The pressure to keep goods moving and the warnings by haulage companies regarding lorry driver shortage caused by Brexit and Covid could be negatively affecting the drivers themselves.

A few more than usual reported bridge strike incidents have been happening recently, most unpleasantly during Bank Holiday weekend with a ‘stuck’ Tesco HGV halting all trains in and out of Cornwall.  

Recent figures published by Network Rail show that 1,624 bridges were “hit by vehicles” — usually HGVs or buses — in the year to the end of March. This number was more than four a day on average, despite a sharp drop in traffic during the period because of the pandemic.

Who is to blame? Drivers following basic sat-navs on unfamiliar roads without paying attention to bridge height restrictions. The local councils are not clearing road signs that are increasingly grimy or gradually disappearing into overhanging foliage and rampant undergrowth. Whoever is to blame, one thing is for sure the problem – and the fine- will land on the fleet operator’s desk.  

FLEETMAXX SOLUTIONS offers a free solution that means your drivers won’t need to take time out to learn. Titled ‘Avoid Bridge Strikes,’ this 20-minute lesson delivered to their mobiles will provide smart indicators for your drivers to understand the height of their truck and trailer and know when they see a road sign indicating a low bridge ahead. It will also help them comprehend the right course of action if there is no prominent signposting.

This training is just one of the many lessons given by our partner Road Skills Online’s Professional Development Plan (PDP). The training programme will take the hassle away from operators, with an e-learning platform delivering monthly, industry-recognised Toolbox Talks directly to drivers’ mobiles at a time of their choosing.

The 36-month programme has accreditation from the CPD Standards Office. It prioritises common high-risk topics to minimise those risks as quickly as possible into everything from personal health and wellbeing through to customer service and teamwork. 

Alongside the Trustmark, considerable cost, and safety benefits of an ongoing programme of Continuing Professional Development, the 36-month PDP provides a tick in the box for several industry standards such as FORS D4, S5 and G5, and DVSA Earned Recognition Section 7.2, not to mention O Licence compliance. 

Whether you have one or thousands of vehicles on the road, we can help reduce your running costs with discounted branded and tailored diesel, petrol, electric and pre-paid fuel cards, telematics tracking, dashcams, improving driver training and business insurance solutions. Get in touch here─ we look forward to becoming your ‘trusted partner’.