Ruan Transportation is more than a safe fleet — it’s a “Megasafe” fleet. The Des Moines-based family-owned carrier has built its company around its proprietary Megasafe7 Rules of Safe Driving, which preaches seven rules to help drivers tackle the challenges on the road — and return home safely to their families.

The company recently signed a deal with Lytx to deploy the Lytx SF300 DriveCam Event Recorders across its fleet of more than 3,000 vehicles. “I think we’ve validated what we always believed,” Chad Willis, Ruan’s senior vice president of safety, compliance and support services, told FleetOwner, “that we are good in the safety space, that we have good people in our trucks.”

Before deciding that the Lytx system was the right video telematics, analytics, safety and productivity solution for all of Ruan’s vehicles — including tractors and maintenance trucks and company cars — the fleet ran a pilot program on some trucks. Those test runs showed “strong quantitative results,” Willis said. And since equipping the entire fleet with SF300 DriveCams, “we’ve seen the video safety program enhance the overall safety culture. Safety focus is one of our guiding principles and it’s enhanced that.”

Founded nearly 90 years ago in Iowa, Ruan provides dedicated contract transportation, managed transportation, and value-added warehousing to customers across the country at more than 300 operations.

While it is still early in fleetwide adoption, Willis said that Ruan’s beta testers of the Lytx system saw an initial improvement with fewer risks on the road. “It also created visibility to the really good things our folks do on the road,” he added. “As you look at events, there have been many, many examples where our team members are reacting in a very safe manner to the unsafe actions of others. And this system has allowed us to recognize that, which is extremely important.” 

Through its Megasafe Safety Program, Ruan works to ensure its team has the safest equipment, ongoing training, and guidance from Ruan’s Megasafe7 Rules of Safe Driving.

Lytx is also excited about the partnership. “My history has always been on the safety side — I spent all my life as a safety professional until I joined Lytx,” Gary Johnson, the transportation technology company’s director of risk and compliance management, told FleetOwner. “I see why Ruan is so well respected. Chad and his group really are the top class of safety in this industry.”

Johnson added that the Lytx technology that Ruan is now using is a great way to strengthen the Megasafe program. 

“This decision was driven by Ruan’s unwavering commitment to provide the safest workplace in our industry, especially as our team members navigate roadways occupied by an increasingly distracted motoring public,” Willis said. “It was also motivated by the obligation and privilege we enjoy enhancing and protecting our customers’ brands.”

New in-cab alerts 

Lytx and Ruan started working together several years ago with a small-scale deployment at a single site. Then, in December 2019, Ruan signed on to a trial of the Lytx SF300 DriveCam Event Recorders.

The SF300 pairs machine vision with artificial intelligence (MV+AI) to accurately identify and categorize moments that matter on the road, such as distracted driving. The most recent update includes triggers for “inattentiveness,” when a driver’s attention may be unfocused or they may be experiencing drowsiness, as well as real-time, in-cab alerts for five specific risky driving behaviors: cell phone use, eating and drinking, smoking, no seat belt, speeding, and inattentiveness.

“Lytx’s focus on empowering team members aligns perfectly with the goals of our Megasafe program,” said Willis. “The Lytx SF300, MV+AI triggers, in-cab alerts, and cloud-connected DVRs work together to offer a significant improvement from our previous technology.” 

The safety culture at Ruan is essential not only for its current staff but for its future workers. “Our safety focus is the guiding principle from the recruitment process through orientation,” Willis said. “I think the people that drive trucks appreciate that. They appreciate the support that they get to have a safe working environment. And that helps us attract the very best and it manifests itself across the company.”

Despite being late adopters of in-cab video technology, Willis said it was time to finally do it. And he is getting good feedback from drivers and others who work for the fleet. “There’s no question this was the right thing to do and this was the right time to do it. It’s increasing our safety, driver recognition, and performance. And it’s going to prevent injuries. So it’s the right thing to do.”