TNT has launched a global drivers’ competition called “Drive Me Challenge” with the aim to promotemore fuel-efficient driving that can reduce CO2 emissions by 25%.
The Drive Me Challenge is intended for TNT’s Pick up and Delivery (PUD) drivers and theircountry managers who need to change their driving behaviour as most PUD journeys involve frequentstops in urban areas with less motorway driving.
As part of the “Planet Me” environmental programme, the new initiative is expected toincrease awareness amongst the tens of thousands of TNT drivers and sub-contractors to engage andencourage them to drive both safely and more fuel-efficiently. This way, a single TNT PUD driverreduce CO2 emissions by as much as 25%, also resulting in a 25% reduction of fuel consumption andcosts, recent TNT research showed.
On November 12, the winners of eleven local Drive Me Challenges that took place betweenSeptember and November this year will compete in the final at the Vairano race track near Milan forthe title of TNT’s ‘Best Pick up and Delivery driver of the year 2008’. The participants are fromBenelux, France, Italy, UK, Germany, Turkey, Brazil, Portugal and the Express Road Network, MailNetherlands and Parcel Service Netherlands units.
In this competition, drivers will have to combine speed, safety and fuel efficiency whilstpicking up and delivering packages on time around the circuit. The winner will be the team with thelowest total score. The total score is built out of fuel usage, the total amount of time plus thepossible penalty points for speeding and bad driving habits. Besides racing, participants can alsotest out the latest developments such as electric vehicles, hybrids or vans running on compressednatural gas.
The aim of the competition is to increase the number of entities represented in future DriveMe Challenges and to reach and involve as many TNT employees as possible.
“The Drive Me Challenge explicitly shows drivers and their managers what can be achieved infuel efficiency and road safety by merely adopting some quite simple driving techniques,” said TNTCEO Peter Bakker. “For example, anyone can make a difference by understanding the importance andimpact of maintaining the right tyre pressure, when to use and not to use air conditioning and soon. It’s not just a positive environmental step you can take, but you’ll be saving money too. Ouraim and hope is that we’ll enthuse our people to alter their driving behaviour not just at work,but at home as well.”
Operational vehicles including subcontractors are responsible for more than half of TNT’stotal CO2 emissions. With the Drive Me Challenge, the company expects to improve the overall fuelefficiency of its vehicle fleet by about 5%. For the participating entities, this would equalpotential CO2 savings of about 15 tonnes and savings in fuel costs of more than €1 million peryear.
