The Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) has established a growing influence on the transport industry every year with it now being a widely recognised and sought after accreditation. FORS accreditation comes in three different ranks which are bronze, silver and gold all of which have different requirements. However, they all maintain the same focus of increasing safety and environmental protection. The FORS training course Safe Urban Driving is a prime example of the safety focus embedded within FORS. It is designed to raise awareness of hazards faced it has proven to be so popular that more than 20,000 delegates have completed the course to date throughout the United Kingdom.
A recent report has outlined the importance that certain specifiers and contractors place on companies gaining their accreditation, which can range from 30 days to 6 months depending on the rank you are seeking. The report showed that a huge 74% of companies were asked to gain FORS accreditation in order to gain access to contracts, furthermore over 50% of companies specifically want FORS silver accredited companies to fulfil their contracts. These figures suggest that contractors are taking road safety seriously, as they should. Using FORS to ensure a high driving standard, moving beyond the normal health and safety requirements to aim for a more comprehensive package keeping sites as well as the areas around them and roads safe.
The silver accreditation contains a requirement that all drivers have to of attended and completed a Safe Urban Driving course. The Safe Urban Driving course focuses on how fleet drivers share our cities streets, designed to raise awareness of the potential hazards that are faced daily and reduce cyclist incidents. The course takes place over a single day and puts the driver into the cyclist’s shoes, incorporating both practical and theory content for 3.5 hours each. All of the equipment needed for this course is provided by us including bikes, high visibility jackets and helmets.
Overall FORS accreditation can be hugely beneficial for companies and their staff, the importance of improving safety and awareness within Safe Urban Driving is growing every year as we see more bikes on the road. With Safe Urban Driving being a key component of gaining FORS silver accreditation and over 50% of specifiers saying that they want FORS silver registered companies to fulfil their contracts, why not book your course now and take your first steps to gaining accreditation.
