FORS to deliver new route to accreditation for owner van drivers
FORS, the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme, has announced it is to deliver its best practice road transport principles for single van operations where the vehicle owner is also the driver.
The move is aimed at driving up standards of safety, efficiency and environmental protection in this relatively hard-to-reach sector, the organisation says, with the help of a low-cost, easy to understand FORS accreditation.
Key to the move is a FORS Bronze audit to suit owner van drivers. Whilst van operations are regulated, the requirement to evidence compliance, conduct checks, undertake training and retain records is less stringent than for businesses operating under O-Licence conditions.
The FORS Bronze audit includes management responsibilities, driver competence and fitness, vehicle roadworthiness and operational management.
A dedicated toolkit has been developed to assist owner van drivers in preparing for audit. Once registered, FORS provides access to the extensive FORS Professional training portfolio as well as further benefits and incentives from FORS events and partner offers.
FORS has already engaged with leading courier and parcel delivery specialists Cargo2Go via the Transport Exchange Group and Same Day Courier Network – where business is shared among self-employed van drivers, and where FORS is now in place to serve as a best practice requirement. Van operators are invited to adopt FORS, after which, accreditation will be viewed by the courier and parcel delivery companies as an advantage in earning new business.
Following a successful roll-out of this new route to accreditation, FORS is expected to gain traction with self-employed owner van drivers more widely, encompassing last mile parcel deliveries and tradespeople representing a diverse range of professions. Today, some 4.5 million vans are registered in the UK – over 50 per cent of them registered to individuals.
With the growth in eCommerce, increasing numbers of owner van drivers are fulfilling urban and last-mile deliveries. The market is competitive and with many owner van drivers wanting to differentiate and gain recognition as a good operator, FORS is there to provide relevant accreditation.
Richard Mosley from Roving Richard, a FORS accredited van operator, said: “After seeking to improve standards and professionalism in our small business, gaining FORS accreditation was, without a doubt, simple and beneficial. We joined to be part of a community dedicated to safety and efficiency, and we’re confident FORS will help raise the bar for the entire van industry.”