Nigel Holmes, Sharon Mitchell and Jim Magner tell us why Driving For Better Business is important for fleets – and the companies which support them
What are your roles at Driving for Better Business/National Highways?
DfBB is all about cutting fleet road risk and making at-work drivers safer. The DfBB community is made up of fleet operators, which includes any business of any size using vehicles for work. If it is being driven for work, we are there to help them. That includes employees’ own vehicles, cars, vans, trucks, coaches or motorbikes.
Our community also includes the companies which support those vehicle users. The PDMs manage our partner relationships, as well working with employers. We’re a point of contact for organisations looking for help on specific road-risk issues. We’re a liaison for the DfBB community, identifying good practice and helping develop new resources including toolkits, interviews, podcasts, blogs, and webinars. We also attend fleet safety and road risk management events to help raise awareness of Driving for Better Business and National Highways safety initiatives.
What are your backgrounds?
We all joined the team in 2021 having spent many years within the fleet industry engaging with all kinds of fleet companies – retail, local authority, utilities, construction, and logistics etc. Our roles have included operational transport and fleet management, training, key account management, and senior roles in membership relations, auditing and consultancy. It’s important that we have operational experience so we can relate to the issues our community is talking about.
What kinds of companies should be partnering with DfBB?
Partners include government bodies, safety organisations, trade associations and service providers. We are always looking for new partners who provide a service or product that improves fleet safety and reduces driving for work risk. We want active partners who proactively share our messaging and updates with their communities.
What are partners expected to do and what benefits can they expect?
We ask partners to amplify our messages around road safety and risk management in their community. Partners and fleet operators are welcome to support us at events, and co-creating content for the DfBB community.
A partnership enhances brand credibility and gives access to all the DfBB resources which are free for partners to share with their customers.
We’ll also be talking to Partners about the issues affecting their sectors and provide networking opportunities.
In 2024 we will be launching a new Driving for Work policy toolkit to help all employers. They can use our toolkit to review and update existing policies, or to create new ones. We’d definitely like partners to help raise awareness of this.
Why is it important that supply organisations as well as fleets join with Driving for Better Business in trying to improve road safety?
Organisations can influence their safety of their own vehicles, but also that of their supply chain. If they are proactive about fleet safety, it’s only natural that they should expect their supply chain to address it too. What better way than by requiring their supply chain to register and engage with the Driving for Better Business Portal.
Organisations doing this include the Rail Safety and Standards Board and Crown Commercial Services. Just one positive message around driving safety that appeals to employees and customers can spark creativity. It creates a ripple effect for all working drivers.
Why have you chosen to work and support Driving for Better Business?
We’ve all experienced the pressures of driving for work every day and believe we can make a difference in reducing the number of road collisions. We are here to help businesses, to ensure they have a fit-for-purpose driving for work policy to help keep workers safe. It’s both personal and important.
Nigel Holmes, Sharon Mitchell and Jim Magner
