Further plaudits for tanker fleet

Further plaudits for tanker fleet

Fonterra’s road safety initiatives have collected yet another award, being highly commended by judges in the safety innovation category at this year’s Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Awards.

In making the award, judges cited the work done by Fonterra to improve both driver and vehicle performance, as well as staff health and well-being.

Regional training and development coordinator Graeme Mabey, who accepted the certificate at last month’s awards dinner, said Fonterra had brought in several new initiatives in a bid to improve the on-road performance of its tanker fleet and it was satisfying these innovations had been recognised by the institute’s judging panel.

Most visible among them is the addition of an 0800 number to the tanker’s livery, along with a unique fleet number.

Graeme says a lot of effort has also gone into driver training, and driver health and wellbeing.

“We have put a lot of emphasis on getting national certification for drivers, and have employed driver trainers to help us achieve that. We have also introduced yearly health checks for drivers, and backed those up with training in health management,” he says.

The company also worked with ACC to produce a video talking about the hazards faced by tanker drivers on a daily basis, prompting a review of farm layout which aimed to standardise the milk collection set-up on each farm. Graeme says Fonterra’s network of field representatives have been a great help in communicating the driver safety message to the company’s shareholders.

The initiatives extend into the workshop, with Fonterra placing a high priority on driver ergonomics and vehicle safety in its vehicle selection and servicing programme.

Earlier this year, Fonterra’s Milk Supply Road Safety Initiative took out both the overall Premier Award and the Corporate Road Safety Award at the inaugural Land Transport Safety Awards.

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