At Fagan & Whalley, our people are at the heart of everything we do… But what is that, exactly? You may be familiar with the Fagan & Whalley name, having seen our trucks on the roads of the UK, but how much do you know about the people behind our operations?
In this series of articles, we speak with staff members across all departments to shed some light on what’s involved with their role and the part they play regarding the grander scheme of things here at Fagan & Whalley.
For this edition of team focus, we are speaking to Martin Neal, a vehicle trainer in our Training and Development department.
“The work of our training department is always varied,” explains F&W training manager Gareth Jones. “With a large team of professional drivers split across a multitude of operational sites – our training team are responsible for training, monitoring and assessing our professional driver’s compliance, training, and assessment needs on a day-to-day basis, which can, and often will, change under current legislation.
“Safety is paramount and places our colleagues and the general public at the centre of our work. From initial training on our innovative Future-bound training scheme to CPC refresher courses and warehouse operations, these values are continually developed and remain a cornerstone of our operations.
“Our team consists of five RTITB-certified trainers working across the Fagan & Whalley network, with the latest team member based at our Newport depot in South Wales. Each trainer has an extensive and diverse skill set to deliver industry-leading training and compliance advice to our diverse workforce and to help them remain safe in the workplace.
“Due to the nature of our fleet, no two days are the same for our professional drivers and warehouse operatives, and as a result, the team is multi-skilled and qualified to train on a range of vehicles required for the job, including Rigid, Artic, VNAs (Very narrow aisle trucks) for picking, PPTs (powered pallet trucks) for loading, and FLTs (forklift trucks) for loading in dock-levelled bays.
“As a department, we’re required to maintain regular communication with various departments across the company, including our compliance team at Albion House, who will keep us informed of any changes to legislation, our operations team at Frontier Park, who keep everything organised for our artic vehicles and Palletforce deliveries, and our transport team, who manage our biggest resource – vehicles and trailers – and play a vital role in helping us to get things moving from our warehouse and out on the road.”
Q&A with Vehicle Trainer, Martin Neal!
How long have you been working at Fagan & Whalley?
I started working here in November 2021 and moved to the training department in July 2022!
How did you get started as a driver trainer?
I’ve been in driver training for almost 30 years, starting as a car driving instructor in 1994, then moving onto a role within the police as a driving instructor at Lancashire Constabulary, conducting teaching in schools.
Can you talk me through a typical day?
Every day is different, but a typical day usually starts with a brew, looking at company telematics and contacting our professional drivers to discuss discrepancies or concerns. After this, I may move on to DCPC driver catch-ups, creating new CPC courses or anything that needs doing to assist our professional drivers in delivering better practices and remaining compliant.
How does technology impact your role?
The use of technology within my role has changed dramatically over the past 29 years. When I first started, it was all about getting on the road. Now, with AI camera systems and telematics giving us insights and data, it’s changed and has moved to become more proactive instead of reactive.
What do you enjoy about your work?
Every day is different, keeping me interested and wanting to continue learning and developing my skills. My colleagues are a fun bunch to work with and are always there to offer support and assistance. My time with the company has been enjoyable, and I look forward to my future here.
Are you interested in joining Fagan & Whalley? View our current vacancies and apply online today!
