CINCINNATI. "Data sucks."
That's not a quote you expect to hear from the VP of a growing fleet technology company. But because there is so much more data being gathered and shared with fleets these days, it can be beyond overwhelming to try to figure out what to do it with it – particularly when it comes to coaching and encouraging your drivers.
Artificial intelligence fleet safety startup Netradyne keeps adding more bells and whistles to its Driveri system that Adam Kahn, vice president of fleet for Netradyne, says will help fleets embrace the data that is important.
"Data sucks because it is so in your face and you're like, 'Oh my God, I don't know what to do with it,'" he told Fleet Owner during the National Private Truck Council's annual convention, NPTC 2018. "But if someone says, 'Your driver is having a little trouble, here's five data points, and here's how to address it quickly,' data is your friend."
The San Diego-based company is launching Driveri RealTimeCoach and the Driveri MobileCoach app. The expanded suite of coaching tools is designed to create more collaboration and communication with the driver during their workday. The RealTimeCoach alerts drivers with immediate audible notifications inside the vehicle, helping to proactively reduce risk while the vehicle is moving. While the MobileCoach App sends the driver an electronic review of his or her driving habits at the end of a shift.
Kahn has been driving with the RealTimeCoach in his car lately and says it quickly helped him end some bad habits. "The first week I was driving, I was hearing 'beep, beep, beep, beep, beep' all the time," he said. "The second week it went down dramatically. It wasn't because we changed the frequency of the analytics, it was because I actually self-modulated my following distance."
Driveri RealTimeCoach uses audible reminders and notifications to guide the driver through his or her workday. Utilizing AI, the system coaches the driver on speed, following distance, harsh driving and seatbelt usage. In addition, "Drowsy & Distracted" driving and "Collision Warning" alerts are designed to immediately reduce risky situations. The goal is to create an environment where the driver can self-adjust based on appropriate feedback.
The beeps (and chimes) sound if a driver is following too closely or doesn't stop a stop sign, for example. "A little chime went off when I was one-second behind the vehicle in front of me," Kahn said. "Then I had a buzzer that went off when I was 0.6 seconds following distance. All right. I don't want to hear those anymore. So now I've naturally become a less aggressive driver."
The traditional approach to coaching drivers, according to Kahn, has solely relied on the identification of declining performance that led a manager to schedule a face-to-face conversation with the driver. Often, this approach only served to alienate the driver and ultimately deteriorate their relationship with the safety manager, he said.
Driveri is a vision-based driver recognition safety program that captures every minute of the driving experience delivering safety managers a complete view of their driver's day including positive driving behaviors, exoneration events and areas for individualized coaching.
The Driveri MobileCoach App is available on selected Android and iOS devices, making it easier for the driver to stay updated on their GreenZone score when they are not driving. GreenZone provides fleets the ability to track driving behaviors against team safety programs and goals. In addition, Driveri Mobile Coach creates an immediate collaboration platform that allows drivers to review both positive driving and selected videos used for training.
Using the app, fleet managers can send selected video clips to drivers to initiate conversations and coaching about certain behaviors. Kahn noted that this works great with long-haul drivers who are gone for longer periods. "So you're not coming back for eight to 10 days but I am going to send you this stop sign video so we both can review it together and have an electronic conversation," said Kahn, citing a rolling stop sign violation as an example.
"It's pretty simple. It's not very time consuming," he added. "So I went from the self-coaching inside the vehicle to an electronic conversation. Maybe the next natural step is a partnership with a training company that says, 'I now know you're a habitual rolling stop person.'"
And with that knowledge, fleet managers and coaches can know about specific things that specific drivers need to focus on to be better and safer on the road, Kahn said.
"Managers should not underestimate the impact of coaching on their team as it frequently creates a fundamental shift in their work approach," Kahn said. "Safety managers have struggled reaching their drivers effectively, either due to location or time limitations. With Driveri RealTimeCoach and Driveri MobileCoach, technology is serving as an advocate for drivers by ensuring safe driving throughout the day, versus requiring them to wait for a face-to-face or a monthly meeting."
Netradyne's Driveri uses a Quad-HD camera to provide a complete view of the road, a TeraFLOP processor capable of one trillion calculations per second and artificial intelligence that analyzes driver behavior and relays data to fleet managers immediately.
