Kutzler Express
How Kutzler Express made safety a “power move” with Netradyne
In just one year their GreenZone safety scores jumped from 860–870 to an average of 947.
Accident response and insurance claim times have improved.
Positive driver engagement has improved safety culture.
Kutzler Express, a YMX Logistics company, has been a leading spotting, shuttling, and dedicated short hauling provider in the Midwestern US since 1929. With over 100 vehicles and 200 drivers, the team is busy every day fielding customer requests, dispatching drivers, and responding to alerts and incidents on the road.
The Kutzler team has always been focused on safety. However, since the acquisition by YMX Logistics the focus has shifted to measuring and continuous improvement. “We believe that safety is a power move,” says Erin Mitchell, COO at YMX Logistics. She believes that it's critical to be able to track and improve drivers' performance. "This saves lives and helps our drivers become more aware of areas of improvement."
To achieve this, Kutzler Express partnered with Netradyne to implement its Driver•i video-based fleet safety solution in all of its vehicles. In just one year, they have seen significant results in every area of the business, from improved driving performance to faster exoneration in not-at-fault incidents.
As with any new technology, there was initial resistance to in-cab telematics. Some drivers questioned the need for cameras at all.
But that changed quickly once drivers saw the impact of Netradyne’s platform and how it generated alerts for positive behaviors—not just infractions.
“Driver acceptance, as well as our safety scores, have climbed through the past year with Netradyne,” says Mitchell. Gamification has brought out many drivers’ competitive sides as well.
“We’ve got some drivers who installed the app on their own phones just so they can understand better how the system works. They think it’s an exciting technology and it’s fun for them to earn DriverStars and be in the GreenZone®️. They’ve really embraced the safety and gaming aspect of the system.”
Erin Mitchell
COO at YMX Logistics
It soon became clear that the new system benefited not just Kutzler Express, but also the drivers themselves in a very tangible way. Because Netradyne leverages edge computing, users can quickly access footage from the devices in the vehicles via the online portal or the mobile app. This makes it possible for safety managers to pull up video footage—and exonerate drivers when accidents happen—in near real-time.
“Earlier this year we had a driver who was hit by an oncoming vehicle, and police were called to the scene,” says Mitchell.
“We were quickly able to use Netradyne’s footage to demonstrate that the driver was not at fault and exonerate him. Without that technology, the driver would have received the ticket and we would’ve had to pay damages. It would’ve impacted our insurance.”
Beyond engaging drivers with gamification and exonerating them when incidents happen, Netradyne’s platform has also helped drivers trust that they’re being evaluated more fairly.
“The good thing about Netradyne is that Matt, our Safety Manager, can see if we’re actually at fault. If he sees that we weren’t, he adjusts the score to where it should be,” says Quendalyne Alexander, a driver at Kutzler Express since 2022.
“But if he sees that we’re traveling too close, he’s going to hold us accountable—and that’s what I like. There’s no favoritism.”
Since implementing Netradyne’s solution, the most noticeable change at Kutzler Express has been in its culture. Not only does the platform help the safety team observe driver behavior and conditions on the road at all times, it also enables them to have more positive and coachable interactions with drivers. This in turn has led to drivers using Netradyne’s tools more enthusiastically.
“My favorite part of the Netradyne solution is every once in a while we’ll have a driver come into the office with a story about something that happened on the road—and they’ll tell us, 'Pull up the video, we want to show you what happened and how we reacted.'"
Erin Mitchell
COO at YMX Logistics
“I think that’s a really positive interaction around safety, and the culture of safety is what’s really exciting. The drivers love the competition, and they love knowing how they’re performing.”
Now, Kutzler Express’ drivers are excited and motivated, and have the tools they need to excel every day.
“We were all skeptical about it at first,” says Alexander. “But what I like about it is it makes me want to drive better. When I get my GreenZone score, it’s a different feeling. Especially when it’s over a thousand—I’ll walk around and show it! I know I’m not perfect, but I know at the end of the day when I see that score, I’m doing my best to try to stay safe.”
Payton Jadwin, another driver at Kutzler Express, agrees. “I pay attention to Driver Streaks. I like to see how long I was in the GreenZone and how long I can keep up a DriverStar streak without any incidents generated.”
Netradyne’s platform has also empowered drivers to self-coach and find opportunities to improve on their own. “The thing that’s affecting my score the most is acceleration,” says Jadwin. “And I’m improving day to day to lighten my lead foot.”
Netradyne has improved safety measurably in real-time for Kutzler Express drivers. Thanks to edge computing, the company can dramatically decrease accident response times, getting help for drivers quickly and protecting them in incidents where they’re not at fault. And with in-cab alerts that remind drivers to maintain good habits such as reducing their speed and avoiding hard braking, it helps them keep others on the road safe as well.
“Netradyne has absolutely made my life easier in terms of accident response and my interface with our insurance company and local law enforcement.”
Matt Winkler
Safety Manager at Kutzler Express.
“I love the fact that it has inward-facing video so we can demonstrate very clearly that our drivers are not driving distracted, that they have their hands on the wheel, that they’re paying attention. These cameras make it so much easier to pull footage and show, without a doubt, that our drivers are doing the right thing.”
In just one year with Netradyne, Kutzler Express has seen a jump in GreenZone safety scores from 860–870 to an average of 947—alongside fewer damages and incidents, and lower insurance rates.
Even more importantly, the company’s culture and relationships with drivers have improved too. “Without Netradyne, we wouldn’t have any way of scoring or measuring our drivers on safety,” says Mitchell.
“It would be highly subjective and we also would have a less dynamic and involved discussion with our drivers. It really helps enhance that driver relationship and provides those coachable insights, outside of having an actual safety incident or a traffic infraction.”
Learn how to implement Netradyne’s fleet safety solutions in your fleet and transform your safety culture. Book a demo now.
Kutzler Express is part of YMX Logistics. YMX Logistics is a national provider of outsourced yard logistics services and transportation solutions, specializing in sustainable, optimized services for Fortune 500 companies across the retail, manufacturing, and distribution sectors. Committed to operational excellence and sustainability, YMX combines a deep understanding of industry challenges with advanced technology to deliver impactful, efficient yard logistics and transportation solutions that enhance productivity while reducing operational costs. Trusted by the largest brands in the world, YMX Logistics is the preferred partner for transformative operations across North America.
For more information, please visit ymxlogistics.com.
* Individual results and conditions may vary.
** Based on customer data.
† Netradyne must receive written approval to share client data.
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