Can driver monitoring systems cut driver turnover at big truck fleets?

Have you ever had that rush of adrenaline after you slammed on your brakes to avoid crashing into another car? Perhaps traffic quickly came to a stop. Maybe that next turn came much sooner than expected but you still go for it. These type of driving behaviors are pretty undesirable especially for trucking and fleet operators. Hence, ‘Call 1–800 how’s my driving?’ bumper stickers.
Trucking companies like Knight-Swift, Schneider, J.B. Hunt Transport have thousands of vehicles and drivers. Imagine the auto-insurance bill these companies pay. Employee turnover is quite high at trucking companies which makes it really challenging for companies to retain their best and safest drivers. Driver turnover at large truckload carriers fell from 87 percent in the third quarter of 2018 to 78 percent in the fourth quarter, according to the American Trucking Associations (ATA). Pay hikes appear to be a significant reason for the improved retention. Can intelligent driver monitoring systems also help reduce driver turnover rate?
David Julian, CTO and Founder of Netradyne, believes their intelligent driver monitoring system can both improve driver safety and help employers recognize and retain their safest drivers. I attended David’s presentation a few weeks ago to learn more about their product. He emphasized the value of having both inward and outward facing cameras to better understand and improve driver safety. An inward facing camera can see things like if a driver is eating, on the phone, wearing a seat belt. Outward facing cameras can see road conditions, following distance, running a red light and whether the driver gets cut off. Netradyne leverages artificial intelligence, machine learning and edge computing to reduce driving incidents. Their solution identifies risky driving behavior and rewards safe driving.
Their technology can identify incidents of interest in real-time. Driving score and incidents are available through the drivers’ mobile coaching app and the safety managers’ fleet safety dashboard. Scoring, trends, and incidents are used to inform and coach drivers to improve behavior. Recognition features are included to help drivers know in a timely way that they’re doing a good job.
The product makes good sense; however, drivers need to see benefits from these types of monitoring system if companies want to retain them. Driver monitoring systems can cut driver turnover at big truck fleets when drivers get benefits that they value. Recognition of desired performance is a good start. If the deployment of this monitoring system works like an insurance discount that benefits the trucking companies then it’s not likely to improve retention. Paying drivers more for safe driving may help with retention.
Drivewise from Allstate is a safe driving coaching app for consumers. Drivers can earn Allstate Reward points redeemable for savings on merchandise, gift cards and other offers. If truck driver monitoring reduces risk and liability for the company, how about passing some financial benefits on to the drivers? How are fleets evolving their compensation and retention instruments with more accurate and real-time insight into driving performance? Are fleets offering financial performance incentives to drivers? Are those incentives be paid out in real-time immediately following the driver making a safe driving decision?
Staying at a job isn’t all about the money. Schneider lists seven benefits of truck driving, which includes freedom and flexibility, the love of big trucks and making a difference in the world. How could these driving monitoring systems better support these benefits? Maybe drivers with high safe driving scores get to drive the newest trucks on the routes they prefer.
Useful and effective driving coaching apps could contribute to drivers optimal experiences but do they? Do these driving monitoring systems actually provide feedback to the driver on what they want and when they want it? Currently these systems appear to be designed and purchased to reduce fleet liability or protect against false claims but wouldn’t it be fantastic to evolve them to also be used to increase trucker experience, engagement and retention?
Drivers will be less likely to leave for another job only when driver monitoring systems really benefit the drivers and not just the fleet companies.
