It seems like everyone is starting to cotton on to the benefits of telematics, as even companies you wouldn’t expect to benefit much from it are announcing their implementation of the technology. The latest in the line up of newly converted, is AmeriPride, the US based textile and supplies company. It’s latest adoption is the Safety Driven telematics system from Inthinc.
The technology has been incorporated in over 1,800 of AmeriPride’s fleet vehicles, meaning over 1,500 drivers and service managers will stand to benefit. This particular system, while tracking all sorts of metrics, like acceleration, braking, fuel economy, speed, etc. is designed specifically around the idea of making drivers safer on the road. Through statistic analytics and real time monitoring, fleet managers at AmeriPride can keep their drivers safer and instigate training for those that doggedly cause problems or put themselves and their vehicle in danger.
“The safety of our employees and others out on the roads is a priority for us,” said Banny Allison, fleet manager for AmeriPride (via Digital Journal). “This new telematics technology allows us to monitor driver behaviour and pro actively modify unsafe habits so we can reduce accidents and the many related expenses that go along with them. Furthermore, cutting down on speeding and idling allows us to increase fuel efficiency, which ultimately translates into cost savings for our customers.”
On top of traditional monitoring however, the Inthinc telematics system installed in the AmeriPride vehicles also operates a live coaching system. Taking in all the information about current driver behaviour, including cornering speed and whether the seat belt is plugged in or not, the telematics system can release audio cues to give the driver a heads up about their behaviour. That might be something simple like reminding them that they’re currently speeding by X amount of miles per hour, or a warning to put their seat belt on.
As with other companies though, AmeriPride will also take a hand in improving their drivers’ safety records, by sending the worst offenders to additional training to help curb any dangerous habits they might have. In a trial, this combination of automated cues and personal attention, saw AmeriPride drivers improve their safety belt wearing records by 99 per cent and speeding was cut by a further 97 per cent.
“Our ultimate goal is to get all of our employees home safe, every single day,” said Allison. “And it made a lot of sense to announce these latest innovations that are helping us to take our safety and service leadership to the next level during Drive Safely Work Week.”
While AmeriPride is doing much of this for its own benefit and that of its drivers, it’s also helping to highlight work and road safety as part of the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety, Drive Safely Work Week, which takes place once a year to encourage companies and organisations to care about their employees’ safety and well being.
Image source: Greg_E
