Kiwi online driver training company SharpDrive is making inroads into the Australian market, with the sign-up of Programmed, its biggest Trans-Tasman client yet.

SharpDrive is an online fleet driver training programme, with content developed by driver training guru and former rally driver Graham Sharp, whose career highlights include a 24-hour distance driving world record, winning the 2006 EECA Energywise Rally Driver Award, and the World Cup 3 Rally to the Sahara Desert in Morocco. He has clocked up 25 years of driver training experience.

Co-founder Ryan Balemi says getting Programmed on board earlier this year is a significant milestone for SharpDrive, which already boasts a string of New Zealand success stories in its quest to improve fleet driver safety and reduce company fleet costs.

“Programmed is a major Australian facilities management company, with 10,000 employees and more than 1200 vehicles on the road. To get their business is a coup for us,” Ryan says.

This latest success comes in addition to two Australian freight companies – Grace Records Management and The Infrastructure Management Group – which also signed on with SharpDrive in the same month as Programmed.

Programmed Group general manager of health and safety and environment Malcolm Deery says his company is pursuing a Zero Harm health and safety goal, and SharpDrive has a role to play in achieving that.

“While we have not had any major driver incidents, recent minor incidents and infringements tell us that we cannot ignore the possibility of a serious event in the near future,” he says. “Allowing such an incident to occur without taking preventative action, such as improving driver skill, would not be consistent with our goal of Zero Harm to all Programmed people.”

“We chose SharpDrive after much consideration and research into other products, and we believe the information-sharing style of SharpDrive will suit our drivers.”

If the experience of Kiwi businesses is anything to go by, Programmed and other Australian sign-ups can expect to reap significant benefits, not only in improved driver safety, but also in terms of their bottom line.

Ryan says survey information from its New Zealand clients reveals 92 percent of SharpDrive graduates believe they are better drivers as a result of completing the SharpDrive course.

“That’s even more significant when you consider that research has also shown work vehicles cover twice as many km as private vehicles, but have 50 percent more accidents, even when the extra km are taken into account.”

He says many businesses are unaware of the indirect costs of vehicle accidents.

Most businesses are aware of the direct costs of a road crash in terms of the physical damage to the vehicle which is subject to an insurance claim.

Indirect costs not covered by insurance can include sick pay, lost productivity and retraining costs for any injured worker, overtime working and temporary labour whilst an injured worker is recuperating, production delays, investigation and other administration time, reduced residual values on repaired vehicles as well as legal costs and fines.

He says businesses who invest in driver training will save in costs in all of those areas as well as through fuel economy and reduced insurance premiums.

“Insurance for larger fleets is based on claims experience and the company history with the insurer. If you can reduce your incident rate and give a reason for the reduction, your premiums will also reduce.”

Ryan says SharpDrive plans to continue its push into the Australian market and believes that having Programmed on board will give that even greater impetus.

About SharpDrive

SharpDrive was founded by New Zealand businessmen Ryan Balemi, Dick Brunton and Keith Redit. It’s a uniquely designed innovation in online driver training — with course content developed by leading driving trainer, Graham Sharp.

It’s also an idea catalyst for organisations wishing to lower their fleet running costs, gain effective health and safety compliance, and reduce their fleet crash rate.

Graham Sharp developed the content for the SharpDrive online training programme, and has spent 25 years developing and delivering successful drive courses to businesses, government agencies and organisations for company vehicle and courier drivers.

He has trained VIP drivers, police and fire service drivers, car dealerships, car clubs and private drivers. A focus on accident avoidance, good visual and scanning skills and smooth economical driving has helped his clients to establish a safe driver culture and save money in their organisations.