G&P Incentive Program Ups Fleet Safety Rating
G&P continued its quest for the latest safety technologies available to drive their safety program even further.
G&P started what is called the SmartDriveR program – a monthly contest for drivers who have achieved best-in-class safety performance. Drivers with safety scores under 100 are entered into a monthly drawing to win $1,000.
G&P has accelerated adoption of the SmartDrive program in light of continued safety score improvement. There are also plans to deploy the system into G&P’s owner-operator community.
G&P Trucking Company is a truckload carrier in the southeastern United States, providing import and export motor freight transportation with approximately 700 vehicles in its fleet.
Driver safety is a primary focus for the G&P team, and investing in driver safety is critical to efficient and profitable fleet operations.
G&P was an early investor in safety technology, including electronic HOS, MeritorWabco active safety systems and Bendix, and was recognized as a division winner for the 2014 National Fleet Safety Awards.
G&P implemented SmartDrive System’s video-based safety program, using exterior and interior-mounted cameras that help exonerate drivers and reduce their risk.
The system delivers video in minutes allowing G&P to quickly determine what triggered the incident, why it happened, and what action they needed to take.
SmartDrive captures video and data from the ECU and active safety systems, which enable G&P to have direct and informed conversations about driving performance.
“Understanding how safety technologies support your current safety program and how you can leverage what they offer to improve your programs is valuable to making good decisions. Getting buy-in and support throughout the fleet, from your drivers to executives is critical”
-John Billingsley, Director of Safety
“At first our drivers were skeptical of in-cab cameras, but with time they realized the cameras are there to protect them and help them improve. They responded even more positively when we put a cash incentive behind good safety scores,” said John Billingsley.
G&P replaced ‘group’ safety meetings with weekly one-on-one meetings between drivers and coaches to review performance; recognize success and discuss best practices. G&P has noticed that coaching drivers and acknowledging their good driving habits has increased driver retention.
G&P saw a decrease in distracted driving, and month-over-month improvements in driver safety scores. One driver even scored a 9 – which is considered to be nearly perfect driving.
The number of fatalities in truck-involved crashes has risen every year in the last four years, according to The New York Times, which also reported that the death toll from truck crashes rose 17 percent from 2009-2013.
G&P understands that safety is critical to its operations; that’s why G&P leverages innovative safety solutions to protect its drivers and fleet.