Sunstate Equipment Strengthens Fleet Safety and Coaching with Netradyne

Company Summary

Founded in 1977 with a single yard in Phoenix, Sunstate Equipment has grown into North America’s sixth-largest construction equipment rental company, serving customers across the U.S.

Its fleet of roughly 1,400 vehicles includes pickups for managers and sales teams, heavy-duty service trucks for field technicians, and delivery trucks ranging from rollbacks to tractor-trailers. Much of the fleet runs in dense metropolitan traffic, on tight job-site schedules, and under DOT regulations, where a late delivery can stall a contractor’s job and an experienced CDL driver is hard to replace.

Challenge: Building a Camera Program That Develops Drivers

When Carole Tringali, EHS Manager, looked at Sunstate’s camera program, she saw an opportunity to make coaching more balanced and constructive.

Sunstate previously used Lytx for vehicle cameras and driver safety, with coaching centered on reviewing individual events. As the fleet and safety program grew, the company wanted deeper insight into how its drivers were driving every day, and more timely ways to coach them.

Tringali wanted coaching that emphasized driver development alongside correction. That meant addressing how drivers saw the cameras themselves. As Tringali recalled, “It was very negative to have cameras in your vehicles.”

Changing that perception became part of the goal.

Everyday risks needed attention too. Sunstate wanted to identify patterns such as phone use and close following across all driving, then give drivers timely feedback before those habits led to incidents.

When incidents or disputed DOT violations did occur, the team needed timely access to video, along with a consistent process for turning driving data into coaching that fit its fleet safety program.

Sunstate needed a solution that could identify everyday driving risks, turn driving data into consistent and constructive coaching, and provide timely video for incident reviews and disputed violations.

Solution: Turning AI-Powered Cameras into a Driver Development Tool

Sunstate selected Netradyne’s Fleet Safety solution for its AI-powered insights, real-time in-cab feedback, and self-coaching tools, which complemented the company’s existing driver training program.

By combining 100% drive time analysis, real-time alerts, and the GreenZone® Score, Sunstate built a proactive program centered on helping drivers improve, giving Tringali the foundation she wanted.

Equipping Service and Delivery Fleets for Proactive Safety

Sunstate deployed Driver•i AI-powered cameras across its service and delivery vehicles and much of the remaining fleet, covering both regulated and non-regulated operations.

Netradyne analyzes 100% of drive time, surfacing both safe and risky behaviors. The GreenZone® Score turns that into an explainable measure that recognizes what drivers do right alongside what needs work, helping Sunstate pinpoint coaching needs.

Real-time in-cab alerts prompt drivers to self-correct in the moment, addressing risks like phone use and close following as they happen.

Turning Driving Insights into Consistent Coaching

Follow-up coaching reinforces what the in-cab alerts start. Regional Safety Managers and Driver Trainers review camera events and coach drivers, while branch leaders reinforce consistent expectations across locations.

Drivers take an active role as well. Driver Self-Coaching gives them the tools to review their own feedback and improve independently, and Managed Coaching supports configurable, focused follow-up.

Together, these tools strengthen Sunstate’s own training, coaching, and accountability processes, so every alert connects to a clear next step for the driver.

Using Video to Support Drivers in Incident Reviews

When an incident occurs or a driver receives a disputed DOT violation, the team reviews full-context video to assess what happened. That footage gives Sunstate a clear basis for evaluating driving actions in context.

When the evidence shows a driver acted safely, Sunstate stands behind them. The cameras protect drivers as much as they coach them.

Results: More Than 25% Higher GreenZone Score and Fewer Distracted-Driving Behaviors

By combining full-context AI, real-time in-cab alerts, and consistent coaching, Sunstate has strengthened how it identifies risk while helping drivers build safer habits.

Key results:

• More than 25% improvement in GreenZone Score across 870+ drivers in under two years
• Greater visibility into driving patterns and opportunities for targeted risk reduction
• A more consistent, evidence-based approach to driver coaching
• Stronger support for incident reviews and disputed roadway events
• Better insight into safe driving habits and areas for improvement
• Reported reductions in distracted-driving behaviors

Driving insights now inform how Sunstate reviews its fleet safety expectations, connecting identified risks to practical coaching and policy improvements. The value comes from how Sunstate puts the data to work: guiding informed decisions, reinforcing clear expectations, and making coaching more constructive. That’s the shift Tringali set out to make.

Heather Vasquez, Sr. DOT Compliance Specialist, sees the payoff in the drivers themselves.

“Netradyne let us find more than the obvious bad habits. It gave us the depth and detail to correct them and make better drivers.”
— Heather Vasquez, Sr. DOT Compliance Specialist, Sunstate Equipment

Looking Ahead: Expanding from Safety to Fleet Operations

Building on its safety progress, Sunstate is evaluating Netradyne’s Fleet Management solution to bring fuel and maintenance information onto the same platform. The evaluation will explore how mileage data and vehicle diagnostics support fuel reporting, including IFTA tracking, and flag maintenance needs earlier.

The safety program keeps evolving too. The team is standardizing driver training across regions and updating its fleet safety program, with Netradyne insights informing efforts to reduce vehicle incidents.

Recognition is growing as well, with a quarterly recognition program for million-mile drivers planned.

The goal stays the same: pair technology with consistent coaching and clear expectations to develop better drivers. Sunstate also values sharing what works with other fleets, and Vasquez is clear about which partner she recommends.

“Safety is no secret. Safety people love to share what works, and when other fleets ask who we trust with our drivers’ safety, Netradyne is the one we recommend.”
‍— Heather Vasquez, Sr. DOT Compliance Specialist, Sunstate Equipment