Road safety charity Brake has recently named the winners of its seventh annual Australasian Fleet Champions Awards.
It honours organisations and individuals from New Zealand and Australia who are working hard to reduce incidents involving at-work drivers and vehicles through successful initiatives, products or services.
The awards are supported by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency including sponsors Bridgestone, SurePlan and Suzuki and were this year announced through a virtual ceremony on October 27.
Two individual awards were presented to fleet professionals: The Road Risk Manager Award went to Sean Bartlett from Toll; and the prestigious Outstanding Commitment to Road Safety Award was awarded to Bill Dyall from Bridgestone.
Brake NZ director Caroline Perry says it’s “fantastic to see the work that organisations are putting in to help ensure their employees, contractors and other road users get home safely every day”.
“The organisations represented at the awards are striving to make a real difference to fleet and road safety, and we hope their work and achievements inspire other organisations to implement measures to address their own risks too.”
Waka Kotahi safety, health and environment general manager Greg Lazzaro says the organisation is a “proud” supporter of the awards.
“Waka Kotahi shares the same commitment to improving road and fleet safety and reducing emissions as all the businesses and organisations represented at the awards do.”
The 2021 Fleet Champions Award winners are:
- Company Driver Safety Award, sponsored by SurePlan: Department of Conservation – Te Papa Atawhai
Following an analysis of critical risks which highlighted on-road vehicle driving as a key risk, DOC implemented a range of measures which resulted in a number of improvements across the fleet including reductions in events/incidents and an increase in near-miss reporting. These measures included reviewing driver training and implementing new online training modules, improved policies for drivers and vehicle procurement/maintenance, and introducing telematics to provide insights into drivers and vehicles. They are on a cultural change journey and used a consultative process when implementing changes to help ensure driver buy-in. The programme extends not only to staff, but to volunteers as well.
- Fleet Safety Product Award: eDriving and Innovation Group
- Road Safety in the Community Award, sponsored by Bridgestone: Waste Management
In this award, Waste Management was recognised for implementing a number of initiatives to improve safety for cyclists. This included putting drivers through the Share the Road course, and loaning vehicles to Share the Road so that schools, cycling groups and others could undertake the courses too.
Waste Management also identified an increase in cyclists riding alongside trucks which had resulted in a number of near misses. They created a sign for the rear of their trucks, which alerts cyclists that the vehicle is in operation and on which side of the vehicle they can pass. Since implementing these initiatives there have been no incidents involving cyclists.
- Sustainable Journeys Award: Genesis Energy
- Safe Vehicles Award: Waste Management
- Road Risk Manager of the Year Award, sponsored by Suzuki: Sean Bartlett – Toll
In his role Bartlett implemented various measures to address highlighted risks within the organisation. He introduced more comprehensive induction requirements for new drivers covering training, assessments and driver agreements. He implemented new procedures for pre-trip vehicle inspections by all drivers. He shares relevant road and fleet safety data with staff in meetings and training. He is passionate about road safety and wants to ensure not only that every driver gets home safely every day, but that they also take road safety messages home to their families.
- Outstanding Commitment to Road Safety Award, sponsored by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency: Bill Dyall – Bridgestone
