Bryan Truck Line had been using inward and outward-facing dash cameras since 2013 to help protect their drivers. However, the camera system deployed only provided alerts and video footage for G-force incidents. By 2018, Bryan Truck Line wanted a better understanding of what was happening on the road, including sideward-facing views. They researched AI-based camera system and chose Netradyne’s Driver•i as it gave the company the complete picture. What stood out for them, according to Chief Operating Officer, Zach Dean, was the system’s ability to record 100 percent of drive time, capture a variety of alerts, and recognize drivers for a job well done.
Dean says the driver behavior they saw on the camera footage “blew their minds.”. This caused them to respond by coaching the drivers in a manner that was too harsh, and it started making drivers anxious. They quickly realized they could be just as effective with driver coaching by using a softer approach and a growth mindset. So, they pivoted and leaned into the positive. They designed and ran a “Safety Positivity Campaign” including the following elements:
Safety Positivity Campaign |
|---|
|
|
|
|
Citing a continuous improvement model, Dean says they also came up with a S.A.F.E. training program which provides a training protocol based on the severity and specificity of the event on the road.
“Our goal is to grow good drivers to great drivers and great drivers to excellent drivers. This keeps safety at the forefront of everything we do.”
-Zach Dean, Chief Operating Officer, Bryan Truck Line
The drivers improved their following distance compliance from 50% to 98.4% in the 24 months after installing Driver•i. “Our CSA score is now the best it has ever been, and our loss ratio has plummeted. Our insurer was blown away with our growth as a company, as we went from a CSA measure of 2.37 in June 2018 to a measure of .84 in June 2022.”
Although a few Bryan Truck Line drivers initially cited common concerns such as privacy, they have embraced the camera system and appreciate the extra set of eyes it provides. The drivers say there is an expectation that professional drivers can avoid all accidents, and it’s simply not possible; they “would be lost without the camera,” which is “an investment that protects my livelihood,” and that provides “evidence that I was not in the wrong, in the event of a lawsuit or a ticket.”
| One driver noted, “The camera saved me in Little Rock. The other driver told the state trooper that I cut in front of him. I called our safety director, she sent me the video, and I was able to show the footage to the trooper, who cited that driver on the spot.” | 
|
Dean says as managers they are always looking to improve their methods as well. Now that they have complete visibility, they aren’t guessing about what’s going on any longer, and they let the data guide their decision-making. They use Driver•i’s integrated coaching modules to train drivers and track the data so they can monitor driver progress and take note for future conversations. And in those conversations, they collect input from the drivers about how management can improve the overall coaching experience.
In turn, the management team at Bryan provides input to Netradyne about the Driver•i system. Dean says,
“I love that Netradyne requests our input, pivots with us, and tweaks the algorithm to make it better and more fair. It’s continuous improvement at its best!”
Bryan Truck Line has been providing customers with reliable van and flatbed service throughout the U.S. and Canada since 1948. A family-owned company with 120 drivers, they focus on Safety and Quality Transportation Services which meet or exceed their customers’ requirements. Continuous improvement is the driving force throughout the company.
