Efficient Vans: A Best Practice Guide to Cost - Transport Cafe

Efficient Vans: A Best Practice Guide to Cost-effective Van Use
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The preparation required and
target completion dates should
be ambitious, but attainable. Early
successes will be highly motivating,
whereas early disappointments will
demoralise. Think of the implications
of any changes you want to
introduce.
Brainstorming with colleagues
is an effective technique for
identifying financial and operational
benefits, and any barriers to
success. Initially, test any ideas
for change using actual drivers/
users to aid early identification of
any potential problems or barriers
to implementation. This also
ensures buy-in at the user end of
the operation. Any action plan will
only work if it is given time and
resources. This involves planning
changes carefully and discussing
them with all relevant parts of the
business.
Examples of Targets
The targets chosen should allow
your business to monitor progress
against the indicators you have
chosen. Examples of targets that
could be included are:
• An improvement in fuel efficiency
by 10% in two years
• Decrease vehicle breakdowns by
5% per year
• Improve environmental
performance by reducing CO2 emissions by 20% over five years
SMART Targets
Specific: This means that the indicator
must be narrow enough to accurately
portray what you are trying to measure.
Measurable: The objective should be
able to be recorded without massive
resources being devoted to research
and evaluation.
Achievable: There is little point in
setting a target that is so far out of reach
and is unlikely to ever be met. Therefore,
when deciding on the value of your
target, an important consideration will
be to decide what the realistic level of
achievement can be.
Relevant: The objectives should also
add useful value within the context of
where they are being set, and be aligned
with methods and higher goals.
Time bound: Provide timescales by
which the targets should be met. Having
a timescale gives an idea of priority
of different areas and should help to
prevent the process from carrying on
over too long a period.