SAFED courses improve economical driving
May 2010

Commitment to on-going driver training has resulted in a potential £25,000 a year fuel cost saving for Norse.

Norse coach drivers who attended a SAFED course achieved a 10.1% average miles per gallon improvement, with a 33% reduction in gear changes. According to Andrew Quinsee, Operations Manager (Coaches) at Norse, if the mpg improvements are maintained during normal duties it could save the company £25,000 a year. 

He also says that the reduction in gear changes would make significant contribution to reduction in maintenance costs, by prolonging the life of gearboxes on the vehicles.

Norse initially received 20 subsidised places on the course and chose to deliver the training to the coach drivers, as their vehicles are all fitted with manual gearboxes and offered the greatest potential benefits.

“We were very impressed with the SAFED Bus and Coach training from the 20 subsidised places we received and with the drivers’ positive approach,” Quinsee commented. “As a result we decided to train the remaining 10 drivers at our own cost to ensure that all our coach drivers have been on the course.”

The results will also deliver CO2 savings amounting to 61 tonnes if maintained in practice.