AECOM, the global, fully integrated infrastructure services firm, has been appointed by Transport for London (TfL) to a concession contract to operate, manage and grow the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS).
The contract has an initial term of five years with the option to extend by a further two years. As concessionaire, AECOM will extend FORS outside London, rolling out the scheme on a national basis to meet demand from companies outside the capital, as well as from operators keen to gain accreditation for their national fleet.
FORS is an accreditation scheme that delivers safety, environmental and efficiency benefits for fleet operators by encouraging the adoption of best practice industry standards. The FORS standards are in line with the Mayor of London’s Transport Strategy, as well as issue-specific plans relating to air quality and road safety. The scheme is currently available to all companies that operate fleets, including vans, lorries, mini-buses and coaches, in the Greater London area and has accredited more than 210,000 vehicles since it was established in 2008.
Richard Robinson, Chief Executive, Civil & Infrastructure, Europe, Middle East and Africa, at AECOM, said: “As a company committed to improving safety in transport, we are delighted to deliver such an important scheme. Through its standards, accreditation and promotion of good practice, FORS has contributed to safer, greener and more-efficient road fleet operations in London, and we look forward to growing the scheme outside the capital. Today’s contract award builds on our ongoing work in construction logistics and cycle safety, cementing AECOM’s strategy in the UK to design, build, finance and operate major schemes for our clients.”
Leon Daniels, Managing Director of Surface Transport at TfL, said: “In 2008 our innovation led the way to increased fleet road safety in the capital with the creation of FORS. This concession is good news for the future of road safety and the wider impacts of freight and fleet operations not just in London, but across the country. FORS’ success will be enhanced and AECOM will help this award-winning scheme expand nationwide to the benefit of all operators and road users.”
AECOM will deliver FORS with support from its partners the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) and specialist fleet services support organisation Fleet Source, collectively named the FORS Community Partnership. AECOM will lead the concession, with CILT undertaking promotion, marketing and governance, and Fleet Source delivering accreditation audits and training.
AECOM and TfL will jointly manage a transition period, with the FORS Community Partnership taking over the day-to-day running of FORS on 16 February 2015, with a requirement to make it a self-funding scheme. AECOM is in the process of establishing a FORS Governance Board of key industry stakeholders, which will include TfL.
FORS awards bronze, silver and gold accreditation to road fleet operators that provide evidence of enhanced safety, environmental and performance standards.
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About AECOM
With nearly 100,000 employees — including architects, engineers, designers, planners, scientists and management and construction services professionals — serving clients in more than 150 countries around the world following the acquisition of URS, AECOM is a premier, fully integrated infrastructure and support services firm. AECOM is ranked as the #1 engineering design firm by revenue in Engineering News-Record magazine’s annual industry rankings. The company is a leader in all of the key markets that it serves, including transportation, facilities, environmental, energy, oil and gas, water, high-rise buildings and government. AECOM provides a blend of global reach, local knowledge, innovation and technical excellence in delivering solutions that create, enhance and sustain the world’s built…