Challenge
Ostwald Bros often operates in remote locations, and safety and wellbeing of its drivers have always been one of the highest priorities. For a company like Ostwald Bros, which manages a fleet of heavy and light vehicles, it is important to be able to monitor and manage fatigue and vehicle journeys, conduct vehicle inspections on a regular and consistent basis, and drive accountability for reporting and safe driving behaviours.
Inconsistency in IVMS mapping between different CSG Clients and IVMS Providers and varying requirements for light and heavy vehicles contributed to inaccuracies in reporting and frustration over interrogation of data and poor driving behaviours. Being a Safer Together member since the very beginning, Ostwald Bros saw potential benefits and improvement opportunities when the Land Transport Standards were published in 2015.
Solution
Following a successful two week trial, Ostwald Bros conducted a full review of the Light Vehicle Framework, incorporating Safer Together Standards. The company also committed to:
- Work with their IT Manager to review and action exceptions on a daily basis
- Assisting CSG Customers with feedback for updating geofencing data and maps
- Interrogating exceptions and rectifying them where validated
- Introducing smart technology for infield use
- Focus on culture and behaviours at CEO Safety Hook-Ups
Result
Since introducing Safer Together Land Transport Standards, Ostwald Bros have observed safety and behavioural improvements and also efficiency and cost benefits. These include:
- Simplifying the light vehicle management system and better clarity across the organisation
- Consistency in requirements and expectations regardless of Customer
- Increased accountability by personnel in the field for their driving behaviour
- Reduction in human error and time spent in field due to use of smart technology
- Reduction in time recording and documenting maintenance, service and journey management
- Lower costs to maintain vehicles through better driver behaviours
- Reduction in duplication of paperwork through simplification
- Consistency in reporting framework, timeframes and measurements
Brendan Ostwald, CEO, says: “Implementation of vehicle standards helped us to simplify our Light Vehicle Framework from 32 documents to 12. It helps to better communicate expectations, drive accountability and ensure better traceability. We now use Safer Together Land Transport Standards across our entire fleet, regardless of whether the vehicles are engaged in CSG service, or not”.
Lessons Learnt
- Don’t accept ‘what is’ and continually verify that the current system is sufficient and works for you – it isn’t a ‘one size fits all’.
- Communicate ‘why’ and ‘how’ the new system will work, backed up with the benefits – make sure communication is directly via senior management.
- Be proactive in reporting to our CSG partners, if something is not working or not right, fix it.
- Hold people to account at all levels.
- Reward people for demonstrating positive behaviours and their ability to influence others as a result.
- Be consistent. It can’t be an initial introduction and drop off after a while. Set your KPIs at a high level so that people have something to strive for, don’t be complacent.
Download the Case Study Poster here
For more information about Ostwald Bros click here
For more information about Light Vehicle Specification click here
For more information about Heavy Vehicle Specification click here
For more information about Common IVMS Specification click here