VPSI works tirelessly to promote safety and create a safe environment for vanpool drivers, passengers and the many other commuters with whom we share the road. An integral part of VPSI’s risk management program includes ongoing safety promotion efforts. Andy Bawden, a defensive driving instructor of the National Council and VPSI’s Loss Prevention Manager, regularly conducts driver safety awareness meetings in classroom settings at employer locations across the country in support of our safety awareness efforts. He encourages interaction with all attendees and challenges them to keep the safe operation of their vehicles in the forefront of their minds. These safety training meetings are held throughout the US to demonstrate how safe a vanpool vehicle can be when operated by an experienced, alert vanpool driver.
On May 4th, Bawden held one of these training sessions with commuters working at The Aerospace Corporation in El Segundo, California. The Aerospace safety training event was one of eight such meetings conducted by VPSI in Southern California in May.
Aerospace’s Jean Ghianuly, Support Services Manager, and Jeffrey Remington, Corporate Fleet Coordinator, graciously hosted the meeting and invited the 52 vanpool drivers from The Aerospace Corporation, as well as 23 drivers from the nearby Los Angeles Air Force Base (LAAFB). Tamera Flowers, LAAFB’s Employee Transportation Coordinator (ETC), joined the meeting to see what her vanpool drivers were exposed to throughout the session. Steve Pederson, VPSI’s Vice President of Fleet and Risk Management, was also in attendance and was thrilled to have direct interaction with the drivers.
The crowd chuckled as Bawden stated, “I will not teach anyone to drive today. You know how to drive and you have all been approved as vanpool drivers. This is a driver safety awareness class.” Andy offered information about VPSI vanpools and our vehicle modification process, a reminder of the weight of the vehicle, maneuvering and applying the brakes appropriately, tire pressure, road conditions, appropriate following distance, proper utilization of the side view mirrors and many other safety tips. He stressed the driver’s responsibility to remain alert while driving the van each day and reiterated that it is mandatory for everyone to wear his/her seat belt.
On May 5th, Bawden held two driver safety awareness meetings at Quest Diagnostics in Valencia, California. Accompanying him was VPSI’s North L.A. Project Manager, Jackie Carter, and Account Coordinator, Irma Monarrez. The meetings were hosted by Sandy Paullin, the ETC at Quest. Quest has 20 vans and 50 approved drivers. They have been vanpooling with VPSI for three years.
On May 25th and 26th, Bawden held four vanpool safety awareness meetings with TACOM, US Army Garrison, Detroit Arsenal in Warren, Michigan. The sessions were scheduled in the mornings and afternoons to allow new drivers a better opportunity to attend. TACOM has been participating in VPSI’s Michivan Vanpool Program for five years and has quickly grown to 99 vans and 550 vanpoolers. They anticipate further growth and are expanding the installation and building a parking garage to accommodate their growth.
The training was arranged by VPSI’s Alexis Vertalka, Account Coordinator, and Kevin Matthias, TACOM’s Logistics Management Specialist. This is the second year VPSI has held these sessions in Warren, coordinated at the request of William “Bill” Paling, the Director of Logistics at the Arsenal. Attending the afternoon session from VPSI’s Home Office was Insurance Manager, Mark Kreindler.
Over the past several months, Bawden has traveled to several other military installations to conduct driver safety awareness meetings. He has traveled from northern New Jersey (Picatinny Arsenal) to the desert of California (Marine Corps Logistics Base in Yermo, CA). He will also host three sessions at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico on June 30.
Bawden has been to a number of other military locations, many other Federal facilities, VA Medical Centers and companies that all participate in vanpooling. If you would like to arrange a vanpool safety meeting call 1-800-VAN-RIDE and speak with your local VPSI Account Manager.
Tags: Aerospace, Andy Bawden, California, Corporate Fleet Coordinator, El Segundo, Employee Transportation Coordinator, Jean Ghianuly, Jeffrey Remington, LAAFB, Loss Prevention Manager, National Council, Steve Pederson, Support Services Manager, The Aerospace Corporation
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