Veriha Trucking Strengthens Safety Culture and Driver Performance with Netradyne

Company Summary

Veriha Trucking is a family-owned trucking company with roots dating back to 1978, when founder John Veriha hauled paper out of Wisconsin and produce back from California. Over the years the company has grown significantly, but its core mission remains unchanged: deliver freight safely and on time while ensuring drivers get home to their families after every trip.

Safety has long been a priority for Veriha, the company was among the first carriers to invest in in-cab camera technology in 2013, demonstrating early recognition of the value of video and data to improve driver performance and fleet safety.

Challenge

Veriha’s leadership recognized that safety technology should do more than simply record events; it should be a catalyst for measurable behavior change and sustained driver engagement. With rising expectations around fleet safety, driver retention, and operational visibility, Veriha needed a solution that could:

• Provide real-time insights into driver behavior
• Support proactive coaching across the fleet
• Reinforce safe driving habits without punitive stigma
• Engage drivers in understanding and improving their own performance

According to President Karen Smercheck, the goal was not just compliance, but building a culture of accountability and continuous improvement, one where drivers actually want to learn and grow.

Solution

Veriha implemented Netradyne’s Driver-i AI-powered video and driver coaching platform to bring deeper visibility and engagement to its safety program.  

Key elements of the solution include:

• Weekly self-coaching: Events and video clips are pushed to drivers on a weekly cadence, allowing them to self-reflect on performance. This promotes ownership of safety and growth.
• ‍Behavioral insights: Netradyne’s analytics classify different types of distracted driving, speeding, and other risk behaviors, helping Veriha tailor coaching conversations. ‍
• Driver transparency: Drivers can access their own scores and event details through the app, enabling them to track performance over time.

Tim Kordula, Safety and Training Development Director, emphasizes that the focus is on awareness and improvement: “We review camera footage to show drivers not only what we’re seeing, but how we can actually improve from a coaching standpoint.”

Leigh Olsen, Vice President of Fleet Development, notes that Veriha’s team uses Netradyne’s weekly executive summaries to monitor who is performing well and ensure drivers are actively engaging with the coaching content.

‍

Results

Since adopting Netradyne, Veriha has made measurable shifts in safety culture and driver engagement.  

Key outcomes include:

• Increased driver accountability: Drivers actively check their Driver-i app to review scores and alerts, fostering self-directed learning. ‍
• Enhanced coaching efficiency: Weekly event summaries and performance visibility allow safety advisors to prioritize coaching and highlight positive behaviors. ‍
• Positive driver reception: Drivers like Jeff Leslie appreciate having a score and ability to compare performance: “It helps me grow and improve as a driver. My only regret is that I didn't get into this sooner.” ‍
• Stronger safety culture: Veriha leadership sees the program as a foundation of driver recruitment and retention. Leigh Olsen explains: “Professional drivers are looking for safe carriers to work for. Safety is our number one core value.”

Karen Smercheck adds: “I’m really proud of the culture that we've created at Veriha around being accountable to each other and to ourselves.”