No modern professional butchery business wants to see dirty, smelly collection trucks arrive for waste collections – and when customers book collection services from JG Pears, they know they don’t have to worry.  We understand that a safe, clean and green butcher’s waste collection service is a key ingredient in making sure the business maintains a reputation for good hygiene and is seen as a good neighbour. So we make it a priority to keep our fleet the cleanest, greenest and safest in the industry.

We’re members of the Ecostars fleet recognition scheme, which promotes efficient and cleaner transport operations. The year after we joined, we gained the highest possible 5 star rating. This puts us at the same level as the UK’s biggest hauliers. We’re audited regularly to make sure we continue to meet the 5 star criteria.

With air pollution in towns a growing concern, we’re proud to be able to say that almost all our vehicles already meet current low emission zone standards. Our vehicle replacement programme means we’ll stay ahead of the game as standards get tighter.

On top of this, our weekly efficient driving score card system keeps drivers motivated to drive as efficiently as they can and so reduce fuel use.  The data for the score card comes from driver performance tracking devices fitted in every vehicle.

Our driver assessment is second to none. Everyone applying to become a driver with us undergoes a week-long assessment period. During this time, our Driver Compliance Manager sits with them as they drive. Only those who meet our strict criteria are taken on.

Once drivers are part of the team, our driver tracking devices show us how safely they drive. We can spot areas for improvement and give further training as necessary.

It’s also important for us to make sure that drivers refresh their skills and knowledge regularly and are up-to-date with new developments. All HGV drivers must do 35 hours of training every 5 years to keep their Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC). Rather than simply allowing drivers to do standard courses, we deliver our own modules to keep drivers updated on best waste collection practice.

To keep people safe on busy streets, it’s vital that our drivers can see pedestrians and cyclists and that other road users can see our trucks clearly.

We fit our trucks with cameras so that drivers have a clear view of what is happening all around the vehicle. Our bin-lifters, for example, have 8 cameras. These including rear and forward facing cameras and cameras on the right and left hand sides. The views through the cameras are transmitted live to our head office. They are also recorded so we can investigate any incidents.

External visibility details for other road users include extra flashing lights, chevrons and warning signs.

Our vehicles are designed to our own specifications. Each one is tailor-made for the job. We’re constantly innovating. One example is the introduction of low-incline hook loaders for liquid waste. These are typically used for abattoir collections and similar. The loaders lift the liquid container unit at a low angle and keep it steady during loading, reducing the risk of spills. We were the first waste collector in the UK to have a low-incline hook loader; now we have 3.