“Video allows us to identify and address risks before a collision occurs, and the SmartDrive program proved to be the best solution to support our culture of safety,” said Barry Wertz, director of risk management and safety at D.M. Bowman. “The SmartDrive team provided excellent support, making sure the deployment went smoothly and set us up for success. Additionally, the coaching application proved very easy to use and saves our fleet managers significant time, minimizing the impact of change on our teams.”
D.M. Bowman’s fleet safety score—an objective measurement of risk based on specific driving habits—has improved 215 percent since deployment. In addition, instances of texting and mobile device use have been reduced by 50 percent. Overall fleet costs were reduced by 20 percent in 2017 compared to the previous year as a result of fewer claims, less vehicle damage and a reduction in the number of collisions.
Headquartered in Maryland and primarily serving the East Coast with van, bulk and flatbed transportation services, D.M. Bowman opted to deploy the dual-camera SmartDrive system to gain full visibility of risk, including some of the biggest dangers in the transportation industry today—distractions and drowsiness.
Frontline supervisors are responsible for driver coaching as part of typical daily activities, resulting in 97 percent of coachable events being addressed.
The SmartDrive program also serves as the foundation of D.M. Bowman’s driver safety program, which rewards drivers for safe performance. D.M. Bowman is looking for ways to use the SmartDrive Safety Score in their safety incentive program. The SmartDrive Safety Score, unique to each driver, offers a consistent, unbiased approach to measuring performance, setting fleet-wide benchmarks and encouraging friendly competition among peers.
D.M. Bowman President and CEO Jim Ward will be speaking at the General Session of the Truckload Carrier Association (TCA) 80th Annual Convention, March 25-28, 2018 in Kissimmee, Florida. As a member of an industry executive panel titled, “Creating a Dedicated Skilled Workforce: The Driver Value Proposition,” on Tuesday, March 27, 2018, Ward will provide insights on incorporating technology advancements in effective workforce planning.
