VR drives green benefits at Travis Perkins
By Retail Technology | Friday April 26 2019
Builders merchant chain Travis Perkins has used virtual reality (VR) technology to train over 1,000 drivers who work across the Groups CCF, BSS and Keyline businesses
The UK’s largest supplier of building materials is using the VR method for its environmental benefits and to help improve learning as part of the Group’s Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) compliance training.
Using virtual reality has enabled Travis Perkins to facilitate learning in a quicker and more accessible way, and the method enabled the company to use its own Driver of the Year, Richard Ellson, in the simulations, taking drivers through his journey and showing them his view of the road from behind the wheel.
Significant benefits
Travis Perkins delivered the training through group workshops, where each driver who took part was provided with a set of virtual reality goggles and workbooks that were signed off after each exercise by the facilitator.
The three businesses which took part have already seen significant benefits; saving more than 466,000 litres in fuel in 2018 as a result of improved Miles Per Gallon.
Head of fleet for Travis Perkins, Karl Wilshaw, said: “It’s been great to be part of this milestone training, and inspiring to see the ability that virtual reality has to reach our drivers and bring scenarios to life. This type of training has completely transformed the way we can show how drivers should conduct walk-around checks, drive more fuel efficiently, manoeuvre vehicles and handle road risk challenges.”
