For commercial fleets, effective coaching is mission-critical. It plays a pivotal role in sustained success. That message came through loud and clear during the coaching breakout session at Vision 25: The Motive Innovation Summit, where industry leaders, product experts, and Motive customers shared how the future of coaching is taking shape. 

Motive customers said their end goal is for drivers to be motivated, compete, and perform at their best. Effective coaching programs are the way to get there.

Coaching: Moving from reactive to proactive

Traditional coaching often plays catch-up, reviewing past events and logs at a scheduled, sit-down discussion. But the future of fleet management demands a more dynamic approach. Motive is redefining what coaching can be: proactive, personalized, and powered by technology, enabling you to address driver behavior in near real-time, preventing issues before they escalate.

The breakout session highlighted how Motive’s coaching program has expanded beyond basic safety alerts to become a comprehensive coaching solution that empowers both managers and drivers. Here’s how it works:

  • Real-Time Feedback. Motive’s AI Dashcams and app-based alerts provide immediate notifications to drivers when they exhibit unsafe behaviors like close following or cell phone usage, prompting self-correction in the moment.
  • AI Coach (in beta). Announced at Vision 25, AI Coach will deliver customized, automated feedback directly within the Motive Drive App, giving drivers timely, relevant coaching tailored to their behavioral patterns.
  • Single Conversation Dashboard. Driver safety and compliance behaviors, complete with supporting video evidence, are centralized in one view, making it easier for managers to address incidents quickly and efficiently, all in one place.
  • Analytics. Data doesn’t just sit in dashboards. It drives targeted coaching programs by highlighting trends and behaviors that matter most.

Managers can use these features to streamline their programs, help drivers build awareness, and make better, more informed decisions.

Real-world coaching in action

The session featured compelling perspectives from Motive customers Rob Fountain of Germaine Distributors and Daniel Patterson of Western Express, both of whom have built large-scale, effective coaching programs that drive measurable results.

Fountain described the dramatic impact coaching has had on safety performance at Germaine Distributors, sharing,

“Motive is such a phenomenal tool for us. We went from a thousand events a month in 2022 to averaging now 35 to 40 a month. That’s incredible.”

For him, the value goes far beyond metrics. It’s about changing the way drivers experience coaching:

“It’s not Big Brother—it’s somebody there to help you when you’re driving that vehicle. Coaching education is the biggest part of what we have.”

At Western Express, Patterson emphasized the importance of tailoring coaching to individual drivers, not applying a one-size-fits-all model:

“It’s a tailor-made coaching program where it’s not just trying to fit every driver in the same box.”

With more than 400 to 500 drivers coached daily, Patterson underscored the role of communication in breaking down resistance and building buy-in:

“The better that we can explain what Motive is looking for and what our goals are with it… we really were able to kind of tear down that wall.”

Together, their experiences highlight how personalized, well-communicated coaching — backed by the right technology — can transform safety culture and driver engagement across a fleet.

Best practices from the field

Fountain and Patterson shared best practices for successful fleet coaching:

  • Start with the big wins: Don’t get overwhelmed. Identify your most frequent or high-risk behaviors and drivers with the lowest Safety Scores and prioritize from there.
  • Personalize coaching: Every driver is different. Make coaching adaptable to individual strengths and needs.
  • Use data wisely: Trends, not just incidents, tell the deeper story. Let analytics guide your program.
  • Reinforce the positive: Public or private recognition goes a long way in motivating good behavior.
  • Keep communication open: Explain the “why” behind coaching, listen to feedback, and build trust.

The future of coaching Is here

As fleets continue to embrace digital transformation, the future of coaching is taking on three powerful characteristics:

  • More AI integration: With tools like AI Coach, personalized feedback becomes scalable.
  • Increased real-time feedback: Instant alerts help reinforce behavior change in the moment, not days later.
  • Greater data reliance: Analytics will continue to drive smarter, more focused coaching interventions and track performance over time.

What this means for your fleet

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to enhance an existing coaching program, the advice from the breakout session is clear:

  • Invest in tools that scale: Technology like Motive’s platform equips you with data, visibility, and automation.
  • Train your managers: Make sure they’re prepared with the right evidence and tools to interpret insights and conduct effective coaching conversations.
  • Build a coaching culture: Create an environment where coaching is seen as a driver development tool, not a disciplinary measure.
  • Start small, then grow: Focus on your biggest opportunities first, then expand as you see progress.

Motive’s Vision 25 Coaching breakout session made one thing clear: Coaching is no longer optional — it’s essential. The right tools, mindset, and strategy can transform coaching from a box to check into a powerful engine for fleet performance. With AI-driven insights and a commitment to empowering drivers, Motive is helping fleets turn coaching into a competitive advantage.

Ready to level up your coaching program. Get started today.