The benefits of EV adoption aren’t clear cut for all businesses. Those with a heavy reliance on vans will want to be confident that there will be no negative impact before committing to the investment. Anecdotally, at least, many more businesses might already have that confidence were it not for the resistance put up by some employees.
Workers who drive the vans may not feel responsible for, or impacted by, the financial and environmental implications, but may still voice their own concerns: getting stranded by a dead battery, having to spend countless hours charging, or maybe the view that fossil fuels ‘ain’t broke and don’t need fixing’.
Many EV training courses (IAM RoadSmart’s included) are designed to improve drivers’ familiarity with EV technology, dispelling the myths and misconceptions that are so often the cause of resistance to change, thereby helping to counter any negative opinions that could be holding back progress.
How might you secure the funding for a training programme, especially if part of the agenda for switching to EVs is cost reduction? It’s time for van fleet managers to put their heads together with their colleagues over in Health & Safety. Stay with us…
Fleet and H&S: put your heads together!
It’s well known that road incidents are the cause of more work-related fatalities in the UK than those resulting from all other work activities combined. What’s not so well known is that LCVs are involved in 10 times as many collisions resulting in the death of a vulnerable road user when compared with cars, per mile travelled*. Given the level of risk associated with vans, it’s crucial for the safety of workers and the public that driver training is incorporated into the health and safety policies of all van operators and may already be budgeted for by whomever has responsibility for driver risk management.
If you already have access to an electric van, why not make it available to employees taking our popular Driving for Work or Vehicle Familiarisation courses? You’ll be providing drivers with a taste of the EV revolution, while supporting H&S policy and fulfilling your duty of care as an employer. What’s more, with end-of-lease damage charges at record levels, your drivers could easily offset the cost of their training by avoiding those common bumps and scrapes.
*PACTS, ‘What kills most on the roads?’ (Webster, Davies; 2020).
Find out more about IAM RoadSmart courses:
business@iam.org.uk
0300 303 1134
