FORS, the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme, has seen its 3,000th FORS Practitioner graduate from the increasingly popular series of fleet management training modules. The milestone comes after the FORS Practitioner programme reached its 10th anniversary in April.
Mike Smith, Compliance Manager at Kew Electrical – a FORS Bronze accredited operator – based in Brighton, graduated as FORS Practitioner number 3,000 in July after completing the prerequisite ten-module programme at his own pace over a 12-month period. Kew Electrical has 26 branches throughout the south of England, and operates a fleet of 58 vans.
Mike Smith said:
“All the courses were excellent and there are a great many take-aways which we’re implementing into our traffic operation. The key course for me, however, was Managing Driver Fitness & Health, which has given me massive insight into our drivers’ roles. Communications between us are much improved, with issues and concerns expressed regularly. I now have a much better understanding of the fleet,” he said, “and our drivers are also fully on-board with the company’s ambitions to improve safety and efficiency. Everyone has a greater appreciation of how a best practice mindset can boost productivity.”
FORS Practitioner training – part of the FORS Professional training portfolio – is delivered in ten half-day units, providing a complete package of fleet management learning, including managing work-related road risk, safe and efficient fleet utilisation, reducing fuel use and minimising fines and charges. Pandemic restrictions in 2020 demanded FORS Practitioner shifted online; a move, ultimately, which proved extremely popular thanks to its greater reach, and which will remain in place for the foreseeable future. Individuals may complete the ten workshops in any order and at a pace that suits them, with each session counting as 2.5 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hours – taking part in all ten workshops equates to three complete days of CPD training.
Mike Smith added:
“Undertaking the FORS Practitioner course online was a big draw for me. I completed all ten courses in my own time, so it fitted in neatly with my work-life balance. There was plenty of opportunity for ‘online classroom’ interaction and I found it very useful to share views with my classmates and to better appreciate their roles, too.”
Since its introduction for FORS accredited operators in 2012, FORS has to-date delivered over 45,000 individual FORS Practitioner training modules.
