Heavy Duty Trucking

MAY 2014

The Fleet Business Authority

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Lytx's Bartels says that data from event records and other sources allow fleet managers to identify patterns of behavior that lead to collisions. "We can say a particular event is more predictive of a possible collision." For instance, fol- lowing too closely is a predictor. "Using a cell phone and following too closely are highly predictive." But the effort goes beyond predicting which driver may have an accident, he says. "It's really about making drivers better." Likewise, Meritor Wabco announced in March it had partnered with Smart- Drive to offer ProView, a system de- signed to offer video and data analytics for improving driver performance. A better work environment While much of the responsibility for safety rests with the driver, technologies that make his workday easier and less stressful can also lead to improved safety. For instance, navigation is an area where fleets see opportunities to im- prove safety. While speeding remains the number one driver error that leads to acci- dents, being unfamiliar with the roads is second. A lost driver is probably a distracted driver. In fact, SmartDrive recently intro- duced a U-turn trigger to its onboard event recorder. SmartDrive's Mitgang says these unsafe maneuvers usually indicate the driver is lost or missed a turn. In-cab, truck-specific navigation systems help mitigate this problem with turn-by-turn instructions and automatic re-routing when necessary. Maverick's Brown says the company is looking at navigation. "We believe it's going to be the next step, being able to recommend better routes." That includes not only using the routes sup- plied by navigation providers, but using all the data they collect on each trip to make better routing decisions. Minimizing driver distraction also helps safety. One improvement has been the increasing integration between various onboard systems that allows navigation or other services from one provider to run on another provider's in-cab device. For instance, Drivewyze recently announced its pre-clearance system would run on Rand McNally's in-cab devices and previously an- nounced integrations with other mobile communication providers. Other efforts to reduce driver distraction include cell-phone block- ing technologies. For instance, last year NexTraq introduced a Bluetooth trigger unit that interacts with a mobile app on a driver's phone to block the phone's use while the vehicle is moving. In the future, intelligent transporta- tion systems, vehicle-to-vehicle, and vehicle-to-infrastructure/infrastructure- to-vehicle data may provide additional information for active safety systems, notes Bendix. These inputs might reveal what other vehicles around and ahead of the truck are doing, and what roadway obstacles – such as work zones – may be ahead. This additional information can help the system deliver even more meaningful alerts (and help reduce false alerts), as well as potential additional interventions. The list of technologies trucking companies can use in their safety is much more comprehensive than those covered here and can extend into a number of operations, including re- cruitment/retention, training, mainte- nance, routing and many others. But technology alone isn't enough without a commitment from a compa- ny's leadership, says PeopleNet's Ochsen- dorf. Not just in allocating the resources necessary to invest in the technologies, but also on the follow-through on implementation. "The companies that struggle purchase the technology but don't focus on the tools they have." ■ 50 HDT • MAY 2014 www.truckinginfo.com Technology: Keeping Roads Safe "A scorecard is an indicator of a driver's performance, not the safety risk he may be." – Vikas Jain, Omnitracs Tire pressure monitoring systems, such as this one from Doran Manufacturing, not only alert drivers to potential low-pressure situations, but when integrated with a vehicle's in-cab telematics system can send that information to a fleet's back office alerting driver managers and shop personnel of the possible problems. s a f e t y t e c h n o l o g i e s . i n d d 5 0 safety technologies.indd 50 4 / 3 0 / 1 4 1 2 : 5 1 P M 4/30/14 12:51 PM

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