Exclusive Trade Seminars at Drive '09
Drive '09 is pleased to offer FREE trade seminars to visitors which are a vital way to learn, discuss and network with like-minded professionals.
Our exclusive seminar hosts will be available throughout the two days to offer advice and answer questions on a wide range of topics. Some of the seminars on offer are listed below.
Do you have an issue you think should be in our seminar list? Email us here to tell us what you would like to see discussed.
Starting up in business | Grants | Employment | Franchising
10am | Saturday and Sunday
Experts from a variety of organisations will be on hand to advise professional drivers on successfully starting a chauffeur/ private hire business.
Industry expert, Trevor Langley who has a BSc from Leicester Polytechnic (now de Montfort University) in industrial and business systems, will be highlighting the benefits of franchising as a way of entering the chauffeur industry.
Now Marketing Director for Pinnacle Chauffeur Transport Limited, which has more than twenty franchises across the UK, stretching from Aberdeen to Bournemouth, providing bespoke chauffeured transport, Trevor will define what franchising means for a chauffeur company, the benefits, the drawbacks and will help you find out if this is the way forward for your company.
He will also be inviting the industry to ask questions on important issues relating to running a successful chauffeur transport business.
Gary Jacobs from KAPLA will also be offering advice on employment issues for new and existing business.
David Aldridge, Business Link Advisor will also be talking on help and support available to new businesses.
Speakers: Gary Jacobs | Trevor Langley | David Aldridge
Duration: 30 minutes
Going green / carbon footprint and saving money
10.40am | Saturday and Sunday
With a constant message being pushed to businesses about saving the planet - hear how you can do this and save money at the same time.
A carbon footprint is a measure of the impact our activities have on the environment, and in particular climate change. It relates to the amount of greenhouse gases produced in our day-to-day lives especially through transportation etc.
Hear from John Buckley, managing director of Carbon Foorprint who has successfully implemented a carbon footprint reduction scheme for a number of chauffeur and taxi firms.
With his team of qualified environmental consultants, he specialises in helping businesses understand and reduce their carbon emissions, whilst at the same time saving costs and preparing them for future low carbon legislation.
His company also provides carbon offset solutions to help businesses become carbon neutral, and was one of the first to receive accreditation for some of their offset products in the governments new Quality Assurance Scheme for Carbon Offsetting.
Thousands of companies around the world have benefited from using their services. For more information visit www.carbonfootprint.com.
Speaker: John Buckley
Duration: 30 minutes
London Bus Lane campaign for Private Hire Drivers
11.20am | Saturday and Sunday
Private Hire Drivers throughout the country are being urged to make their support for the use of bus lanes count by attending this exclusive forum.
The seminar for the professional driving sector will be discussing why London’s private hire drivers cannot use bus lanes and a video production for the bus lane campaign will be shown for the first time.
A ‘Bus Lane’ committee has been formed and met in April to discuss and agree the strategy to address the discrimination in some Private Hire Licensed areas with regard to ‘Bus Lane Access’ for Private Hire Vehicles.
More recently an initiative was launched inviting operators and drivers to donate a minimum of £1 towards the campaign. The forum will give visitors an update of the campaign and give them a chance to express their views and opinions to officials.
Speaker: Members of the Private Hire Board
Duration: 60 minutes
VOSA | PSV Impounding - don't let it be you!
12.30 | Saturday and Sunday
Officials from VOSA will be hosting a seminar on the role of the agency and the current situation regarding the compliance of the limousine industry.
It will also be talking to PSV owners, to make sure the law is clear on operating limousines.
The seminar will cover the overall limousine process from designing, importing and purchasing a vehicle through to registration, operation and maintenance requirements. The aim of the seminar is to improve compliance within the industry and ensure the vehicles are run in a safe and legal manner.
The seminar will also cover some of the future changes that are expected to impact on the industry such as the introduction the EC whole vehicle type approval scheme.
VOSA is also running a stand at the show, so if you would like any help and guidance on safely and legally operating a limousine you can find them in the exhibition hall over both days.
Speakers: Officials from VOSA
Duration: 60 minutes
How Can Qualifications make a difference? Learning and funding available to the industry
13.40 | Saturday only
You may not think it, but there is financial help available from the government to existing businesses.
This seminar discusses the opportunities available to companies like yours and find out how obtaining qualifications could benefit your company in the future.
Other issues such as professionalising your workforce and improving customer service are also tackled.
Duration: 15 minutes
Speaker: Vicki Ball, Director of Workforce Development, GoSkills
Reaping rewards for being the best
14:05 | Saturday and Sunday
We have teamed up with industry experts to give you the no nonsense guide to generating bigger and better tips.
Visitors will have the chance to see demonstrations and hear from our professionals to discover the best tips to get tips in this exclusive seminar.
The 'STRIVE' issues; Standards, Tolerant, Respect, Integrity, Versatility and Enthusiasm will be highlighted to educate the professional driving scene on how to make sure they are providing the best service to their clients - securing future business.
Get to the show early to make sure you see our full seminar programme and take advantage of the free day of education and networking.
Speaker: Peter Webber
Duration: 30 minutes
Distraction – how much of a risk?
14.45 | Saturday and Sunday
The seminar will explore the risks arising from engaging in distracting activities such as talking on mobiles phones when driving.
Research findings will be presented on the extent of the problem on our roads and on the effects of distraction on driving performance.
The effects of distractions will be compared to other forms of driver impairment such a fatigue or alcohol intoxication.
Speaker, Britta Lang is a Senior Risk Consultant in TRL’s Behaviour and Attitudes Group. She specialises in managing work-related transport risk and driver training/assessment, working with private and public sector clients to develop risk management solutions.
Before joining TRL in 2005, Britta worked as a Traffic Psychologist at the Interdisciplinary Centre for Traffic Sciences in Germany on the development of simulator-based training for emergency drivers and on the effects of impairment on driving performance.
Speaker: Britta Lang, Transport Research Laboratory
Duration: 30 minutes
You can get credit during the 'crunch'
16.05 | Saturday and Sunday
In these difficult times, this seminar will give you vital advice on getting finance to increase your fleet. You may have tried the traditional routes, but our experts will point you in the right direction to help obtain finance.
Speaker: Chris Brown from Ethos Finance
Duration: 30 minutes