Ernst Concrete achieves 2,000% ROI and $6.5 million in savings with Motive dual-facing AI Dashcams.

Challenge

Ernst is committed to the safety of its drivers and delivering quality service to its customers. Unfortunately, Ernst’s previous dash cam provider fell short of providing the necessary video evidence and data to legally protect the company and improve safety. “We were using dash cams from another company and they failed to capture two major events that resulted in large lawsuits,” Fly explained.

The increased liability Ernst Concrete faced underscored the company’s need for more reliable and accurate AI dash cams to better manage fleet safety and protect against false claims. As Fly explained, “Finding a solution that could keep our drivers safe and prevent accidents, whether they were at-fault or not, was crucial.”

Ernst also faced customer service challenges when the quality of its concrete or delivery was questioned.

Solution

Ernst’s transition to Motive was driven by the need for reliable AI accident detection that could improve driver behavior in high-risk moments. Motive’s AI Dashcams offered insightful data that previous systems simply could not match. 

“Motive’s dual-facing AI Dashcams have allowed us to approach safety in a much more proactive way. In the past, we looked at lagging indicators and losses,” Fly says. “Taking a proactive approach to safety has enabled us to reduce distracted driving and cell phone use by 81% in 13 months.”

Motive AI Dashcams are protecting Ernst Concrete’s drivers far better than their past safety solution, which has led to an increase in driver acceptance fleetwide and higher driver retention.

“Our drivers see that the Motive AI Dashcams are able to capture video of events that weren’t their fault, and it makes them feel valued,” Fly says. “We’re investing in their safety, and it shows our drivers that we care about them.”

According to Fly, video evidence is the key to defending both the driver and the company against wrongful claims but it isn’t the only reason AI dash cameras are a necessity.

“Once we installed the Motive AI Dashcams, we learned that there was a lot of room for improvement in driver behavior such as seat belts, close following, and cell phone usage,” Fly said. “With the previous solution, we could only look at lagging indicators. Now with Motive, we can see leading indicators and make proactive changes.”

The Motive solution is also helping Ernst better manage customer service issues. Video from the Motive AI Dashcams highlight the texture of the concrete being poured. “It’s like pancake batter. It’s called the slump in concrete. The video gives feedback to our quality control team so they can analyze the product and address any customer service issues about delivery or quality,” Fly says.

Fly also appreciates Motive’s Safety Score which evaluates driver performance over time, accurately measuring driver risk across more than 15 unsafe and positive driving behaviors. “The concrete industry is very unique and our trucks are heavy and have a high center of gravity. We can customize the Motive Safety Score specifically for our needs – like removing hard braking or hard acceleration – so that we have a more accurate score for our specific drivers and vehicles,” Fly says.

Results

The safety improvements and power to defend against false claims Ernst Concrete experienced after implementing Motive were dramatic. Within 13 months of use, the company saw a substantial reduction in unsafe driving incidents and a significant return on investment.

“With Motive, we’ve achieved cost savings of approximately $1.3M annually in direct losses. Including indirect costs, such as downtime, injured employees, and legal expenses, our total savings reach about $6.5M. That’s a 2,000% return on investment,” says Fly.

“Motive has changed everything for us,” Fly says. “It gives us the feedback we need to really see what’s going on in your fleet.”

In addition to preventing accidents and having video footage for exoneration, Motive has helped Ernst provide evidence of quality service. According to Fly, “The videos depict the texture of our poured concrete, which helps us manage customer service disputes too.”

Beyond improvements to safety and quality control, Ernst has been impressed with the partnership Motive provides. “Motive is willing to listen to what our needs are. We give them feedback on the system, and they’re working with us to improve it,” said Fly.

“I’ve been in safety for more than 30 years, but I’ve never seen a reduction like this within 13 months. We made progress with defensive driving programs, safety meetings, safety bonuses, driver observations of people in the field, but Motive AI Dashcams take it to a different level,” Fly says.