Cutting through the scorecard clutter is the aim of a performance management system introduced by HNI, an insurance and risk management firm based in New Berlin, Wis. on July 16. The DART system combines metrics from a variety of fleet operational areas to produce a single driver score that measures the driver’s impact on profitability.
Speaking during a webinar introducing the service, HNI vice president Don Jerrell said in many fleets there is a problem of data overload and that companies are “getting more data than we know what to do with” and that various departments are analyzing data only from their particular perspective while missing the overall picture. “Each department (safety, operations, maintenance, etc.) is using data in their department and only focusing on that.” He pointed out that in some companies, drivers can get bonuses from a number of areas, such as operations (on-time rate, for instance) or safety (driving record or BASIC scores) and/or a fuel bonus for exceeding company MPG standards. But Jerrell said some of these incentives are contradictory and a driver may do well in one are while doing poorly in others.
And even with all of the data, drivers are still underperforming, Jerrell said. They still leave and companies are spending dearly replacing drivers.
The DART system (an acronym for defined, aligned, refined, timed) is designed to combine the data to provide a way for managers to see beyond their own departments. The company says its measure can prevent conflicting scorecards while allowing managers to see how each driver is doing overall and in each area. Providing the right kind of feedback helps drivers feel more comfortable and aids in retaining drivers, Jerrell said.
The system uses operational, safety and fuel data. The operational data include productivity, service failures, paperwork, attendance, out-of-route, longevity. Safety data comes from logs, accidents, citations, inspections, over speed, top speed and hard brake. Fuel data include MPG, idle time and fuel network purchase compliance. HNI recommends monthly scorecards for drivers. Drivers can view their monthly scorecards via their mobile devices.
The DART system is designed to incorporate this type data from most major TMS and telematics systems – systems that many fleets already have deployed.
The company said ROI will come from reducing costs in a number of areas including safety, driver wages, equipment and fuel.
Key to the system working, however, is a particular trucking company’s culture, saying he didn’t thing there was enough time spent thinking about culture. “Your culture is so critical. It’s not how much you advertise that will attract drivers, it’s who you are,” he said.
