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Rail Professional Magazine (November 2024) Article: Freightliner Enhances Safety Culture with NTS change programme

Posted on 7th November 2024

We’re really pleased to share news of an exciting piece of work with Freightliner that has been featured in our latest Rail Professional Magazine article. The OPC’s Laura Hedley worked alongside Freightliner to introduce a sector-leading, Non-Technical Skills (NTS) programme, which is making a real impact on their safety culture, and operational team performance.

The article explains how psychologists helped Freightliner create a bespoke NTS training initiative, which will span their entire frontline operational team, including drivers, ground staff and maintenance and engineering teams. The program has been designed to strengthen key NTS, like risk awareness and communication supporting safer, more effective operations. Tailored for Freightliner’s unique operational needs and team culture, it has already been implemented with over two-thirds of its drivers and operational teams.

The article goes on to highlight how this NTS initiative is more than just a training programme but is a change-programme from the top down, and across the entire operations teams. It’s leading the way in both the freight sector and other rail operators.

The Programme

The programme, developed by Laura Hedley and Freightliner’s Training Manager, was designed to meet the demands of freight’s operational needs like the long-distances and varied routes drivers must deliver along with its unique complexities such as restricted signals, shared passenger line challenges and differing train lengths.

It’s a focused and reflective programme on Freightliner’s top-six key NTS, as identified by key Freightliner job experts and pertinent to the needs of those who support the driving teams and other operational frontline roles. Freightliner’s commitment to safety and continuous improvement is clear, with plans to train nearly 1,200 employees in their key NTS over the next year.

"We’re going ‘all out’ for NTS... It’s about empowering our teams to set new benchmarks—becoming safer and more effective, and truly leading the way as top-performing freight operators."

Chris Fowler, Freightliner’s Professional Head of Competence and Assurance

Due to the scale and focus of the initiative, alongside the professional training delivery, NTS is fast becoming embedded in daily conversations among employees and it’s driving a positive shift in their safety culture.

"There's a remarkable attitude emerging among our drivers—NTS is now a hot topic of conversation in the mess room and across the wider operations community."

Samantha Boucher, Freightliner’s new NTS Training Manager

What next?

The piece also shares the next phase for Freightliner on their NTS journey. An extended rollout, embedding it into daily operations across all teams while continuing to monitor the programmes’ effectiveness. Freightliner aims to integrate NTS into both new and experienced driver training, as well as technical assessments. By encouraging proactive reporting, they plan to share best practices and support continuous improvement across their operational teams.

"We also want to explore ways to capture positive KPIs, particularly where incidents or accidents have been avoided thanks to NTS."

Chris Fowler, Freightliner’s Professional Head of Competence and Assurance

You can read the full article here to discover more about this innovative programme and its transformative impact across Freightliner’s operations.

If you think Non-Technical Skills could help transform your operations and safety culture, contact the friendly OPC team today.

The OPC, One Wellstones, Watford, WD17 2AE
Tel 01923 234 646
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