Paterson tells us that RED has offered a comprehensive range of on-road and online driving services to help businesses manage risk for quite a while now – but there’s a new focus. He explains: “Interestingly with the introduction of our new ‘SafetyFirst’ customer management and control platform this year, we are seeing a significant uplift in demand for online services – including new direct licence checking for clients with the DVLA, and a whole new range of high quality and real on-road video-based e-learning modules.
“We offer new bespoke (as well as out-of-the-box) driver assessment modules too – and this digital product is proving popular with a few large blue-chip clients we are delighted to be working with in 2024.
“As more and more businesses focus on robust and meaningful ‘Driver and Driving Policies’, the ability to adapt our training to match the precise needs of a client and their particular risk management emphasis is really helping at RED.
“The benefits of online services help to deliver assessment and training interventions quickly and consistently across an organisation’s driving community, but I must also say that our more traditional on-road training is still a very strong and significant part of our offering.
“Of particular note perhaps, is our uplift in licence acquisition work for truck/HGV drivers – we offer training anywhere in the country dependent on client needs, but in particular we can perform this at our RED training centre in Donington (East Midlands) and have seen an influx of demand for new professional drivers getting their licence via our training.”
Despite the general move to EV for fleet, Paterson and RED’s experience is that this move has faltered a little over the past couple of years. He says: “Demand for EV training can be sporadic – borne out of uncertainties over the provision of adequate charging infrastructure and some (but diminishing) range anxiety issues – but it is still growing for RED.
“With the exception of the fact that EV power delivery can be rapid and immediate (the need for extra driver awareness and acceleration/speed awareness is vital) and that the vehicles tend to be quieter (‘sharing the road’ awareness is important here), RED finds we can train all drivers successfully and effectively whatever the powertrain, with subtle messaging changes for EV drivers.”
The fact that RED is an established and successfully recognised brand in the student/driving lesson market in the UK is a key benefit of working with the company, Paterson tells us. He says: “This powerful momentum, strong ADI (driving instructor) base across the UK, and our close associations with the government driver functions and agencies such as DVSA, DVLA and DfT, gives RED Corporate Driver Training a strong and confident basis for growth. We are seeing this come more and more to the fore during an excellent 2023. With a further strengthening in 2024, with not only keen growth from our current client/partners, but also a strong interest from potential new RED clients.
“Our RED dedicated driver training centre at Donington provides clients with both indoor training and development facilities and the benefit of an expanse of outdoor private tarmac to use for a wide range of specific in-vehicle training. Noted already is our ability to train in all vehicle types from car up to HGV (including licence acquisition and trailer towing), but Donington also allows us to conduct special Road Safety Driver Days for several prestigious clients – as well as offering 4×4 and skid car training, too.
“SafetyFirst is being successfully provided to existing customers, and is gaining great interest from within the market.
“We’re also delighted to have been recognised by being shortlisted in this year’s ‘Business Car Awards.’ Fingers crossed on these – but we are already delighted with the strong recognition for a good, potentially market-leading system to help clients manage their driver risk, deliver training and perform regular digital licence checking.”
When we ask if, as a business, RED has experienced ‘push back’ regarding training from fleets, Paterson responds: “I don’t think you can easily categorise the market too simply. Clients look for a bespoke and very relevant service for their precise organisation needs and budgets.
“RED tends to look at the market in three main ways: those potential clients that are doing very little about driver risk and driver training – the bare minimum, and to be seen to provide some duty of care and to discharge basic health & safety at work obligations.
“Clients that have values and core ethics around the need for more than a bare minimum and want to provide a relevant driver risk management (often their involvement is in online and remote training – not on-road) – not least to control costs.
“Then, there are those clients who recognise that not only do they have to provide good quality and effective training to protect and retain their core and often ‘professional’ drivers, but that they must also ensure their grey fleet drivers are embraced, legal and safe when on the roads driving for or on business. This last group also have a proud business reputation and want to ensure they are good ‘on-road citizens,’ working to reduce overall road incidents and deaths, and to improve driving efficiency and effectiveness.”
Following the launch of the company’s new ‘SafetyFirst’ system, we ask what Red Driver Training’s focus as a business is for the rest of this year? Paterson says: “Our main commitment is to ensure all existing RED customers can get the benefit from our new system, with transitioning taking place for a little while now. And then of course to embrace new interested clients where we feel we can really and sincerely help reduce driver risk and improve efficiencies.
“We may well be looking to extend our digital footprint and perhaps this might be app-based considerations on top of ‘SafetyFirst’ web-based establishment.
“We’d love to win an award or two to give us extra impetus and of course the recognition from within the industry that we are helping to make a real difference.
“Our overarching ethos and drive is to identify potential clients where we can add genuine value and offer a good, solid, respected and valued service with the promise of real human dedicated back up and reliable customer service. We want the market to appreciate we are a business unit that really cares about giving good, honest, value for money.”
