{"id":11922,"date":"2021-07-23T13:20:54","date_gmt":"2021-07-23T11:20:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/?p=11922"},"modified":"2021-07-23T13:20:54","modified_gmt":"2021-07-23T11:20:54","slug":"safety-16","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/2021\/07\/23\/safety-16\/","title":{"rendered":"How real-time coaching can boost fleet efficiency and safety"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Fleets using real-time in-cab coaching are finding that when their drivers focus on better fuel efficiency, it also makes them safer.<\/div>\n
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Since Tucker Freight Lines<\/a> added real-time in-cab coaching to its fleet of dry vans and flatbeds two years ago, the carrier has increased its fleetwide mpg by one mile, saving drivers about $200 per week in fuel\u2014around $10,000 per year. Along with better fuel efficiency, the fleet has become safer.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe driver coach app really works well with for the driver because as they’re driving down the road, they see immediate feedback, whether it’s based on their acceleration or their coasting or whatever it may be in their driving performance,\u201d Cody McClain, director of safety and human resources for Tucker Freight Lines (TFL), said during a Truckload Carriers Association webinar <\/a>on real-time coaching.<\/p>\n

The webinar was sponsored by trucking technology company Isaac Instruments<\/a>, which offers real-time driver coaching integrated with its ELDs, and led by Jean-Sebastien Bouchard, Isaac\u2019s co-founder and EVP of sales. \u201cIn the early days with Isaac,\u201d he said, \u201cI helped the team design real-time driver coaching algorithms that have grown today into the Isaac Coach, the real-time coaching service that\u2019s available in-cab on our platform for drivers to generate fuel savings and be safer on our roads.\u201d<\/p>\n

McClain said that since his fleet\u2014a mix of company drivers and owner-operators\u2014started using the Isaac Coach, they\u2019ve learned to appreciate how it makes them safer and more efficient drivers. \u201cSometimes company drivers don\u2019t see why they should get better fuel economy,\u201d he said. \u201cWe wanted to incentivize them and show them that if you are getting better mileage, we want to put that back in their pockets and into random fuel islands across the country.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Credit: Isaac Instruments<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Using the Isaac Coach scoring system for fuel efficiency, TFL has incentivized its company drivers to be more efficient. \u201cThey\u2019ve made great strides and see the benefits,\u201d McClain said of the drivers. \u201cOnce they get their scores to certain places, they see money back in their own pockets.\u201d<\/p>\n

Deryk Gillispie, vice president of IT and innovation for Trimac<\/a>, one of the largest tanker carriers in North America, said his company is also using the Isaac system to incentivize company drivers. \u201cWe get a weekly summary of all the operators\u2019 results,\u201d he said during the webinar. \u201cEverybody above a certain threshold is entered into a drawing. Through our company recognition program and platform and some financial incentives, those folks receive a meaningful financial bonus for their performance that week.\u201d<\/p>\n

For the independent drivers at Trimac, they see incentives on their own as they spend less money on fuel since installing real-time coaching in their cabs, Gillispie said. \u201cIn some areas, our independent contractors consistently achieved much higher scores than our company drivers do,\u201d he added. \u201cAnd we believe this is attributed to the fact that several of those independent contractors really see and have observed and are experiencing the savings on fuel consumption. So they\u2019re on board with the program.\u201d<\/p>\n