Lightfoot CEO Paul Hollick on how fleets can get their drivers to become safer and more eco-friendly.

How does Lightfoot help van fleets?

Lightfoot focuses on safety and sustainability through an in-cab coaching device that provides real-time feedback to drivers, helping them adopt safer and more efficient driving habits.

Paul Hollick, Lightfoot CEO

Developed with IAAPS at the University of Bath, Lightfoot originated from an Innovate UK decarbonisation programme for the 2012 Olympics, where engineers created one of the first plug-in hybrid vans. However, analysis showed emissions savings depended on driver behaviour, leading to the development of Lightfoot’s driver-focused solution.

Unlike traditional telematics, Lightfoot provides real-time coaching without requiring tracking. Drivers can win prizes and rewards through the Lightfoot app, track performance and compete in league tables, encouraging self-improvement without managerial intervention. Fleets gain access to retrospective data on speeding, vehicle locations and driver behaviour. If a fleet vehicle is involved in an incident, real-time data can be provided immediately.

Lightfoot functions as both an advanced telematics system and a standalone safety and decarbonisation tool, using machine learning to optimise driver performance.

What benefits does Lightfoot offer?

Lightfoot helps fleets improve road safety, lower accident rates, cut emissions, reduce dangerous behaviours such as speeding and harsh braking, and increase fuel efficiency. Most customers start with a proof-of-concept trial, measuring fleet performance before and after using Lightfoot to demonstrate improvements in MPG, safety and ROI. We encourage all fleets to run a free trial to see the impact firsthand.

Our reward platform keeps drivers engaged. The weekly Drivers’ Lottery offers an average payout of £10 for Elite Drivers (those scoring 85%+), making high performance achievable under real-world driving conditions. Additional giveaways include spa breaks, food hampers, high street vouchers and major competitions such as the Elite Driver Championship (£4,000 prize) and Fleet Driver of the Year (£10,000 prize in 2024).

For electric fleets, Lightfoot enhances vehicle range through smoother driving. One client achieved a 17.2% range increase, reducing the need for midday charging. This improvement helps minimise vehicle downtime, a key concern for EV fleets.

Our fleet management portal provides extensive reports, including insights on battery health, charge status and suitability for transitioning from ICE to EVs.

The EValuation tool helps fleets identify which vehicles could switch to electric, and real-time alerts notify managers of potential battery issues, ensuring optimal performance and efficiency.

What sort of cost savings can Lightfoot help to deliver to a conventionally powered fleet?

Our average fuel saving is 10.8%. We’ve seen as much as 20%, but this all depends on the drivers. Either way, there’s always a fuel saving, and ultimately this pays for the Lightfoot solution. Whatever you save in fuel you save in carbon too, so we’re able to help fleets decarbonise their existing ICE vehicles while they’re waiting to make the switch to electric.

How do fleets react to advice regarding electrifying their fleet?

Although the data might show that a particular driver could go into an electric van, the fleet would need to work out whether they could install a home charge point and whether the driver would be willing. You could have the best plan in the world to electrify your fleet, but if the drivers aren’t prepared to charge the vehicles up, you’ve got a problem. We give fleets the data for them to push out and try to win hearts and minds within their driver base. It’s not about the fact that you can’t or won’t decarbonise, it’s more about the complexities of operational downtime during the working day to charge the vehicles up, depending on where they are and what they do.

Ultimately, I’d say give it a try – the EValuation report is free and you might be surprised by the results.