Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare Ltd is a market leading supplier of durable medical products, specialist pressure area care equipment, hospital beds and moving and handling solutions to the NHS, community and nursing home sectors. Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare runs a fleet of over 100 vehicles based out of service centres across the country, providing service and product support to local hospitals.
Challenge
The company fleet doubled in size between 2009 and 2013. During the same period the strategic importance of environmental sustainability and its link to business development was identified. Therefore a cross departmental ‘Green Team’ was formed to assess all areas for planned sustainable environmental performance improvements and to raise awareness throughout the company. The Green Team identified that transport and logistics represented a major area for improvement and Energy Saving Trust was engaged to undertake a fleet review to identify how to reduce both carbon footprint and costs, while improving safety.
Process
As a result of Energy Saving Trust’s consultancy, Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare invested in both technology and driver training. The company fleet manager has undergone Advanced Driver Training and is a member of the Institute of Advanced Motorists. The fleet manager also trains all new company vehicle drivers in environmental driving techniques during their induction and over 100 company and private vehicle drivers have been trained by Energy Saving Trust’s Ecodriving Scheme. A driver handbook has also been introduced, and is regularly assessed and updated.
Advanced vehicle monitoring systems and speed limiting devices have been installed in all vehicles, collecting in-depth data on mileage and individual driver performance. The lowest performing 10% of drivers are identified each month and provided with extra targeted training and guidance to enable them to improve their performance.
Service Centres are strategically located around the UK to service local hospitals and the Operations Team plan delivery routes to ensure that delivery vehicles are economically loaded and routed to minimise mileage. Fuel card usage data is now being monitored on a regular basis to help further reduce fuel costs. Vehicle maintenance and also repair costs are now more closely renewed to ensure efficiency and identify areas for improvement.
Results
Energy Saving Trust’s fleet review and Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare’s commitment to improved transport and logistics management have brought about a number of impressive results including:
- the fleet’s average MPG increasing from an average of 23.43 per vehicle to 33.77 per vehicle since 2012, through better driving practices and the inclusion of more efficient vehicles
- fuel use reduction from 3,960 litres/vehicle in 2012 to 3,225 litres/vehicle in 2014, further reduced to 3,145 litres/vehicle in 2015
- a CO2e per vehicle reduction year on year since 2011, from 10.66 to 9.78 in 2014 and 8.40 tonnes per vehicle in 2015
- a significant improvement in the safety record with fleet speeding occurrences reduced from 55,271 to 40,902 over the course of 2014
- the average distance and percentage of speeding reduced and vehicle idling times down by 44% over the course of 2014
- the lowest performing 10% drivers improved dramatically since performance measures and extra training and guidance were introduced
- large number of vehicles replaced with more environmentally friendly Euro 6 compliant leased vehicles
Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare’s efforts were recognised at Energy Saving Trust’s 2014 Fleet Hero Awards when they won the Ecodriving category.
“We have implemented purchasing and leasing of more environmentally friendly eco efficient vehicles when new and replacement vehicles are needed.”
Roy Smith, quality and environmental manager