Miscellaneous
What do I do if I lose my TACS ID card?
Your TACS card is an important piece of identification. Please keep it safe and ensure you wear it at every demonstration. Should you lose it, please notify the TACS team (talking.tacs@dhl.com) immediately and to arrange for a replacement to be issued.
Why do I have to give you three weeks’ notice for ordering merchandise?
We ask for three weeks’ notice to enable us to control stock levels and ensure that we do not let any demonstrators down due to a last minute surge in demand.
Why isn’t there a wider choice of merchandise?
If you have a good and cost effective idea for a giveaway, please let us know. We try to balance the gift and the vital safety messages. In the end, TACS is about not getting run over, rather than having a lovely pencil. Should your site wish to supplement the gifts, it is at the manager’s discretion.
Remember a wide range of resources are available free of charge from the Department of Transport. Please call the DOT on 0300 123 1102 or click on the link below for details.
One of my colleagues wants to become a TACS demonstrator, what should they do?
Ask them to get in touch with the TACS team, who will be able to talk them through the programme, outline their commitment and what the training entails. They will also be able to check how many TACS demonstrators are already operating in the area. (talking.tacs@dhl.com or call 0844 875 3031 Option 5)
My manager won’t let me have time off to do my TACS demonstrations, what can I do?
The best thing to do is to sit down with your manager and identify the times of the week/month/year which are the quietest for the operation and agree these up front so that you can schedule your TACS activity during these periods. Also check which times should be avoided.
Your manager agreed to release you for a minimum of three days per year to carry out demonstrations and a further three days to perform support duties, when s/he signed your application form. If this is proving too much, find out if there is someone who might support you on the administration side of things. This would mean you would not need to be released for as much time and it would involve the site further in the programme, bringing wider benefits with it.
Make sure your line management understand the aims of the scheme – why not invite them to a demonstration? We have found that once managers fully understand TACS and are involved, they can see the benefits and become very supportive.
My TACS partner has just left the company – help!
Have a look at the current demonstrators list, which you can find on the Demonstrations page. You may be able to identify someone in the area to partner up with, even if they are from a different site. If not, speak to your line manager, they may be able to partner you up with demonstrators on site who are on a different shift. Talk to colleagues who may be willing to train, though this may take a while, due to waiting lists.
My site won’t release a vehicle for a demonstration, what can I do?
Our priority is to ensure that a demonstration is not cancelled at short notice. This damages DHL’s reputation and disappoints a large number of children. Should business reasons dictate that a vehicle is not available at your site; ask your manager to contact nearby sites/transport managers to request support. In exceptional circumstances it has been possible to arrange replacement vehicles through the Central Rental Desk. Please call Joanne Schmidt on 0844 875 3031 as soon as you can. (If Joanne is not available ask to speak to the CRD team and mention that the request is for a TACS Demonstration)
Why can’t we have merchandise for fun days?
As a rule we do not supply merchandise for fun days, as TACS is a structured programme to help keep children safe around larger vehicles and to gain the most benefit, they need to go through the full demonstration. If the way you are organising demonstrations on the open/fun day meet the TACS guidelines, then of course you can order merchandise in the normal way.
We hope you have found the answer you were looking for, but if you have any further questions please do not hesitate to get in touch with the TACS team (talking.tacs@dhl.com or call 0844 875 3031 option 5), who will be delighted to help you.
“Wonderful programme. It was a very useful and practical lesson on the dangers of trucks.”
Paul Jordan, Teaching Assistant at Moordown St Johns Primary School