With a communication gap identified, how can we effectively solve the issue? What steps are required for taking your fleet to an efficient powerhouse of the best driving force?

There are three key solutions to improve your transport system focused on data, mechanics, people and policy.

1. BETTER DATA COLLECTION TO MEASURE PERFORMANCE

Where drivers and trucks are concerned, data is one of the most important tools at your disposal. Not only can you identify risky driver behavior, but data reveals key learning that can be used to improve the performance of your drivers.
Legacy video systems have done a great job of capturing exception-based and happenstance data based on hard braking and inertial events. But focusing on capturing data with this method excludes instances where drivers roll through stop signs or red lights, weave in traffic, and follow too close without hard braking. Even more concerning is that drivers may be conditioned not to brake if they are in such a situation in order to avoid creating a video event.
On the flip side, driving is a challenging profession where drivers are dealing with congestion, poor behavior from non-commercial drivers, and navigating through environments not designed for large vehicles. With such tricky environmental factors, there are many opportunities to identify where drivers show exceptional skill and decision-making capabilities. It’s critical to include these data points when communicating about driver performance.
Each of these aspects is crucial to the foundation of a better system for driver incentives, support, and motivation. No driver wants to improve without any recognition, especially for those who started poorly and have put in a lot of effort. A system that captures all data make it easier to show them support.

INTRODUCING A DRIVER SCORE
A driver score is a simple rating system that allows drivers to know where they stand, performance-wise. If they are scored by performance, then it becomes easy to know when they’ve improved or regressed. To accurately award a driver score, there must
be a review data set, collected in real time without bias. A simplistic system will likely determine this score using the absence of poor performance.
To have a full picture, you need a system that records both the good and bad, continuously comparing against an existing data set. The system would also have to replicate the same conditions used for scoring drivers every single time.

2. ENGAGE DRIVERS IN A DIALOGUE

Consistent communication between drivers and management is absolutely critical. Open lines of communication allow drivers to share performance tips and information between themselves, as well as relay concerns to management and vice versa. Trust between drivers and their employers is essential to their sustained performance and willingness to improve.
When there is a gap in communication, drivers may begin to feel like their wellbeing is not taken seriously. It also creates room for the same mistakes to be repeated between drivers because of the gap between them and others who have made the same mistakes.
Using a system like a driver score serves as a starting point for a conversation. Managers and drivers can use this score to discuss performance changes, and how drivers can continuously improve. Video examples can be used as evidence to illustrate the whole picture of the driver’s performance.
Implementing new technologies will help you share the fleet’s performance details so drivers understand where they stand among their peers. Data will also enable you to educate your team about company goals and metrics.
When it comes to gaining and maintaining driver trust, transparency goes a long way.
Technology also gives you the ability to communicate with drivers on their playing field. Instead of calling them back to headquarters for a conversation, you can share information with them through a mobile app.

3. DRIVER MOTIVATION

A great way to ensure that drivers stay on the job is by giving them more reasons to. When drivers are unmotivated to do their jobs, it shows in their performance, and before long, they begin to look for better opportunities. There are several ways to motivate drivers to stay on the job.

• Introducing an open rewards system based on performance indicators like the driver score.
• Creating safety contests that create opportunities for drivers to share their experiences.
• Showing drivers that their safety is important to you.

TECHNOLOGY SIMPLIFIES THIS PROCESS BY PROVIDING EFFICIENT REWARD SYSTEMS, AND SHOWING YOUR DRIVERS THAT YOU SUPPORT THEM IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS:

• USE CAMERAS TO EVALUATE MOTORIST COMPLAINTS:
  Often, complaints about a company’s drivers are difficult to confirm. In many cases, a driver faces reprimands simply because a motorist complained. Having a camera system that is on all the time and allows for easy retrieval of video makes it possible to confirm or deny these complaints more effectively.
• DEVELOP A WAY TO REGULARLY RECOGNIZE SAFE DRIVERS:
  Broadcast the names and driver scores of the top drivers at each location TV systems and company bulletins. This can create a sense of healthy competition to be a top performer.
• INCLUDE THE DRIVER SCORE IN THE COMPANY’S SAFETY RECOGNITION PROGRAM FOR DRIVERS:
  This can allow for more frequent recognition based on an easy-to-understand score that reflects a driver’s safe driving behavior.

Netradyne drives transportation companies forward with best-in-class, next generation safety solutions enabling fleets to acquire and retain qualified drivers while improving driver satisfaction. Legacy systems have done a great job of mitigating issues in the transport industry, but it’s time to move forward.

Here at Netradyne, we are taking the industry three steps further by engaging and empowering drivers to improve performance. This is why we have developed Driveri, a cutting-edge technological solution.

Our goal is simple: Make bad drivers good, and make good drivers outstanding in a supportive, collaborative environment that leads to improved yield in driver recruitment and retention.

Driveri provides fleet managers with a comprehensive view of drivers’ activity through a blend of real-time positive driving notifications and best practice identification. We provide a balance of positive, supportive comments along with constructive feedback about risky driving behavior – engaging drivers in balanced interactions that promote productive and collaborative relationships, and ultimately safer drivers.

It is the first vehicle technology to combine Artificial Intelligence with video for identification and analysis to determine the cause of events that occur with drivers during the transport cycle. Meaningful data allows you to create a safe environment that nurtures your drivers and fleet into the best version of themselves.

Driveri is an onboard driving coach which does more than just risk mitigation. It encompasses every important element of driver management and aims to engage drivers and ensure their safety and willingness to stay on the job.
More than just a training product, Driveri is our way of helping drivers improve their performance through support and feedback — without rigorous anxiety-inducing training sessions. Through a number of well-designed features, Driveri will:

• Increase the pool of qualified drivers
• Improve the quality of drivers
• Improve driver satisfaction on the job.

Driveri collects and processes data in real time by analyzing various data points — instead of sending video feeds for human analysis. The system constantly captures and analyzes every minute of driving time and delivers insights about driver performance. Real-time Artificial Intelligence feature combines with sensors to collect an endless loop of data and feedback.
This allows the device to offer insight that can be used to make decisions on the go. This is great for a number of reasons such as:

• Offering a comprehensive view of how a driver is performing and reducing assumptions and guesswork when analyzing performance. Allowing you to analyze driver behavior in a consistent and unbiased way, using machine learning and artificial intelligence.
• Quickly identifying any inconsistencies and potential problems that may hinder performance in the future.

Since Driveri® coaches drivers on the go you no longer have to wait for a driver to return to the terminal to engage in a conversation.
The platform offers DriverSTAR, a great way for drivers to be recognized and rewarded. Being a professional driver is not easy. Without credit being given where it’s due, drivers are less engaged. DriverSTAR makes it easy to offer rewards, show support and concern for their safety.

This is all based on GreenZone®, a driver score based on positive driving instead of focusing on negative events. This approach gives a complete picture of how well a driver is doing and reduces the likelihood of an availability bias when evaluating them. It also shows which areas a driver may need coaching in.

GreenZone monitors a driver’s daily driving and notifies you when they have reached a new milestone. This allows a manager to recognize which drivers are showing improvements and forms the basis of a great incentives system.

The Driveri mobile application acts as a communication system between you and the drivers. The platform gives all its users access to data and shows them where they stand and how they are performing.

Driveri alerts drivers in real time regarding speed, distance, and other factors. As an onboard coaching system, it analyzes data and immediately lets the drivers know the good, the bad and ugly of their driving day.