Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) Certification is a voluntary European accreditation program that helps fleet operators maintain best practices in road and environmental safety. FORS certifies that you take both safety and green practices very seriously when driving in Europe and that you are an industry leader in best practices.
Currently 4,000 accredited members are enrolled. The FORS Community Partnership was established in 2015 and includes AECOM, The Chartered Institute for Logistics Transport and Fleet Source.
Benefits of the Certification
As you move through FORS training and accreditation, there are many benefits for not only your senior management and operations managers, but also your individual drivers as well. Senior managers will receive tools to improve their operations and boost revenue while at the same time cutting costs. This includes ensuring that your fleet meets all safety and emission standards which means more trucks on the road and fewer of them sidelined by mechanical and regulation issues.
A sharp focus is also placed on customer retention and new business growth. Hiring managers will learn the secret to attracting and retaining employees that are best in their field. Investing in the skill and safety of your employees is an important part of the accreditation process and can improve accident rates among drivers and reduce the risk for legal fines. FORS can also help you develop road transport policies and corporate social responsibility policies that promote a health and safety culture among all of your staff.
FORS Standard also focuses on making your transportation fleet greener by helping you improve fuel efficiency and reducing carbon emissions. Your customers will also appreciate your commitment to sustainability. Individual drivers also benefit from going through the FORS accreditation process. Workshops will teach you how to become a safer, more skilled driver no matter where you are driving, whether it is on city or country roads. Also by staying up-to-date on industry trends and developments will prove yourself as an important asset to the team.
The driver training programme includes learning all pertinent driving safety laws for wherever you are driving as well as tips on how to reduce fuel consumption even on those long hauls. The more knowledgeable you are in your job, the fewer delays and fines there will be for the company overall.
How Does the Accreditation Process Work?
FORS has three levels of certification: bronze, silver and gold. At each level, FORS offers your guidance and training in workshops on everything from driver assessment and development of best green practices to how to reduce road risk, including how to handle collisions. Improving safety not only protects your drivers, but it also protects the general public out there on the road with them. Also, with each new level of certification, your transport fleet will increasingly become more efficient which will cut costs even more and improve customer service levels. For your convenience, there are also opportunities for e-learning that can be done right at your employee’s desk.
FORS also offers workshops on how to maintain a fleet of greener vehicles that has a smaller environmental impact. Besides how to reduce carbon emissions, FORS instructors will also teach you important techniques on how to conserve fuel while driving.
Here is a Breakdown of the Different Accreditation Levels
Bronze accreditation indicates that you are in compliance with the FORS Standards which includes driver and vehicle safety as well as improved operations. Silver accreditation means that in addition to the good practices laid out already, your transportation fleet is also compliant with the CLOCS Standard for Construction Logistics and with Transport for London’s Work Related Road Risk. FORS Gold accreditation indicates that you have made improvements beyond the requirements of Silver accreditation and that you are also encouraging your partners and suppliers to also practice FORS Standard best practices. To move on to the next level accreditation, you must first have maintained the level you have already achieved. FORS uses an online evidencing system to help keep track of all the evidence needed to apply for certification. This may include photos, receipts of purchases for the fleet, and spreadsheets that confirm you have met the criteria.
Why is FORS the Right Programme for Your Truck or Construction Company?
FORS offers both valuable workshops and toolkits to help ensure that your company is incorporating best safety and environmental practices on a daily basis. FORS provides you with a performance management system that allows you to track your progress through the FORS accreditation levels as well as safety toolkits like CLOCS Manager which helps you track and analyse incidents, collisions and near-missions in an effort to reduce them. The cycle safety toolkit offers tips on how to reduce the risk of collision between you and pedestrians and other vehicles on the road. FORS will even provide you with warning signage stickers that alert other road users of any potential hazards related to your vehicle being on the road.Other toolkits focus more on environmental or performance issues. The fuel use tracker will monitor miles per gallon as well as any improvements in emissions. Anti-idling toolkit is full of tips on how to eliminate unnecessary idling on the road which wastes gas and reduces efficiency of the fleet. There is even a congestion toolkit which offers guidance on planning your deliveries better so that there is less time spent in traffic.
If you are trying to monitor the amount of penalties and fines your business receives, then the FORS penalty charge notice tracker could be what you need. Not only does it track penalties, but also offers suggestions on how to reduce them.
To help you maintain FORS Standard, there also plenty of discounts and special offers on equipment and training. The benefits with FORS are endless.
FORS received the Prince Michael International Road Safety Award in 2014 for its continuing work in fleet and freight safety. With an internationally recognised accreditation like FORS, not only will you be seen as an industry leaders, your commitment to road safety will inspire loyalty and trust in both your customers, staff and the general public.