b'KELLY FLEET SPECIALDermot Coughlan (Fleet Operation Director)Canyougiveusanunderstandingofthe supportteamsthatfallundertheFleet In this Q&A, we speak with Kelly Fleet Operations Director, Dermot Coughlan, to learn moreumbrella?about the history of our Fleet Department, its current size and operations, and the innovativeWe manage most of the fleet centrally from our base technology being implemented to ensure driver safety, efficiency, and sustainability. in Dunstable but Plant and Parking departments are basedinBrimsdown.Theplantteam(Brimsdown and Nuneaton) ensure the supply of equipment to operationsandmanagethesystemandphysical How long have you been with the business?theprimaryconsiderationineverythingwedoatassets from purchase, through life repair, to disposal. I joined in September 1991 as a Fleet AdministratorKelly Fleet, and we strive to ensure that we employThe Parking team at Brimsdown provide our drivers when we were based on Masons Avenue in Wealdstone.innovation and best practices always. Amongst otherespecially in London with advice and training on where LaterIwaspromotedtoTransportManager,thenpractices,wehavebeenriskprofilingforyearsto park as well as facilitating payments via systems like Operation Director of Kelly Fleet in 2009. identifying those most at risk of having an accidentPay by Phone. They also manage payments and the and using that information in targeted driver training,complicated process of appeals where possible.Can you give us some background informationsupporting the development of our drivers.as to when our Fleet Department was set up,WehavevehiclerepairfacilitiesinAshford, why,andhowitsgrownintothefantasticW ehavebeenspeed-limitingSegensworth,Bristol,Brimsdown,Nuneaton,St support function that we know today?Helens, Leeds and, Glasgow. We also have an MOT our fleet of vans since we had thetest facility in Brimsdown as well as an HGV rolling brake tester. All the team are also mobile, enabling Kelly Group was founded in 1985, and shortly after,abilitytodosoandtakegreatthem to visit various locations across the country. in1989LarryMcGrane(KellyFleetManaging Director) joined the Group spearheading a brand newcare to ensure we provide the right department,KellyFleet.ThisnewdepartmentwasKelly Fleet predominantly operates from Dunstable vehiclesandequipmentforourincluding services such as:formed due to exponential growth within the company. crews purposes.Beforemanufacturessoldspeedlimitedvehicles,Issueallnewvehicleswithrequiredshelving, logos,andsafetyequipmentsuchasspeed S ince its inception in 1989, Kellywe were speed-limiting our vehicles in-house. Wevelimiting and security locks.always found that if you can prevent poor behaviour Fleethasgrownfromamodestby implementing innovative solutions such as speedThe Claims team negotiate and manage claims limiting at the time, weve taken the wrong choice fleetof75vehiclestoitscurrentaway. for all road traffic collisions, PL, EL, and site sizeof2700asofMarch2023,damage claims.Theevolutionoftelematicshasgivenusareal whichhasremainedconsistentlyopportunitytoimprovesafetyandaffectpositiveThe Risk team encompasses driver training and prevention of incidents and the monitoring of above 2000 vehicles since 2014.change. It gives our risk management team the abilityperformance on the VMS system.to monitor and subsequently improve the standard TimKellys(KellyGroupChairman)decisiontoof driving across the fleet. We have a responsibilityOur maintenance team consists of our mobile operate an in-house fleet function gave the companytowardsourdrivers,therefore,adaptingtelematicsmechanics,amobilebodyworkengineerand greater control over the quality in maintenance andwithin our fleet gave us the ability to measure drivingour in-house bodyshop which are supported by administration and allowed us to develop organicallyperformanceandhasallowedustomonitorandour parts stores and admin teams. We have a whilerespondingquicklytotherapidexpansionimprove driver performance, create the Elite Driverslocal fleet store operated by 3 stores men, who thecompanywasexperiencing,asourreachwasClub,anddevelopaLeagueTabletoencourageprocesses orders for our mechanics working at spreading across the country, and we were developinghealthycompetitionamongCostCentres.ItalsotheDunstablebodyshopandgarage.Dueto a nationwide operation. enables us to quickly identify when a driver may not beindustry market issues, our stock is kept at an fit to drive, and offer support if needed, ensuring theideal level ensuring the most common repair jobs We know that innovation is key to deliveringsafety of our drivers and the public. are not delayed because of the order process.driversafety,efficiency,andsustainability across our Kelly Group fleet - can you tell usWerecurrentlytriallinginternalcamerasonourWe also have the remainder of the fleet team what we have done in the past and what wereCityFibrecontract.Itispurelyforsafetyreasonshere at Dunstable who ensure legal compliance currently executing to achieve the continuedand to improve driving behaviour not to monitor ouracross the fleet, and we also look after the supply safetyofourdrivers,theefficiencyofourworkforce.None of the footage hits the system of ourvehiclestoourCostCentresandensurewe business and sustainability of our vast fleetrisk management teams dashboard unless somethingmaximise utilisation while not compromising on has gone wrong, such as in the event of an accident,safety. while implementing innovative technology? or not wearing your seatbelt. If youre a good driver it Thesafetyofourdriversandthepublicisalwaysdoesnt make a difference in your performance, it is in place to prevent future accidents and ensure the safety of our workforce.The Networker Spring 2023 17.'