet at Voyage Care, commented:
“Lightfoot’s driver coaching system has ticked every box for us, and then some. We knew our team was no worse than other drivers out there, but due to the nature of our work, we felt that our accident rate should be lower, and overall, we should be better.
Previously, we had a black box system in our vehicles, and I think it was very easy for people to forget it was there. So it would have an immediate impact, but over time, people would drift back to their old habits. Lightfoot is different – it’s a constant reminder to drive carefully, and drive safely. It’s continuously making you think about your driving style and your behaviour behind the wheel, and it works. We’re seeing the difference in our fleet, and it’s helping us bring every one of our drivers up to a really high standard. I’d thoroughly recommend it as a fleet safety solution.”
11.7% range increase
55% less dangerous driving
92% average driver score
Results that matter
Voyage Care is now in the process of taking its drivers from good to great with the help of Lightfoot’s in-cab training. With safety as a leading priority, the team can rest safe in the knowledge that dangerous driving behaviours such as speeding, sharp braking, rapid acceleration, and harsh cornering have been significantly reduced, resulting in a better experience for the organisation’s drivers, passengers, and other road users.
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.
Ready to take your fleet to the next level?
Book your free Lightfoot trial today – no cost, no commitment, just a chance to experience the Lightfoot difference for yourself.