The winter holidays usher in the most dangerous driving conditions of the year. With more vehicles on the road, tighter delivery deadlines, and an increase in impaired driving, truck drivers face heightened risks. Samsara data reveals that hard braking and speeding jump by about 20% during this period – behaviors that make crashes much more likely, especially when combined with distracted driving.
“With heavy traffic and holiday congestion, understanding and managing safe driving behaviors is crucial,” said Ingo Wiegand, VP of Product at Samsara. So how exactly are logistics companies prioritizing safety? We spoke with Goce Tusevski, General Manager of New Jersey’s Globe Logistics, for his insights.
Engaged Drivers, Lower Turnover
“Safety comes first. Without it, growth isn’t possible,” Tusevski emphasized. To enhance driver safety and expand operations, he partnered with Samsara for its cutting-edge innovations and driver-friendly app. The mobile experience management and virtual coaching features were big selling points, as they provide personalized support to drivers and make it easy for managers to scale coaching.
“An app driver means fewer issues and calls to the office,” Tusevski explained. “Combined with AI-enabled solutions, it significantly improves road safety and driver satisfaction and retention.”
Safer Drivers, Reduced Costs
High-quality dash cams allow professional drivers to prove innocence in crashes caused by passenger cars. This protects drivers’ careers and saves fleets from massive nuclear verdicts and insurance hikes.
“It’s presumed trucks are always at fault, but dash cams safeguard drivers’ reputations and our finances,” said Tusevski. Meanwhile, recognizing each driver’s safety traits enables targeted coaching to instill a culture of safety. “Since using Samsara, we get full visibility into driving behaviors to prevent problems. We’ve had zero at-fault accidents,” he remarked.
Insurers also leverage dash cams to accurately evaluate and reduce customer risk. “Safety improvements from Samsara data can earn discounts of 15-25%,” Wiegand explained.
Key Takeaway: Fleet Safety Pays For Itself
What key learnings would Tusevski pass on about implementing fleet safety technology? “Opt for an easy-to-use, innovative solution that integrates with existing systems,” he advised. “For us, switching to Samsara absolutely paid for itself.”
Ongoing Monitoring of Temporary Initiatives
Rather than short-term seasonal initiatives, ongoing monitoring and coaching is crucial for lasting safety gains. Samsara harnesses AI and data analytics to identify high-risk behaviors in real-time. It then delivers personalized in-cab alerts and coaching content to improve driving habits before they lead to incidents.
“AI enables proactive and tailored interventions, not reactive generalizations,” said Wiegand. “This leads to sizable reductions in high-risk driving activities.” Globe Logistics experienced a 58% decrease in speeding and a 41% drop in harsh braking and acceleration incidents after rolling out Samsara’s driver safety tools.
Building a Culture of Safety
More than any single technology, a positive culture inspiring safe driving is key to protecting drivers. “Safety is embedded in our day-to-day operations, from equipment checks to deliveries,” Tusevski emphasized. “Drivers know we care about their well-being on and off the road.”
Samsara helps reinforce productive attitudes and behaviors through its gamified driver challenges. “Friendly competition motivates drivers to improve their driving habits,” explained Wiegand. Globally, participants recorded 13% fewer safety events on average.
Beyond rewarding good driving, Samsara enables non-punitive coaching leveraging AI and manager insights tailored to individual needs. “The focus is on progress over perfection,” said Wiegand. According to Forbes, such positive reinforcement is up to six times more effective at eliciting lasting change.
The Road Ahead
This coming holiday season – with vision AI for distracted driving on the horizon – presents an opportunity for even safer winter driving through the latest innovations. “We’re continuing to expand our AI portfolio to automatically detect dangerous situations and protect all road users,” concluded Wiegand.
With driver-centric solutions and cultivating productive attitudes surrounding safety, fleets can look forward to smoother travel ahead. “The future is bright,” said Tusevski. “Our partnerships with forward-thinking companies like Samsara mean continuous improvement.”
By leveraging their expertise and resources, Lading Logistics aims to provide efficient and reliable international shipping and logistics solutions for their clients.
