City incentivises responsible driving through awards
12 June 2023
The Top 20 City of Cape Town fleet drivers who are implementing the golden rules of smart driving and improving their driving behaviour were awarded with commendation certificates this Friday, 9 June 2023, during a ceremony held at the Smart Living Training Centre in Green Point. The Smart Driver programme has been actively running since January 2018.
The Smart Driver programme provides drivers of City-owned vehicles with the skills to develop sustainable driving styles and habits. The programme targets the City's 10 000 fleet drivers who get behind the wheel of close to 10 000 fleet vehicles every day. So far, over 8 900 drivers have completed their Smart Driver training and received their competency certificates.
The programme aims to:
- improve driving skills that leads to actual fuel savings
- cutting carbon dioxide emissions; and
- reducing maintenance costs and decreasing accidents.
The On-Board Computer system (touch key) information is currently used for monitoring driver behaviour. This monitors harsh braking, idling, speeding, harsh cornering, fuel usage, CO2 emissions and road safety, among others.
This training programme is led by the Environmental Management Department within the Spatial Planning and Environment (SPE) Directorate. The key aspect of the programme is the training of all City fleet touch key drivers across all directorates, and is mandatory for all drivers.
'Smart driving is the practice of operating a vehicle in a manner that increases performance and safety, while reducing running costs and environmental impacts. This Smart Driver programme is already yielding significant fuel savings and carbon dioxide emission reductions for the City. It is also relevant to the City's Environmental Strategy, as one of its principles is to ensure resource efficiency and low carbon development in all aspects of the City's work,' said the City's Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews.
The goal of the programme is to provide staff operating City-owned or hired vehicles with the necessary skills to develop sustainable driving habits.
'The training provides staff with reasons why it is important to change driving habits, mind-sets and driving styles. Besides their own safety and saving the City and themselves money, they will also have a positive impact on the environment,' said the City's Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
Smart Driver Programme
The aim of the programme is to train all City fleet touch key drivers to develop responsible driving behaviour that will result in:
- Improved driver safety by decreasing and preventing accidents;
- Drivers operating their fleet, and own vehicles, more efficiently and cost effectively (reducing fuel usage and maintenance costs, and increasing the asset life of fleet);
- Reduced vehicle carbon emissions that will have significant health and environmental benefits;
- Improved vehicle life span due to better driving techniques;
- Improvement in public image; and
- Establishing a culture of vocational pride.
Overall Winner
The overall winner is Jeffrey Josephs from Metropolitan Police Services, Safety and Security Directorate. He received a trophy during a ceremony hosted at the Smart Living Training Centre in Green Point on Friday morning, 9 June 2023.
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
