Transport for London (TfL) has appointed AECOM to operate, manage and grow its fleet operator recognition scheme (FORS).
The concession contract has an initial term of five years, with the option to extend it by a further two. AECOM will roll out the scheme on a national basis to meet demand from companies and operators seeking accreditation for their national fleet.
Richard Robinson, CEO, civil & infrastructure, Europe, Middle East and Africa, at AECOM, said: “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.”
FORS is an accreditation scheme delivering 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.
Leon Daniels, managing director of surface transport at TfL, said: “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 fleet services support organisation Fleet Source, collectively named the FORS Community Partnership.
A transition period will be jointly managed by AECOM and TfL, with the partnership set to takeover day-to-day running in February. Under the terms of the agreement, the scheme is required to become self-funding. AECOM is in the process of establishing a FORS Governance Board of key industry stakeholders, which will include TfL.
