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Bus
Driver Quality Monitoring
The new government
Road Safety Strategy has expanded the role of the Driving Standards Agency (DSA)
to include assessing the standards of driving of professional drivers and assisting
their employers to achieve high safety standards.
The Driver Quality Monitoring service (DQM) provides an objective and informed
perspective of a bus and coach driver’s ability. The objectives of DQM are to:
• improve and increase the general awareness of road safety
• reduce passenger, pedestrian and road accidents
• contribute to an overall reduction in insurance claims and premiums
• address public concerns about driving standards identified through correspondence,
accident and other surveys
• stimulate driver awareness of driving and road safety issues and the effect
these have on customer service
• identify and specify the driver training needs of organisations and individuals
Assessments
Assessments focus on specific aspects of passenger consideration, customer service,
driving ability and a range of other criteria. Most assessments are carried out
during normal daytime working hours and at other times by agreement.
Features such as vehicle type, suitability to route and the nature of the roads
are taken into account. Finally an overall assessment of each journey is made
providing detailed comments and recommendations.
Assessors
Qualified and experienced DSA examiners conduct all assessments. Travelling anonymously,
these assessors make an objective assessment according to a set of real world
criteria. Between 10 and 12 assessments are conducted each day and the data is
fed back to a central database. Quality and standards are maintained by regular
checks and continuous training of all assessors.
The contract
A contract with a fixed number of assessments is agreed at the outset. As a guide
it is realistic to assume that one assessment per driver employed is carried out
in the first year. However the number and type of assessments will depend entirely
upon the objectives of the client. The data is maintained by DSA in a central
DQM database and complete confidentiality is assured throughout. An appropriate
report is delivered at the regular reviews.
Benefits include:
• better company image
• reduction in insurance costs
• improved customer service
The service positively enhances the quality and self esteem of drivers when used
as part of an appropriate motivation scheme.
Typical comments received
’...having the assessments carried out by an independent assessor, who is highly
qualified to undertake that task allows us to have a balanced view of the standard
of our drivers...’
Stagecoach Devon
’...we consider DQM to be an integral part of our quality control management and
positive steps towards improving the service we provide to our customers.’
MTL London
’...provides tangible evidence of the high level of service we provide to our
customers...’
Plymouth City Bus
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