As a result, the company subsequently rewarded over 2,000 drivers in December with a bonus payment averaging around £600 per driver. Furthermore, 69 drivers across Maritime’s depot network who achieved optimal telematics grades for safe and efficient driving and remained incident-free throughout the year received an additional £1,000 uplift.
Maritime’s safety bonus initiative, now in its eighth consecutive year, was introduced as a means of encouraging its driver workforce to maintain higher levels of safety and compliance on UK roads. Based on vehicle telematics scores, drivers are graded between A - G on their driving performance via a range of key performance indicators, such as fuel efficiency, braking, and acceleration. In 2020, 99.4% of drivers finished 2020 with A-C grades.
John Williams, Maritime’s group executive chairman, said: “With a fleet that covers over 130,000,000 miles per annum and 19,500+ weekly moves, the safety of our drivers and other road users is absolutely paramount at Maritime and a key consideration in everything we do.”
Training and development is a key focus area at Maritime. Its driver training programme incorporates the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (D-CPC). On-road and classroom-based courses are developed in-house utilising knowledge and skills from specialists in various areas across the business. They are led by a number of full-time, fully-qualified driver trainers stationed across each of the company’s depots to provide additional support.