SmartDrive Systems, a provider of fleet safety and operational efficiency systems, announced that it has been selected by Button Transportation Inc. of Dixon, Calif., to equip the trucking company with an advanced video-based driver safety system. The SmartDrive Safety system uses in-vehicle recorders to capture highly detailed video and vehicle data during sudden stops, swerves, collisions and other events.
Captured data is downloaded wirelessly and sent to professional safety reviewers who categorize and score the events according to 50+ safety observations. Supervisors at Button Transportation then will use these results to coach drivers, improving fleet performance and overall driving safety. “The SmartDrive system will be a great tool to protect, incentivize and improve our drivers,” says Bob Button, chief executive officer of Button Transportation.
The SmartDrive program allows fleet managers to see exactly what happened during the 15 seconds before and after a triggered event – giving them a detailed view of what led up to an event, and how to avoid it happening again. “We chose the SmartDrive Safety System to help our good drivers become great,” Button says. “The video record of events will also serve as a witness to help protect our drivers from false claims and being wrongly accused when they’re not at fault.”
Button Transportation serves the agriculture and produce industries in seven western United States. Its 180-vehicle fleet includes hoppers, tankers, flats and refrigerated units. SmartDrive began deploying the in-vehicle event and data recorders in July.
“At SmartDrive, it’s all about identifying and reducing risk,” says Jason Palmer, SmartDrive president. “Through video and vehicle data capture, we can help good drivers become even better, and avoid collisions or serious over-the-road events. By delivering the relevant information in a timely way to the right people, a video-based safety program can help safety-conscious trucking companies like Button Transportation save money and save lives.”
