20% of drivers praised
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by Miles Brignall • The "How's My Driving?" campaign has received nearly 250 calls since it started last October, with 20% ringing to praise drivers not condemn them.
There are now 2,500 commercial vehicles on Britain's roads bearing the stickers that invite other road users to ring and comment on how they are being driven. Twenty-two companies, including large fleets and utilities have so far signed up. Among them are Cornet and Guinness. One firm has even put stickers on its milk floats.
All calls commenting on lorry drivers are logged and passed on to the com pany concerned. Each vehicle displays an individual number which is immediately traceable to a single driver. Companies signing up for the service pay between £12 and £18 per vehicle, depending on fleet size. Large utilities pay £4 per vehi cle but pay for each call received.
The scheme is not designed to be used as a means of sacking drivers, claims managing director Ross Smith. "Any firm using it as an excuse for sacking drivers will be thrown out of the scheme," he says.
Drivers can get more than just opinions on their driving, adds Smith. "For the first year we are organising a tag lottery. Every month we pull a driver's number out of a hat and they receive £500. He or she also nominates their favourite road safety charity, which also receives £500."
C The Freight Transport Association's "Well Driven?" campaign is to start trials in the Medway and Bristol areas. If successful, it will expand to cover the rest of the country.