COMPANY PROFILE
The Battling Suicide Bus at RWM 19
You don’t have to know how to play ‒ it only takes minutes to pick it up, says Tom ‒ but what’s most important is that chat that it stimulates.
And it doesn’t have to be a particularly deep discussion; often just that short connection or moment of kindness from another person could be all it needs for someone to take that vital step to seek further help.
“I spend a lot of time meeting drivers,” says Tom. “I get a lot of feedback about how bad the roads are and the pressure from management.
“There’s also the constant pressure to deliver on time. The roads are busier, there is a long time spent alone driving away from home and family.
“Then there are the little things like turning up to deliver something. For instance, they may have been driving for hours and want to use the loo but are told they can’t. Then they end up in a public toilet that’s been trashed or shut down.
“All these things add up.
“This is a group that needs support,” he continues. “It’s a macho sector and it’s a group of people that have been brought up not to talk about things.
“You often hear people saying their mate killed himself, but he was the happiest person they’d ever met.
“We have to actually stop and ask people how they are, how they’re doing, and invite them to have a chat.”
How’s My Driving launched its road safety sticker system in 1995 which, as well as
raising driving standards, also gathers invaluable feedback for fleet managers on driver
behaviour and training needs while helping to push down insurance costs.
Profits are
ploughed back into road safety initiatives such as walking buses for schoolchildren, virtual reality goggles which teach young people road safety and cycle safety stickers.
As well as sparking conversations around wellbeing and mental health, the Battling Suicide Bus sends a strong signal from employers that their workforces’ health and wellbeing is important.
Which is why, after 18 months on the road, Tom says it’s time for businesses to be more proactive. The bus is being made available for them to take over, to hire and use to create their own conversations.
There’s no need to be a mental health expert, he adds. There is information on the bus to help direct people in need of support, while the rest is usually just common sense.
The most important thing, he adds, is just to get talking. “We can only do so much and this is about industry pulling together,” he adds.
Find out more about the bus and the How’s My Driving projects by contacting Tom Footitt on 01480 479317 or go to
www.howsmy.co.uk
45
“You never know where a conversation might lead or how much it might mean to the other person.”
Business manager Mary Stealey and Tom Foottit of How's My Driving?
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