Tag: dash camera

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How ZenduCAM’s Multi-Camera Solution Will Improve Your Fleet

Posted on | by Alexis | Leave a Comment on How ZenduCAM’s Multi-Camera Solution Will Improve Your Fleet

Today, most fleet managers understand the value of including a camera (or two) on every vehicle. Fleet cameras assist with driver supervision, improve performance, and can lower legal liabilities.

One study found that simply including cameras was enough to lower insurance costs for 58% of respondents. And organizations that actively integrate advanced fleet cameras into operations see even more advantages.

JTI-Macdonald used smart fleet monitoring to lower preventable accidents by 64% and reduce its average cost per claim by 64%. Operators are always looking to increase efficiency and cut costs, so it makes perfect sense that fleet camera use is steadily on the rise.

Integrating a vehicle monitoring system is always a smart choice. If you’re a manager, the question is this – what fleet camera solution is right for your organization?

Are standalone dash cams good enough? Or will your organization benefit from using a more advanced multi-camera system?

Why Every Fleet Manager Needs a Smart Multi-Cam Solution

Fleet management can be tricky, especially when it comes to supervising drivers in the field. You need a way to know what’s going on without riding with every driver.

In the past, managers had to rely on indirect methods like driver self-supervision, trip recorders, or MVR monitoring services. Monitoring services are great for ensuring route adherence, catching driving violations, and spotting license-related red flags. But these technologies don’t actually show how employees are driving.

Not having direct fleet visibility makes it difficult to analyze performance, monitor driver activities, and make safety assessments. It’s also harder to defend the organization in case of accidents, insurance claims, or any legal disputes.

Fleet cameras represent the only practical way for managers to always have an eye on drivers. However, not all camera options deliver the same management advantages.

  • A single dashcam will provide forward-facing visibility but miss side or rear views
  • Not all cameras assess driving speed or driving safety
  • Not all cameras include geographic information
  • Some camera footage archives can’t be effectively searched by managers or supervisors

Rather than generic dash cameras, choose a fleet camera solution developed with management in mind. ZenduCAM is a smart, multi-camera solution built to make your work more efficient and extend your capabilities. It enhances driver visibility, facilitates remote supervision, and assists with training and performance improvement.

1. Get Complete Driver and Fleet Visibility

Unlike other fleet camera options, ZenduCAM’s multi-camera system shows everything that happens inside the cab and around its periphery. Having a complete view of the driving environment is essential for legal record keeping, performance reviews, and improving safety training.

It’s difficult to understand how well a driver is doing or determine what caused an incident without seeing the driver and what’s around them. A single dashcam doesn’t provide this and neither does a dual camera system where one camera points forwards while the other looks in at the driver.

ZenduCAM doesn’t rely on one or two views. You can have up to four cameras set up on any vehicle. Choose from:

  • a driver-facing camera
  • a forward-facing wide-angle camera
  • a forward-facing driver distraction camera
  • a rearview camera
  • a sideview camera

This fleet camera setup provides a complete 360-degree view of the cab’s interior and exterior. You can view the driver’s actions while understanding what road conditions they are responding to. The footage recorded gives complete context on driver behavior, performance, road conditions, and road safety.

2. Monitor Everyone’s Location

Fleet managers need to see what drivers are doing and know their locations at all times. That’s why all our fleet cameras come with location monitoring technology. You can either use our built-in GPS or integrate the system with a 3rd party telematics device, like Geotab.

This is real-time GPS tracking designed for active fleet management. You get complete fleet visibility, along with tracking control and geographic-based record keeping.

You can track the assets you want – when and where you need to – by setting up a few geofencing rules. Then sit back and watch the entire fleet on a single dashboard.

3. Preserve Driving Footage

ZenduCAM is the easiest way to amass a significant driving footage archive for training purposes and internal use or managing insurance claims, compliance verification, and providing legal backup.

Our fleet cameras automatically upload recorded footage to the cloud with complete location and driver information. In addition, any footage around an accident, dangerous driving, or other event is also stored in a separate library.

Want to use physical storage as well? Each device can store anywhere from 3 to 30 days of footage.

The archive is easy to sort through and can be filtered by time, area, driver, or type of incident. ZenduCAM was designed to streamline the claims management process and improve fraud prevention.

4. Screen For Dangerous Driving

Unless you plan to stay glued to the screen, you need a fleet camera system that can supervise drivers for you. ZenduCAM does this with AI, facial recognition, and night vision technology. It watches for unsafe conditions, driver errors, and road incidents.

The AI algorithms identify dangerous driving patterns like sudden accelerations, turns, swerving, or braking. We paired this with facial recognition technology to identify distracted or fatigued drivers.

When abnormal driving is detected, ZenduCAM gives drivers instant feedback, logs the event, and sends management alerts.

5. Customize Driver Training

Organizations are always looking to improve driver performance and safety. You can leverage ZenduCAM’s real-time driving analytics and camera footage archives into a customized internal training program with a few steps.

  1. Find preventable driving errors and incidents
  2. Use the insights to understand what caused them
  3. Check the footage to see how drivers could have prevented errors
  4. Train or retrain drivers as necessary.

This is similar to how JTI-Macdonald dropped its preventable accident rate. The organization used smart telematics to identify problematic drivers and then developed a targeted retraining program.

You can jumpstart any safety training program by checking ZenduCAM for the most common errors or drivers with the worst performance levels.

6. Customize Alert and Recording Triggers

Whenever a driving rule is broken, ZenduCAM sends alerts via email, text message, or the app. These alerts include video footage, location information, and incident descriptions.

You can customize ZenduCAM’s triggers to control what alerts you get and what driving events it should single out.

Most fleet managers use this to get instant notifications on accidents. But you can also use it to follow new drivers more closely or set alerts for repeated safety violations.

7. See and Manage Everything On-The-Go

Fleet management can’t be confined to office environments and desktop computers. Does the fleet you manage run according to your personal schedule? Do drivers stop working whenever you need to go on break? Probably not.

If your fleet is always on the go, you need a way to manage them on the go. With ZenduCAM’s mobile and tablet apps, you can always keep an eye on drivers and vehicles assets – no matter where you are or what device is available.

The apps are robust enough for full mobile fleet management. You can view live fleet camera footage, check on individual drivers, watch recordings, and see all your alerts.

Get The Fleet Camera Solution You Need

At GoFleet, we leverage advanced and emerging technologies to build world-class fleet cameras and monitoring solutions.

ZenduCAM is an innovative fleet camera system with an array of smart technologies. Ready to improve your management capabilities? Contact us today for your free demonstration.

how to choose best fleet camera in 2022

How to Select the Best Dash Cam for Fleet Vehicles – 2022 Guide

Posted on | by Alexis | Leave a Comment on How to Select the Best Dash Cam for Fleet Vehicles – 2022 Guide

From cars to commercial fleets and everything in between, there isn’t a vehicle in production that couldn’t benefit from a dash cam solution. But what is the best dash cam for fleets?

The road can be a dangerous and precarious place; new and emerging dash cam technology makes transportation safer for drivers, passengers and fleet managers.

Dash cam strategies significantly improved this past year, right alongside improved driver safety records. Fleet navigation strategies and capacities likewise increased dramatically, allowing businesses of any size to thrive in this globalized world.

AI technology also took a quantum leap forward this past year.  While we’re not yet at the stage of employing a fleet of fully autonomous vehicles, AI has revolutionized and streamlined the fleet industry, from fleet management software to dash cam technology like Smart Witness.

Imagine having the capture and retrieval capacity to provide diagnostic engine data and maintenance servicing reminders—long before a vehicle breaks down. Or the video capacity and resolution to show conclusive evidence exonerating drivers falsely accused of causing accidents.

What if it were possible to give driver safety alerts in real-time, helping prevent accidents, reduce drowsiness, or warn of tailgating—even at night? Try to picture fleet operations managers receiving video alerts triggered by any range of incidents—immediately, rather than waiting for formal accident reports or written tickets.

Who knew that by 2022 command centres could conduct virtual ride-alongs or in-cab coaching, record training sessions, detect unsafe behaviours and reward safe drivers in real-time?

That’s the beauty of dash cam technology today: All of these leaps in fleet operation strategies are actually here. From AI-equipped dash cams to infrared technology, 2022 is going to make smart fleets wiser, safer, and more automated.

Here are what the smarter fleets are focusing on this year.

2022 Dash Cam Wish List

As the world becomes ever more interconnected, dash cam digital technology strategies are providing more peace of mind than ever before. Emerging trends for the upcoming year give fleets an advantage over every generation that came before.

  • Thermostat sensors in commercial transportation vehicles now provide temperature readings once a minute.
  • Multi-camera solutions for armoured trucks and emergency vehicles mean command centres can now receive live stream of both the driver and contents in the back of the vehicle.
  • Delivery vehicles and ride shares now have facial recognition software to authorize driver use, or log in route details.

Fleet managers, command centres and anyone hurrying on the road are sure to benefit from the following vast technological improvements—coming to a fleet near you.

Improved Driver Safety

When digital dash cam technology first came about, drivers were wary. But given the remarkable evolution of responsive navigation and its impact on road safety, drivers soon began requesting this emerging technology as an added protection for them on the road.

Technology like MobilEye 560 continuously scans the road ahead to analyze driving patterns and speeds, warning drivers of potential collisions or other road hazards.

MobileEye and Samsara AI dash cams also come equipped with infrared LED and low light camera video recording capability, allowing for clear night vision.

The ZenduCam multi-camera solution provides drivers a microphone and a panic button to reach fleet managers in real-time.

Reduced Vehicle Incidents

Avoiding collisions and offering warning alerts in critical situations can make the difference between life and death on the road. GoFleet’s integrated 5-Driver Assistance warns of pedestrian and cyclist collisions, speed limit indications, lane departure warnings, harsh breaking and more.

ADAS, or Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, have become a leading industry trend due to their ability to prevent accidents. For example, MobileEye uses ADAS technology to warn of objects ahead, tailgating, even distracted driving. When it comes to road safety, every bit helps.

Incident-based reporting now allows dash cams to filter the footage surrounding an accident or event, and automatically stream it to the fleet command centre. No longer will fleet managers have to review hours of footage to localize an event. Today, that tedious task is fully automated.

Improved Driver Training

GoFleet’s seamless integration of emerging dash cam technologies allows real-time alerts, so drivers are warned before accidents happen.

Alerts are sent immediately after an event—such as crossing a lane boundary or tailgating—and received within a few tenths of a second.

Automated reports—on individuals or entire fleets—provide detailed driver scorecards and can even measure safety improvements over the life of your drivers.

Driver safety software can even be ‘gamefied,’ allowing for healthy team competition that makes road safety more engaging and fun. For example, Drivewyze rewards hard-earned driver safety scores by offering bypass opportunities at inspection sites and weigh stations.

Seamless Integration

GoFleet’s future-focused vision has stayed miles ahead of emerging technology, allowing for a seamless integration of customizable platforms loaded with the best features available to fleets in the new year.

Better data and vastly improved interconnectivity has allowed GPS tracking solutions such as GeoTabs to be paired with emerging dash cam technology. This gives fleets the following capabilities:

  • Connecting to a vehicles engine to provide ongoing diagnostic codes, engine data, fuel use and more, under any weather condition, anywhere on Earth.
  • Compliance rules, such as the ELD mandate, are merged into the navigation software so driver logs are automatically registered, and driving hours compared against regulation hours.
  • Timecard reports, detailed diver records, real-time streaming dash cam footage, video incident management solutions, even requisition sign-off forms can all be automated by triggering digital signatures or electronic logs, with encryption features for data security.

Streamlined and simplified, automating paperwork (and guesswork) means that the daily administration of fleet operations has become a less onerous task, allowing managers to focus on what matters most.

The Best Dash Cam for Fleets: Strategies

With the many recent advances in smart dash cam technology, the selection process can be daunting. There are dual-facing dash cameras, wireless cameras, rear-view mirror dash cams, even multi-camera devices that employ backup cameras—just in case.

GoFleet can help you integrate your required services with the right dash navigation system platform.

Dash cams in 2022 are powered by an ever-growing number of sources, including wireless, GPS, Bluetooth, lithium batteries and even solar-powered sensors. The sky is now, quite literally, the limit.

Before committing to any dash navigation system, fleets are strongly recommended to seek the advice of telematics experts. Our GoFleet advisors offer free trials and live demonstrations, so your team can effectively evaluate different dash-cam options in live action.

There is no ‘one size fits all’ to fleet monitoring. Like any good diagnosis, the trick lies in being laser focused on individual needs, then adjusting the available technology appropriately to effectively measure and support the impacted operation areas.

With that said, our experts, designers and engineers are excited to recommend the following next-generation top-rated dash cams for fleet vehicles and cars in 2022.

ZenduCAM Z6 Dash Camera

This GPS active dash cam provides real-time video and advanced AI technology, with audio-visual alerts, analytic reporting of unsafe driver behaviour, driver coaching capability, even ‘panic button’ video alerts from drivers in the event of an incident.

Live video footage can record incidents both day and night, and exonerate your drivers from false accusations or accident liability.

Features include:

  • HD Recording Support: 1080p high-definition footage
  • Facial AI: Detects distracted or drowsy driving
  • Real-time Coaching: Contact drivers remotely to provide live training on the road
  • Supports Remote Retrieval & Streaming: For critical recorded events; know your company’s liability within minutes
  • All-in-one Coaching Dashboard: Insights enabled for fleet managers and drivers

Samsara AI Dash Cam

The beauty of this wide-angle, full HP 1080p HDR video camera with infrared LED for night vision is simple: they’ve thought of everything. This intelligent dual dash cam combines internet-connected cameras with cloud-based software and real-time visibility.

It helps your team coach drivers in real-time by using AI detection of unsafe or distracted behaviours, helping prevent accidents, litigation and preventable losses.

Features include:

  • Real-time Visibility: Live video streaming, accident retrieval, and distracted driving detection
  • Optimize Dispatch Routes: Custom dashboards and reports for managers to monitor GPS locations and driving behaviour
  • Stay Connected with Live Updates: Data, security and privacy that is GDPR compliant and are monitored 24/7

ZenduCAM Multi-Camera Solution

This intelligent, next-level dash cam unit has multiple camera inputs for the same device, connecting up to 4 cameras in a single vehicle. This solution also comes equipped with a panic button, GPS receiver, microphone, 3-Axis G-Sensor, all translating into 360-degree visibility and real-time footage of driving events.

This solution is available for Android or iOS platforms, and the cloud.

Features include:

  • 360-Degree Visibility: Connect up to 4 cameras to reduce blind spots and view live HD footage at any time.
  • Set Rules & Alerts: Get real-time footage of driving events triggered by defined rules in the Geotab telematics solution.
  • View Footage Anywhere, Anytime: View events on a smartphone or tablet. Available on Android and iOS platforms.

ZenduCam AD Plus

The ZenduCam AD Plus continuously captures video events using AI and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) functionalities, so you can review incidents in real-time and conduct driver coaching on the go. This solution integrates seamlessly with popular fleet management platforms (such as Trax and Geotab) to provide a holistic overview of your fleet.

Features include:

  • This driver-facing camera has facial AI recognition to authenticate drivers and detect risky driving behaviour.
  • This plug-n-play 3-channel dash camera allows for easy installation, no technician required.
  • The AD Plus supports live video streaming, so you can upload video playback and crucial events in real-time.
  • Receive notifications of all critical road and driver-facing events with harsh driving detection.
  • ADAS means your drivers can prevent accidents before they happen.

Mobileye Integrated Collision Avoidance System

Mobileye was designed with one priority in mind: Protecting the driver. It uses a single forward-facing camera that scans the road ahead, providing the driver with critical safety feedback in real-time.

Features include:

  • Prevent Collisions: Mobileye’s collision avoidance system warns drivers of potential hazards in real time with audio and/or visual warnings.
  • Stay Connected: Receive critical real-time alerts on your smartphone, in addition to the EyeWatch that is included with the system.
  • Night Vision & Weather Resistance: Works in all weather conditions and has night vision capabilities for accident avoidance in any situation.

Used in conjunction with Geotab integration, transmission of alerts and video footage of the road are captured and sent, all under one operating system equipped with IHC analog output.

Mobileye provides five different Driver Assistance warning mechanisms:

  • Pedestrian Collision Warning (PCW)
  • Forward Collision Warning (FCW)
  • Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
  • Headway Monitoring and Warning (HMW)
  • Speed Limit Indication (SLI)

Get Smart

Despite the speed with which technology evolves, GoFleet dash cam solutions keep the pace, making it easier for fleets to optimize.

The coming year is sure to lower insurance premiums and preventable thefts by protecting fleet management agencies and drivers.

Smart dash cam technology frees fleets and drivers from false claims, preventing needless accidents and helping fleets stay in compliance.

Despite current global supply chain issues and derailed logistics, our integrated dash cam solutions will keep you ahead of any curve—even helping measure and lower fuel maintenance costs.

GoFleet’s quick response and expert flexibility will help ensure your fleet stays robust. Schedule a demo and see what GoFleet can do for your business.

 

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Are Dash Cams Bringing Your Work Culture Down?

Posted on | by Alexis | Leave a Comment on Are Dash Cams Bringing Your Work Culture Down?

If you really want to get an animated conversation going with truck drivers, mention dash cams. While drivers have more or less accepted road-facing cameras as part of the job, many remain skeptical or outright opposed to having one positioned within the cab, tracking their movements and driving behaviours. 

 

Since driver-facing dash cams are becoming the norm, this is a great time to take a look at how dash cam technology can actually be a benefit, not a detriment, to your drivers and to your organization’s safety culture.

 

Dash cam pain points

 

The way in which dash cams are presented to drivers makes all the difference in impacting buy-in and engagement. Many commercial truck drivers feel that dash cams, particularly cab-facing devices, are an invasion of privacy. This sentiment rings especially true in instances where drivers use an area of the cab to sleep and eat (as an aside, sleeper berths are not considered a “home” and as such, are exempt from current privacy laws).

 

Furthermore, disclosure is an essential component that can make or break your work culture. Companies must let their employees know if and how dash cams will be used in their fleets, but the ways in which they do so will determine whether drivers remain within the company, or leave in droves to pursue other opportunities.

There are enough stories on the internet to affirm surveillance culture in some companies that implement dash cams (read our story here about Amazon and Netradyne), often the direct result of a lack of transparency or care for their drivers’ collective safety. 

 

The truth is that most dash cams only transmit a short segment of data that includes time directly before and after an event is triggered. No fleet manager has the time or the desire to search through hours of continuous footage. For a great perspective on how to talk to your drivers about implementing dash cams, read here.

 

ZenduCAM AD+

 

Demand within the dash cam market is expected to increase by 150% (from 2018), no matter what side of the fence your drivers are on. Customers are familiar with dash cams, and have more requirements — and higher expectations — than ever before.

 

The new ZenduCAM AD+ is an HD dual-facing camera that offers best-in-class industry features to solve your technology pain points and improve work culture within your fleet. Combining an advanced AI processor, built-in advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) and Driver Management System (DMS) capabilities, the AD+ monitors risky driver behaviour and delivers real-time incident detection to protect your drivers, reduce false positives and lower costs.

ZenduCAM AD+

Filter out low-risk events and false alerts with ZenduIT’s industry-leading managed services. Automatically dismiss events that don’t represent an actual risk, and prioritize the most critical events to simplify compliance adherence and improve productivity.

 

Working synergistically with the Trax app, fleet managers have a full field view and access to location updates in real-time on a virtual map. Moreover, advanced facial recognition means you know who has been using your vehicles, and when. You can receive alerts, escalate and coach events, and view the distribution of assets on a cloud-based map instantaneously.

 

The fastest road to a safe, positive work environment is to show your drivers how an advanced dash cam system can keep them safe. Equip and coach them in real-time with our advanced AI and Data Analytics models, designed to monitor unsafe behaviours such as tailgating, speeding, not wearing a seatbelt, and other vehicle movements to alert and coach drivers in real-time while ensuring their privacy. When your drivers get an alert from the Trax Mobile App, they know it matters.

 

ZenduCAM AD+ uses a tested human-machine interface to improve your drivers’ ability to react to dangers on the road. This system increases safety, protects your assets and improves workflow. Moreover, improved algorithms mean your drivers aren’t penalized for driving offences they didn’t commit, leading to an improved workplace.

 

Technological innovation and automation have greatly increased the popularity of dash cam systems in commercial vehicles. Don’t get left behind, improve your safety culture today!

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Dash Cams and Unions: A Teamster Teaches Best Practices

Posted on | by Victoria Gole | Leave a Comment on Dash Cams and Unions: A Teamster Teaches Best Practices

Creating a successful dash cam program within your fleet requires a few key ingredients. Optimal installation, platform integration, driver coaching, clear company policies and rewards programs are all important factors to consider. As we’ve mentioned in this post, getting your drivers’ buy-in is the lynch pin to any successful program; this is especially true for businesses that employ union drivers.

It’s understandable that unions will have questions and concerns on behalf of their members regarding tracking technology; how it works, but more so how it will be used. That’s why the most successful dash cam programs are those that put the needs, opinions and safety of their drivers first.

John Hamill, a Business Agent at the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, began studying video-based safety back in 1994, when cameras were first being used in ambulances. Since then, Hamill has helped design strategic risk-management policies as part of successful collective bargaining agreements that advocate for video-based safety technology. 

As an expert in strategic planning for ambulance and passenger transit companies, Hamill brings more than 30 years of experience in transportation, training, and risk management. An expert on safety change management, Hamill knows how to craft responsible dash cam programs that work for companies, drivers and their unions.

Hamill offers recommends the following four best practices to implement a responsible and successful dash cam program for union drivers. 

 

Best Practice No. 1: Engage the Union, First

 

Driver and asset safety is the entire purpose for creating a dash cam program, and unions and fleet companies have the shared goal of keeping drivers safe. For these reasons, companies are advised to value and build on their union partnerships by engaging the union prior to any rollout. 

“My biggest tip to companies with union drivers is this: before going to your drivers, get the union to buy in first,” Hamill says. “Not going to the union first can lead to so many issues down the line. If, for example, the union hears about an issue first, they may want to shut down the initiative entirely. That can set a precedent that’s hard to overcome.” When unions help in crafting the policies and rollout, future misunderstandings are avoided, and everyone wins.

When beginning the dialogue with unions, Hamill recommends that companies communicate the many benefits of video-based safety for drivers. To fully articulate such benefits, says Hamill, “use data and proof points from other companies to really show the value of cameras.” This means expressing, with evidence, such benefits as: 

  •  Annual decreases in the frequency of preventable accidents as a result of video-based driver coaching and alerts.
  •  Number of drivers exonerated from road accidents because of dash cam evidence.
  •  Increase in driver retention and decrease in turnover after implementation of video-based driver recognition and driver rewards programs.

Many companies employ a mix of union and non-union drivers, often after negotiating annual contracts. However, notes Hamill, even in cases where the contract has already been negotiated and the dash cam program is not part of the collective bargaining agreement, companies can still utilize a side letter or a memorandum of understanding (MOU). Side letters or MOUs “are the best way to implement cameras before the next contract,” Hamill states.

 

Best Practice No. 2: Survey Your Drivers to Alleviate Anxiety 

 

After starting a dialogue with the union, open the lines of communication with your drivers. Hamill recommends that you survey your drivers, introduce the topic, and ask for their opinions.  Then, says Hamill, “you can build policies to alleviate their anxieties and really help create that trust.”

Hamill suggests using initial surveys that allow for broad questions and free responses, such as How do you feel about dashboard cameras as they pertain to safety? “That will give you an overall sense of sentiment. You might be surprised what the answers reveal about their specific concerns or experiences,” says Hamill. “Doing a survey can really help inform what your policy should address.”

These surveys will highlight key concerns from your team. One recurring fear of drivers is the belief that dash cams will be used to ‘spy’ on them and watch their every move. This is a common misconception that can be addressed early on. “Before you install a single camera or even build out your policy, transparent communication about the technology is key,” Hamill states. 

Communicating how the technology works and what types of road events will be recorded will help build trust and transparency. Be sure to identify the following:

  •  What are the specific dash cam capabilities
  •  What types of events will trigger footage to be recorded and uploaded
  •  Whether audio is being captured
  •  What other dash cam features may be activated or deactivated
  •  Whether in-cab coaching and safety alerts will be turned on.

“Communication will help combat fear and anxiety—which are so dangerous not only to your safety program and the culture of your company, but actually to the drivers themselves,” Hamill notes. Instead, drivers should feel comfortable and secure, with their focus safely on the road.

 

Best Practice No. 3: Create & Follow Clear Safety Policies

 

Hamill states that the key to successful fleet operations lies in designing thorough safety policies so your company’s expectations and driver requirements are clear, and following those policies. 

While every company will have different needs and safety requirements, he recommends articulating the basic rules required by law—such as DOT standards—and then building out company policy from there. Safety policies may include: 

  • A ‘zero tolerance’ policy for dangerous or illicit activities, such as driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
  • A tiered system of discipline based on the seriousness of an infraction, such as distractions or texting while driving. 
  • A strike (or point) system for infractions such as speeding, close following distance or not wearing a seatbelt.
  • Coaching drivers and explaining clearly in advance which behaviours will result in training or coaching, and which behaviours will result in progressive discipline.

Both drivers and their union representatives should be provided with written documentation of your company’s safety and coaching policies, guidelines for coaching, and a clearly outlined process for any disciplinary actions. You can also use GoFleet’s driver coaching tools to ensure follow-through and accountability, and provide benchmarks such as driver scorecards and compliance reports. 

 

Best Practice No. 4: Make Good Driving Rewarding & Fun

 

“It’s so important to make safety fun,” Hamill says, “and reward the people who are driving safely.” The ‘gamification’ of any activity—be it taking the stairs or good driving, has been proven effective by countless studies. When an activity is made more fun or rewarding, people are far more likely to do it.

Hamill notes that as a safety manager for MV Transportation, they offered a $200 bonus to drivers who went without incident for a year. This created genuine excitement and excellence from drivers.   “If you don’t offer that positive incentive, you’re not encouraging people to strive for excellence,” Hamill says. “By default, you’re rewarding complacency.”

GoFleet helps incentivize driver performance through KPI metrics and driver rankings. We recommend creating a Driver Safety Rewards Program to encourage and reward safe drivers; we can also help you start a Safe Driver Contest to reinforce good practices. Our telematics devices allow you to rank driver safety so you can reward safe drivers and help ensure driver retention. 

Hamill notes that while the initial perception of dash cameras can be challenging, the long-term benefits in fleet safety and efficiency make all the difference with regards to a company’s safety culture and success. Certainly, the same holds true for the safety and success of its drivers. 

Interested to learn more and talk to one of our dash camera specialists? Contact us today!

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The Nuclear Verdict: How Commercial Dash Cams Can Save Your Business Money

Posted on | by Alexis | Leave a Comment on The Nuclear Verdict: How Commercial Dash Cams Can Save Your Business Money

When a jury awards a plaintiff payout in excess of $10 million, that payout is referred to as a “nuclear verdict”. If a member of your fleet has been involved in a vehicle incident that results in one of these verdicts, the results for your business could be catastrophic.

 

According to CNBC, the average amount for a lawsuit above $1 million involving a truck collision has increased nearly 1,000%,from $2.3 million to $22.3 million in the U.S. between 2010 to 2018. Nuclear verdicts are driving up insurance rates for fleets, and increasing associated costs for those trucking companies to insure them as a result. To absorb some of the costs, large operators are scaling back on insurance, putting them at greater risk if an accident were to occur. Unable to afford inflated deductibles or premiums, smaller fleets are folding altogether.

 

One major reason for nuclear verdicts arises from a disconnect between negligence and liability. Because large organizations with massive fleets are assumed to have more resources (i.e. more insurance), they are typically targeted for payouts, even if they’re not entirely at fault. For example, there are cases where a company can be identified as 10% negligent and still have to cover 100% of the financial liability.

 

Another reason for these excessive payouts includes an uptick in fatal accidents involving trucks. According to the National Safety Council, there was a 43% increase in deadly collisions involving large trucks between 2010 and 2019. The number of injuries associated with truck crashes rose that year to 160,000 (7%), the majority of which were occupants from other vehicles.

 

Assessing risk on the road has long been considered integral to the cost of doing business for every trucking organization. Fortunately, dash cameras not only help with safety initiatives in fleets, they also have a return on investment that can help fleets stay afloat amid mounting insurance concerns.

 

Dash cams and telematics

An increase in nuclear verdicts results in higher prices for liability insurance and reduced access to casualty or excess liability insurance, resulting in some carriers leaving that particular line of business and causing many in the trucking industry to worry about the potential impact a single loss could have on their bottom line.

 

This is where dash cams and telematics can be essential tools to help manage risk. In fact, these devices may one day become a requirement in order to get insurance for your fleet. Where once insurance companies only looked at claims regarding trucks, they will now start gathering data to get a holistic overview of driving behaviour, dash cam footage and a fleet’s hiring practices.

 

Many insurance companies look favourably on commercial vehicles with dash cams installed, and in some cases this small step can result in a reduction in insurance premiums. Furthermore, a dash cam will certainly protect a business from false insurance claims. Commercial dash cam footage is now widely accepted by most insurance companies as evidence to help speed up the claims process.

Dash cams can:

  • Prevent fraudulent insurance claims (i.e. “crash for cash”)
  • Protect your drivers and assets
  • Identify liable parties and exonerate your drivers

 

There are other ways that dash cams and telematics systems can improve an organization’s coffers, beyond insurance premiums. For one, dash cams not only tell a fleet manager what’s happening on the road, but what’s taking place inside the cabin. Is the driver sleeping? On his phone or otherwise distracted? Being alerted to risky driving behaviour helps you identify culpability while improving good driving habits in your fleet.

 

Dash cams can also help you reduce fuel consumption. Your telematics platform can trigger an alert if a vehicle is idling, for example, and can optimize driving routes to increase efficiency, shorten trips and save fuel. Regardless of your industry, dash cams and telematics help fleets and organizations streamline their processes from top to bottom line.

 

Conclusion 

 

Telematics is becoming an industry-wide practice, one that can positively impact an organization’s return on investment. A knowledgeable insurance broker will educate your business on how to meet requirements and will help you secure insurance at the best possible price. Similarly, your GoFleet consultant will help you find a telematics solution that best uses dash cam technology to protect your business and your drivers. Contact us today for a free estimate and demonstration.

al dashcam, driver, fleet, dash cam, dash camera, gofleet, zenducam,

How To Talk To Your Drivers About The Benefits Of AI Dashcams

Posted on | by Alexis | Leave a Comment on How To Talk To Your Drivers About The Benefits Of AI Dashcams

As a fleet manager, you’re aware that installing commercial AI dashcams will greatly improve your business; eliminating inefficiencies, reducing accidents and offering incentives for positive driving behaviours.

 

Why then, are many drivers resistant to, or in some cases outright rejecting, the implementation of dashcams? Back in March, a driver for Amazon tendered his notice after it was announced that the online retailer would be implementing AI dashcams in their delivery vehicles, citing the move was “both a privacy violation, and a breach of trust.”

 

Sadly, many drivers feel the same. Fleet managers are facing a large percentage of dissatisfied drivers, and even reporting scenarios where a driver will place a sticker over the camera lens to ensure their face can’t be tracked. There is a general perception that dashcams create an almost dystopian ecosystem of distrust, when in reality, the opposite is true. In this post, we discuss how to create messaging that overcomes the most common objections, so you too can foster goodwill among your drivers and create an environment of trust.

 

Safety vs. Surveillance

 

According to the American Trucking Association (ATA), trucks are only at fault about 26% of the time in the event of light vehicle/truck accidents, yet trucks get far more blame — closer to 80% to be exact. In this light, it is key to position dashcams to your drivers as an opportunity, rather than a hindrance, to performance and safety. AI dashcams can upload high-resolution video footage automatically and within minutes, allowing you to exonerate your drivers from false claims or no-fault incidents, bypass insurance claims and avoid costly payouts.

 

Rather than being perceived as “Big Brother”, you might position yourself as someone who is looking out for your drivers, someone who can protect and support the fleet in the event of a collision. Click here to see dashcam footage that could exonerate the driver.

Collisions are incredibly expensive (the average collision costs a company upwards of $91K) and can affect a drivers’ Compliance, Safety and Accountability (CSA) scores, as well as your bottom line. Having access to video evidence in real-time can save you money while protecting your drivers.

 

Coaching vs. Complaining

 

Coaching can tend to be reactive, the result of a ticket, accident or bad driving behaviours. AI dashcams can actually make coaching a proactive experience. With automatically-uploaded video footage, managers can coach drivers with accuracy, increasing accountability and consistent driving behaviour.

Because  dashcams offer incident detection in real-time, drivers can adjust their driving with in-cab alerts and prevent accidents before they happen. The dashcam platform you select should provide safety workflows, online tools and efficiencies to keep you drivers safe and accountable.

 

Reward vs. Reproach

 

Did you know that a well-placed rewards program can help you retain drivers while incentivizing good driving habits? Do your drivers know? Efficient coaching should follow with robust incentives that will not only encourage your drivers to tolerate dashcams, but to actively engage with them.

 

According to the ATA, driver turnover was at 92% in 2020, and reported the cost of replacing a driver to average $12K. From digital driver safety scorecards to gift cards, gamifying your rewards program can help you lower turnover and associated hiring costs. Driver reward programs also bolster training, improve your fleet culture, and improve driver behaviour, morale and motivation.

The best safety incentive programs are merit-based systems that help develop better relationships between fleets and drivers. To best assign rewards and recognition, we recommend the following:

 

Develop goals

 

Start small. The basic goals of any rewards program is to improve fleet safety and increase revenue. Identify small goals to improve, such as adhering to schedules, avoiding idling, limiting phone use, following speed limits or reducing harsh braking. Make the steps digestible, realistic and attainable.

 

You should also ensure that there’s a way to measure and track behaviours over time, so as to reward your drivers consistently and fairly. Ideally, telematics data from your dashcams would provide the content required to measure these goals accurately. Incentivizing good driving is a process, so be sure to reward your drivers not only for continued excellence, but for continued improvement as well. 

 

Communicate your expectations

 

Goals, rules and benefits should be clearly explained up front and reiterated consistently. A leaderboard (either digital or physical) or scorecard is a great way to show drivers where they are and what they need to do to reach the next level.

 

Get driver feedback

 

Transparency and engagement are key to any rewards program. Driver feedback connects your drivers to the business and creates an environment of trust. Don’t be afraid to ask them about their thoughts concerning your incentive program. Just as your drivers continue to improve, so too can your rewards program.

 

Use gamification

 

Gamification can improve driver behaviour and increase retention. Make safe driving fun and competitive while building team spirit and fostering a better safety culture by encouraging your drivers to play, compete and win!

 

The rewards themselves should be appropriate to your corporate ecosystem. Some organizations use a points system that can result in cash bonuses or gift cards, while others prefer flex hours or a physical item such as a plaque or pin to recognize safe driving behaviour. This would be a great opportunity to ask drivers for their input and find out what they would like to have as a reward.

 

Use positive feedback

 

Aside from cash bonuses and financial rewards, positive feedback and encouragement can be equally motivating. Make sure that your safety rewards platform includes a strong driver recognition program. This can be achieved through email newsletters, internal communications, certificates or a “Driver of the Month” program.

 

Dashcams present a unique opportunity for partnership between you and your drivers, offering transparency and accountability on both sides. The right telematics solution will provide accurate, real-time metrics by which you can weigh and evaluate performance while encouraging improvement.

 

Your drivers want to know that you have their safety and best interests at heart. They want to feel encouraged and appreciated. Provided you’ve given your drivers adequate time to train and prepare for the transition, they too will come to see dashcams less as something to work around, and more of a benefit — possibly even an asset — to their work on the road.

GoFleet Offers Vehicle Dash Cam Solutions Across A Number Of Industries

Posted on | by Alexis | Leave a Comment on GoFleet Offers Vehicle Dash Cam Solutions Across A Number Of Industries

Generally speaking, commercial dash cams are well-suited to answering “when” and “where” questions around accidents or other incidents involving your vehicles. When paired with a top-tier telematics platform, your dash cam system can provide a deeper dive, answering the “why’s” and “how’s” of driving behaviour on the road. Dash cams ensure and improve safety for drivers and vehicles, while providing peace of mind to the people who employ them. 

 

By now, you’re likely familiar with GoFleet’s dash cam offerings. What might be less familiar is which scalable, comprehensive solution will work best for your fleet. Depending on your requirements and the industry in which you operate, the answer can get complicated.

 

Whether you have a handful of vehicles, or an entire cavalcade, both our dual-facing and multi-camera options help correct similar issues across nearly every fleet industry. “From my experience, it’s not about fleet size. For example, a client might want a four-channel setup, because they want a camera solution that has a nearly 360 degree view to get a better understanding of who’s at fault,” says Ron Sabbun, who works with Strategic Partnerships at GoFleet’s Partner ZenduIT. “Our product sales depend on two main criteria; customer requirements, and the industry they’re in.”

 

With a number of device solutions, paired with a robust Trax platform that can monitor vehicles, report on and interpret driving data in real time, the applications for commercial dash cams seem nearly limitless. In this post, we’ll look at some of the more universal use cases for commercial dash cams that GoFleet can solve for. 

 

Driver Exoneration

 

Whether you work in transportation, waste management, hospitals, government, field services or passenger transport, a time may come when your driver is involved in a traffic accident.

 

“One of the major reasons customers elect to get dash cams is to get video evidence of any incidents that occur while their driver is on the road,” says Sabbun. “In an accident, they want to get a better idea of what led up to the event, the driver’s reaction during the event, and who was at fault.”

 

Not coincidentally, Sabbun points to passenger transport as a growing industry that requires the use of dash cams. Unlike public transportation, passenger transport describes the privatized movement of passengers on a given network, such as transporting people with special needs, or ferrying executives around. “These companies really understand the liability process if their drivers get into an accident. Not only does the driver have to prove that they were not at fault, but they require evidence that their passengers weren’t injured.”

 

Preventing Distracted Driving

 

While issues of fatigue or driver drowsiness tend to be risks associated with trucking, distracted driving can affect any driver in any industry where vehicles are employed. Dual camera systems with both driver and road-facing camera views would be a popular choice where it’s a requirement to monitor and gauge a driver’s behaviour inside the cab, especially as that behaviour relates to an accident. GoFleet’s cameras offer advanced alerts for fatigue and driver distraction, which focus on a driver’s physical indicators, such as his facial features and the direction of his gaze. For added safety, the camera will produce an audible alert in the event of distraction; a great tool to keep your driver’s eyes on the road where they belong.

 

Content Review

 

Commercial dash cams display video relating to an event of interest for the purpose of review. Events of interest can either be an on-demand request that has been flagged by a fleet manager, or automatically triggered by a preset list of notifications. Either way, a fleet manager’s time, the number of events or notifications, and the number of vehicles sending data back to the business are all factors that can contribute to a bottleneck in the review process. Having the right tools to sort through the most critical events for review is essential. The content review process can even be simplified by GoFleet’s Managed Services, which allows fleets to work with industry consultants who provide recommendations on how to increase safety and sort through dash camera footage for you.

 

Generating Reports

 

Dash cams can generate a lot of data within a very short time frame. Distilling that information into key metrics that measure how drivers and fleets are performing over time is essential to fleets big and small. GoFleet’s telematics system will provide reports such as driver scorecards, which help measure how a driver is performing over time, as well as how he compares against his fellow drivers. Scorecards can provide the foundation for both reward incentives and coaching programs. 

 

Providing Feedback

 

Coaching and feedback between drivers and fleet managers create value and can provide a significant ROI. Depending on the size of your business, you can initiate a review and/or coaching session based on metric-driven reports, either in-person or by supplying drivers with a formal review checklist. This list compiles shortlisted events and videos, as well as notes and comments; completion of a pending review can be part of a driver’s to-do list before starting the next trip. 

 

Opportunity for feedback ensures that our solutions make your job easier, while improving workflow and increasing overall fleet safety. Reporting and feedback are scalable solutions that can work in virtually any industry that employs a commercial fleet.

 

Reducing Operational Expenses

 

Your fleet can realize major savings by implementing commercial fleet dash cams. Outside of exonerating drivers, there are significant savings around fewer traffic violations, reduced insurance premiums and lower maintenance costs for your vehicles. There are also a number of studies that illustrate a correlation between safe driving and better fuel efficiency (examples here, here and here).

 

Driver Retention

 

There has long been an impression of dash cams as a means to surveil drivers. While the primary purpose may be recording and monitoring driving behaviour, the process of reviewing content doesn’t have to be punitive. Rather, dash cam telematics can create recognition programs within your fleet, in addition to capturing accidents. In fact, driver scoring encourages your fleet to maintain positive behaviour and create a work culture based on compliance and safety, a key factor to driving engagement within your team.

 

Conclusion

 

From a growing awareness of the value of commercial dash cams to the availability of cutting-edge hardware with a host of functionalities aimed at keeping drivers and vehicles safe, dash cams are now the norm for commercial vehicles and fleets of all sizes. As the choices keep expanding, so does the analysis process. Selecting the right dash cam solution requires you to look at the combination of hardware and software holistically, within the framework of your fleet’s requirements. Thankfully, GoFleet is here to assist you with navigating your decision-making journey.

 

Schedule a demonstration and get a FREE trial when you contact your GoFleet consultant. There’s never been a better time, call now!

Advanced Driver Assistance System, fleet, gofleet, dash camera, dashcam, ADAS

Does Your Fleet Need An Advanced Driver Assistance System?

Posted on | by Alexis | Leave a Comment on Does Your Fleet Need An Advanced Driver Assistance System?

 

The automotive industry continues to respond to consumer demand for enhanced safety features in an ongoing quest to develop more secure, automated vehicles and a safer driving experience for the people who operate them. The race to develop smarter, safer personal transportation has taken us from seatbelts to self-driving cars; it would seem the finish line is somewhere on the horizon.

 

In the latest iteration of safer driving, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) have taken car manufacturing by storm, enabling vehicles to detect, correct and protect while in a driving environment. Mirrors and windows have been augmented — and in some cases replaced — with camera-based technology that helps both vehicle and driver react and respond to stimulus on the road.

 

What Are ADA Systems And How Do They Work?

 

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems use cameras to quickly and accurately detect and recognize all attributes on the road, including vehicles, pedestrians, traffic signs, lane lines and obstacles. Cameras are positioned outside the vehicle on the front, back and sides to capture images of the road, street signs, pedestrians, vehicles, etc. The images captured by the cameras are analyzed by supporting software and triggers a vehicle response to improve safety, such as emergency braking, blind spot alerts, helping park the vehicle, or driver alertness.

 

A Worthwhile Expense

 

Although ADA innovation has exploded in popularity, rolling out the technology on a large scale can be cost-prohibitive, particularly with smaller fleets. Getting these systems into more factory-built vehicles is not only expensive, but requires different levels of compliance and safety standards. 

 

Nonetheless, studies point to a reduction of traffic accidents as the result of ADA Systems. According to recent research from LexisNexis Risk Solutions, “ADAS vehicles showed a 27% reduction in bodily injury claim frequency and a 19% reduction in property damage frequency.” 

 

They also limit the number of insurance claims due to accidents in which there is property damage but no sustained injuries. Clearly, an ADA System is a cost-saving – and life-saving – asset that can’t be ignored.

 

What To Look For In An ADA System

 

While fleet managers don’t have their sights set on autonomous driving just yet, there is inherent value in a truck’s ability to “see” and analyze its environment. An ADA System equips your drivers with enhanced visibility on the road while positively impacting road behaviour. Here are a few of the things to look for before making a purchase decision.

 

Exceptional cameras: The key to a reliable ADA System is using top-tier cameras. Simply put, better cameras can better recognize their environment and send data to the software, which can then initiate a faster response. What makes a better camera? 

 

High Image Quality: Cameras should have high resolution, which allow greater levels of detection in all kinds of lighting and weather conditions and across all automotive operating temperatures. This affords the software greater, faster accuracy when interpreting data.

 

Customization: There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to fleet safety. Modular camera solutions enable fleet companies to choose from a selection of sensors, cameras and image sensor processors (ISPs).

 

Automated features: ADA Systems help avoid collisions by using technology to alert drivers to potential hazards or take over control of the vehicle to avoid such danger. This safety enhancement improves driving within your fleet, and among the greater population. 

 

Adaptive features: Your ADAS should have adaptive features that incorporate navigational warnings to alert drivers to potential dangers, such as vehicles in blind spots, lane departures, automated lighting, adaptive cruise control, and pedestrian crash avoidance mitigation (PCAM). 

 

Reputable affiliations: Your ADA System supplier should have unfettered access to strategic automotive-focused partners, enabling you to leverage cameras with next-generation human-technology-interfacing for the safest, most accurate driving experience possible.

 

Conclusion

 

With the number of options available on the market, it can be hard for fleet managers to know which ADA System will work best in their vehicles. Furthermore, it can be a challenge to train drivers to use them to their fullest advantage.

 

Modern ADA Systems contain some of the most sought-after safety features for drivers, fleet managers and organizations. Talk to your GoFleet representative about what’s coming up for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, and how we can help you promote safety and awareness on the road.

winter operation programs, winter, snow plow, gps, telematics, winter operation departments

What’s On The Horizon For Winter Operation Departments

Posted on | by Victoria Gole | Leave a Comment on What’s On The Horizon For Winter Operation Departments

As the weather begins to get colder and with many cities around the world already seeing snow, it’s time for winter operation programs to kick their initiatives into full gear. For many departments this includes performing comprehensive research on how they can improve their efforts. 

Sound familiar? Keep reading as we will discuss the various factors that winter maintenance fleets must stay on top of and how new technology is critical in their success. 

 

How Some Winter Operation Departments Are Falling Behind 

Depending on several factors including budget, need or even manpower, some winter operation fleets fall behind in terms of leveraging smart technologies. What this means is that many fleets may not be utilizing new strategies, initiatives or technologies. As a result, certain operational efficiencies are automatically lost causing a decrease of productivity, optimization, and visibility.

What should winter operation programs look out for to know whether this is happening to them? 

First, they should look at the operations of their competitors or the industry as a whole. This is a critical first step to easily see whether you’re behind in certain areas. Fleets should look out for the following: 

  • How other municipalities or fleets can share mapping information publicly on a visible and modern map solution 
  • How other teams are maintaining workflow and reporting easily and efficiently 
  • Productivity or costs that are quickly diminishing 

Next, teams should research best practices online and see what the conversations surrounding new initiatives are. 

 

Things That Every Fleet Needs To Know About 

Things are constantly changing – it’s evident. However, it’s important to know what GoFleet, an industry leader in 360 fleet solutions, has observed and thinks is important for fleets to know about.

 

Smarter Software Than Just GPS 

Certain software solutions are already widely used. Often this incorporates basic GPS tracking solutions to ensure the location and route of a vehicle is known. This allows on a basic level, for teams to monitor compliance and route completion. 

Where things get innovative, is when software is leveraged to utilize this GPS data to monitor more data. Pushing data into software with algorithms that leverage GPS information visually is how the data can be displayed publicly. Often this is via an embedded code on a website that automatically pulls real-time information that the fleet pre-categorizes to be available to the public. By doing this, it allows winter operations departments to be transparent so civilian drivers can better plan routes and ensure that safe roads will be used for travel. 

Additionally, this map data can be manipulated to show compliance on an internal level. Efforts can be reviewed for efficiency and steps can be taken so roads are cleared in adequate times. Reports can also be created to prove that compliance is met at all times. How is this possible? Geofencing – a tool which divides map locations into zones to section off tasks or designate tasks and routes. 

To summarize, connected software solutions allows for the following to be completed within winter operation fleets:

  • Vehicle optimization and fuel usage reports to ensure efficiency  
  • Fleet compliance to regulations in regards to snow clearing 
  • Driver behaviour reports to ensure safe driving is monitored 
  • Resource utilization reports to monitor quantity and location span of where resources are used – this can include fuel, salt and even sand 
  • Geofencing to track progress, next routes and restrictions 

 

Connected Hardware Options

Hardware may seem obvious, it’s not that simple. There’s more to hardware in winter department fleets than one may think. By leveraging connected hardware solutions and sensors to track pre-existing hardware, even more intel can be collected on fleets – this is a necessity for winter departments reviewing current operations. 

By leveraging connected hardware, more data can be collected. Meaning the above points related to software solutions can in fact be accurate so proper actions can be executed. Not only does this include GPS tracking such as the GO9 device, but also a dash camera system, driver ID system and much more. Integrating these products and connecting them internally allows for the following: 

  • The GO9 monitors HOS compliance, GPS location, engine performance and more
  • Dash cameras can monitor and record not only driving events or accidents, but whether the driver is attentive to the road ahead
  • Driver ID systems ensuring that the right driver is operating the proper vehicle and the timing of shiftwork 

For aspects of the vehicle that don’t allow for an initial connected piece of equipment like plows, salt or sand dispensers, sensors can be leveraged. Installing smart sensors to track various vehicle actions or tasks ensures complete visibility. In regards to winter department vehicles, sensors monitor when plow equipment is used – proper tracking of route and work commencement can happen as the sensor will detect when the plow is truly in operation (being down or up). As well, sensors can display a proper picture of resource utilization throughout a route and whether certain locations were over or under served. This ensures resources are not wasted to keep costs low. 

 

Have All Of This In Place? This Is What Is On The Horizon… 

If you’re one of the winter department operations who have all of this in place, it’s still important to stay up to date with future trends. This will ensure that your team is prepared with new tools and strategies in upcoming seasons. The following is predicted to be introduced: 

  • Intelligent camera technologies will use artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to improve data collection from equipment via smart city networks 
  • The environment will become a larger focus as electric snow plow vehicles are leveraged to reduce carbon emissions and lower operational costs 
  • Vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication will evolve on a 5G network that will provide fast lines of communication 
  • Operations can be automated as autonomous vehicles are introduced to eliminate human error and costs 

While much of the information stated above is directly related to winter operation departments, the same technology and thinking will be seen in other industries. If you’re interested in learning more about how your fleet, regardless of the industry, can improve or better prepare for future technical challenges, contact us today. 

Dangerous Driving

Why A False Sense Of Security May Put Fleets At Risk For Dangerous Driving

Posted on | by Anna | Leave a Comment on Why A False Sense Of Security May Put Fleets At Risk For Dangerous Driving

The COVID-19 pandemic is having a drastic impact on people’s everyday life and businesses’ operations. Because of the “shelter-in-place” order and travel restrictions imposed by the government, the traffic volumes in cities across North America have dropped dramatically. 

Although many people expect that emptier roads translate to safer driving environments, the data suggests that is not the case. 

Statistics show that our roads have become more deadly since the beginning of the pandemic. In the United States, the fatality rate per mile driven went up by 14% compared to the same period last year. For commercial fleets, the mileage driven by commercial vehicles has declined by 20% since the pandemic; however, the amount of miles driven over the posted speed limit has increased by 17%, and the harsh cornering event has also increased by 15%. 

A psychological belief called a false sense of security might explain why we see a surprise growth of careless and reckless driving behaviours during the pandemic. We will also explore options and solutions to crack down dangerous driving behaviours and enhance overall fleet operation safety.

 

Why Do We See an Increase In Dangerous Driving Behaviours?

If something gives you a false sense of security, it makes you believe that you are safe when you are not. That’s exactly what happened to roads during the pandemic. The emptier roads and reduced traffic prompted drivers to feel safer, resulting in increasing speeding and reckless driving activities. Drivers also carried the view that there will be fewer pedestrians and cyclists on the roads during the pandemic, so they believed that cars would get more road space, leading them to commit dangerous driving behaviours, such as failing to stop at stop signs. 

 

Psychological Impact

The pandemic could be stressful, as it can cause fear, panic, anxiety in many people. This often leads to increased alcohol and drug consumption, contributing to increased aggressive driving behaviours on the roads. Commercial fleet drivers often experienced greater stress because of the increasing workloads caused by the growth of cargo transport and delivery activities during the pandemic. 

Many businesses are operating a reduced fleet because of drivers’ absences due to isolation and sickness. That forces rest of the on-duty drivers to take additional tasks to cover the reduced workforces. Some might choose to commit dangerous behaviours such as speeding to finish all the tasks within business hours. The rise of risky behaviours during these times may put all road users in danger and lead to serious accidents resulting in injuries or deaths and unnecessary costs to businesses. 

 

Impact Of Distracted Driving 

Distracted driving has often been described as one of the biggest challenges for modern drivers. Almost 80% of road accidents have seen distracted driving as a contributing factor. Hands-free devices have become a popular tool among fleet drivers, as many believe it will reduce the risks of taking a call during driving. However, even drivers’ hands remain on the steering wheel while taking a call through hands-free devices, their mind and concentration might be distracted by talking. This creates a hidden risk and may negatively impact the drivers’ response time to an unexpected road situation. 

 

Impact Of Reduced Training

The reduced amount of face-to-face fleet safety training might be another reason why some drivers become less vigilant during driving. Routine safety training is an essential pillar of establishing and maintaining a strong and positive workplace safety culture. Many businesses and workplaces have decided to postpone or reduce these kinds of face-to-face safety training programs due to the growing concerns of virus transmission during personal interactions. Lack of road safety education sessions during the pandemic has let drivers guard down, and some chose to carry out aggressive driving behaviours on the roads. 

 

Deadly Consequences Of Careless Driving

Dangerous driving and failing to obey road signs put the safety of all road users at risk. It could lead to severe consequences, such as fatal accidents and unintentional injuries. Drivers and businesses might face huge fines, penalties, or lawsuits if they are involved in road accidents and collisions. Depending on the severity of the accidents, drivers might be charged for dangerous driving and received license suspensions and a criminal record. Businesses might also bear unnecessary costs and expenses in recovering assets damage, paying for additional maintenance costs, suffering increased insurance premiums. 

The social costs and damages made to brand reputation are two factors that often are neglected when evaluating the cost of a road accident. Any injuries or deaths resulting from the road accident place additional expenses and burdens on the local healthcare system, transportation networks, and legal system. 

For individuals, loss of life and life quality, loss of output due to temporary incapacitation should also be quantified in monetary values when calculating accidents’ costs. Accidents could also severely harm the brand’s reputation in the industry and have a long-term adverse impact on the businesses’ operations, revenues, and financial stability. Businesses need a spotless fleet safety record to win customers’ trust and differentiate themselves – so maintaining a high fleet safety standard is a “must” for fleets of any size. 

 

Technologies That Can Make A Difference In Fleet Safety Management

The rising level of careless driving behaviours among fleet drivers during the pandemic has raised the alarm for fleet managers and safety managers. A growing number of fleet managers are eyeing telematics solutions to safeguard the fleet’s operations. Telematics solutions offer a complete safety package utilizing various technologies, including sensing, tracking, and recording technologies, to provide preventive measures that protect workers and assets safety. 

 

Driver Distraction Cameras: Keep Your Drivers Focused 

Driver distraction cameras have become very useful and cost-effective telematics tools adopted by businesses to crack down distracted driving among drivers. These cameras utilizes artificial intelligence and facial recognition technology to detect if drivers have been distracted. By tracking and analyzing drivers’ eyes, face, mouth, and head movement, the system can tell whether drivers’ attention remains focused on the road. An audible alert will be sent out to warn drivers if it notices any forms of distracted driving. The alert will also trigger the video camera recording, so fleet managers can later review footage and learn what happened on the roads. 

Not only can driver distraction cameras address distracted driving, the device also helps to detect driver fatigue. When the camera detects that the driver’s eyes blink too slow or their head starts to lower down, it will trigger an audible alert to warn drivers. The camera works in all kinds of complex environments, including dark settings, offering ultimate protection to drivers, no matter day or night. The hassle-free device installation process means that fleet managers can immediately see a reduction in driving distraction after the implementation. 

 

Online Scoring and Training Platforms: Powerful Data Collection and Performance Monitoring With All The Information You Need

To further quantify drivers’ performance and give fleet managers a better overview of drivers’ driving behaviours, online scoring and training platforms like ZenduLearn and ZenScore are leveraged. ZenduLearn is an online training solution which allows for digital training classes to be assigned to drivers, ensuring that social distance requirements are kept. 

ZenScore is a highly interactive dashboard and driver scoring system that offers a comprehensive and highly customizable overview of the fleet’s status, performance, and safety. One of the top features is giving fleet managers the ability to assess drivers’ performance and driving behaviours. Even allowing managers to assign new courses to improve skills by also leveraging ZenduLearn. ZenScore is used by giving every driver a safety score based on their previous trip performance. Through evaluating these scores, fleet managers can quickly identify high-risk drivers that often commit dangerous driving behaviours, such as harsh braking, speeding, hard acceleration, and hard cornering. 

Fleet managers or safety managers can then develop appropriate training sessions to coach these high-risk drivers and correct their driving habits. Fleet managers can also reward drivers who receive a high safety score and create safety driving contests to motivate the rest of the drivers to develop and practice good driving habits. 

 

360 Telematics Integration Designed For Safety

You might now be wondering how we generate these drivers’ safety scores. These scores are calculated based on several important metrics measured by other vehicles onboard sensors and tracking devices. The Geotab GO9 is a next-generation fleet tracking device that can detect speeding and HOS (Hours of Service) violations. The high connectivity of telematics products enables the system to record a speeding or violations, which will then be automatically synchronized and reflected on the ZenScore dashboard. The seamless integration and connection between telematics devices powered by IoT (Internet of Things) have made all these things possible at the backstage automatically with no additional human work needed. 

At GoFleet, we offered a complete fleet safety package that is highly customizable to fit your businesses’ core needs and give you the information you value the most. Road safety should not be overlooked on any occasion. Though the pandemic has created great uncertainty for any business operations, fleet managers and drivers should continue to remain on high alert and practice the highest safety standard across the operations. 

A false sense of security can undermine the entire fleet’s safety and other road users’ safety. Investing in an extra layer of safety protection could significantly elevate your fleet’s overall safety standards and protect drivers and your valuable assets. Telematics is the leading solution that could transform and digitalize safety management at businesses and fleets of any size. Contact us to speak with an industry-specific consultant who knows exactly how to customize telematic solutions to elevate your fleet’s safety record.