Key takeaways:
- Western Express is committed to a 20% reduction in specific accident types and sought a technology solution to help the company achieve its goal.
- Western Express chose Motive primarily for its real-time alerts, proactive coaching capabilities, and Safety Score feature.
- The partnership with Motive is already bearing fruit, with a notable improvement in driver safety.
Western Express faced significant safety challenges within its fleet operations. With a heavy emphasis on safety and technological innovation, the company sought to address the root causes of accidents, primarily speed and driver distractions, including fatigue and mobile phone usage. Their initial challenge was to find a technology solution that mitigated these issues and aligned with the company’s proactive approach to driver coaching and accident reduction. “Our approach has been, if there’s a technology that’s going to make us safer, then we’re going to go after it,” said Daniel Patterson, Director of Safety at Western Express.
After a comprehensive evaluation process, Western Express selected Motive for its AI-driven platform and advanced dash cameras. Patterson has confidence in the Motive solution, stating, “Overall, Motive presents the biggest opportunity we have to impact safety and costs at the same time.”
According to Patterson, Motive’s technology stood out for its ability to provide real-time, AI-based feedback and coaching to drivers, a significant leap from traditional systems that only activated during critical events. This proactive approach to safety is expected to address the symptoms of unsafe driving practices and the behaviors causing them. The decision to partner with Motive was based on the results of their own trials, which demonstrated the superiority and accuracy of Motive’s AI Dashcam, and positive feedback from other Motive customers.
Western Express set ambitious goals for improving safety within their fleet, aiming for a 20% reduction in specific accident types, notably rollovers. This goal was particularly challenging given their operation of heavy flatbed fleets and their presence in the Northeast, where adverse weather conditions exacerbate driving risks.
The implementation of Motive’s technology marked a significant step towards achieving these safety improvements. Through the Motive partnership, Western Express expects to enhance its ability to coach drivers effectively, reduce accidents, and consequently lower insurance premiums and other related costs.
Patterson also sees a significant opportunity to use the Motive Safety Score to help drivers see their behaviors and learn ways they can improve. “Our drivers can see their own behaviors on video they can pull up right from their driver app. This will help them understand what’s happening, and they can self-coach to improve.”
The partnership between Western Express and Motive represents a strategic move toward leveraging technology to enhance fleet safety. The initiative underscores the company’s commitment to its core values of safety and excellence, while also showcasing the potential of AI and innovative technologies to transform traditional approaches to fleet management and driver coaching. Through this collaboration, Western Express aims to significantly reduce accidents and improve driver habits but also to reinforce its position as a leader in the transportation industry.
“In Motive, we have found a partner whose values align with our company’s core values of Be Safe, Be Driver Friendly, Think Big, Expect Excellence, and Take Care of Each Other,” said Patterson. “We’re already seeing significant improvements in keeping our drivers safe and prepared. Motive’s AI features bring our ability to alert unsafe conditions and proactively coach to a new level, keeping our drivers safer and our liability lower.”Learn more about the State of Safety in fleet management and Motive’s all-in-one Driver Safety Solution here.
