Section 1 – Introduction

Punchards Haulage Ltd is a family run company that has been established for over 35 years.  Punchards operating centre is based near Uttoxeter in the Midlands and has a wealth of experience within the Logistics industry.

Our fleet is made up of Scania, Mercedes Benz and Volvo articulated units and a fleet of specialised Hiab rigid vehicles and a pick-up all of which are Euro 6 Compliant.

From April 2012 Tracey Punchard is the FORS Practitioner for the business, Tracey’s roll is to provide support to the transport office, using the FORS standards as guidance.  This year Punchards Haulage has achieved a reduction in fuel use which in turn has reduced CO2 emissions; lowered NOx and Particulate Matter emissions and it has improved our road safety record through implementing FORS procedures.

Section 2 – How did you hear about FORS, what prompted the company to join and how long have you been a member?

In 2011 Punchards Haulage was being audited externally by a large construction customer who recommended that we become a FORS member, and now many of our customers make it a contractual condition that we are FORS members at Silver or Gold level.  We realised it would help us to achieve best practice and benefit us by becoming FORS Gold.

Section 3 – What was your experience of the initial FORS Bronze audit?

Our first FORS Bronze audit gave us positive feedback as it would improve standards, safety, and profitability through using best practice methods such as constantly monitored policies and procedures and data monitoring across the fleet, including fuel use, PCN’s, MPG’s and even emissions such as CO2, NOx, and PM output.

Punchards over the years has made use of the driver training on offer and attended Safe Urban Driving Courses, Work Related Road Risk and Terrorism Risk and Incident Prevention (TRIP). The combination of these courses and eLearning, the vehicle safety equipment has helped make the business a safer and more efficient operation for maintaining Gold.

Section 4/5 – What was your main reason(s) for you progressing (either from Bronze to Silver and then Silver to Gold or straight from Bronze to Gold)? Quantify savings where possible.

We realised that once we had Bronze there was no reason why we could not achieve more this made us determined to achieve Silver and then push for Gold.

The benefits would be in our favour and were already picking up additional contracts because of our association with FORS.

The business had received many benefits from FORS such as the performance management tools, to record PCN’s and fuel usage, driver CPC training, practitioner workshops.

Our incidents and insurance claims have significantly reduced due to the use of cameras and training. This has enhanced our transport operations in and around London but also in other larger cities throughout the UK.

Tracey Punchard FORS Practitioner “FORS training combined with the vehicle safety equipment has help make the business a safer and more efficient operation”.

Section 6 – What improvements have you made?

Our incidents have remained the same at 1 for the years 2019/20 and 2020/21 also the CO2 has been reduced by 6.1%.

• Performance data – Use data provided for FORS requirements S2 and G2.

	MPG	CO2	Number of Incidentss	Proportion of fleet that uses alternative fuels
Year 18/19	8.27	994	5	0%
Year 19/20	9.01	795	1	0%
Year 20/21	8.87	749	1	0%
Percentage improvement	-1.5%	6.1%	0%	0%

• All our drivers complete a medical declaration on a regular basis. Driver’s health and wellbeing is considered and thought of at all times. We have an open-door policy to encourage an open relationship with them and it ensures that we are aware of any physical or mental change that may result in the requirement of prescription medication, or even just a friendly ear. The risk is then managed to ensure there is no risk to the driver or other road users.
• Recruitment of drivers, all new drivers are taken on a Driving Assessment prior to starting with Punchards Haulage. The assessment is analysed and any strengths, weaknesses and areas for improvement are identified and therefore rectified before being allowed to operate for us.
• Our operating centre in based on a rural industrial estate, there are speed limits when entering and exiting our site. Any loading/unloading is done with a diesel forklift. The main gate is manual. Servicing is mainly done at the main dealers within the area, but also can be carried out by inhouse mechanics.
• A Noise assessment has been completed at our site – the noise is generated when loading and unloading of vehicles is taking place and when the drivers do the defect checks. All our vehicles are fitted with White Noise Reversing alarms.
• We do not currently operate any alternative fuel vehicles. The national network for refuelling alternative vehicles is not currently available to meet our operational needs. We will continue to look at and monitor future developments that will meet our and the industry needs.  Other opportunities such as modal shift are not available to us.

Section 7 – What are your plans for the future?

To maintain FORS Gold accreditation and improve on this standard.  Any future new vehicles purchased are specified with consideration of the Direct Vision Standards.  All HGV’s are equipped to meet the Safe System requirements, which are designed to reduce the risks posed to vulnerable road users, such as: Class V and VI mirrors, CCTV system, Sensor system, Audible vehicle manoeuvring warning, External pictorial stickers and markers, sideguards, Driver training specific to vulnerable road users.

Section 8 – What evidence do you have of positively promoting FORS at requirement G7?

We have positively promoted FORS on our website, through our customer and suppliers networks. As well as actively encouraging our suppliers to be FORS accredited.

Section 9 –What FORS Gold accredition means for your organisation/to you?

Having a Gold accreditation for our business is vital to our position within the market.  It allows us further to grow and develop our business whilst being able to demonstrate we are a professional and safe operator.

*Please note: All published FORS Gold case studies have been submitted by the accredited company named above and transcribed verbatim