Page 20 - Newcom

ALBERTA
Use big data as a teaching mechanism, not an ‘I got ya’ tool
By Derek Clouthier
RED DEER, ALBERTA
Collecting data from today’s truck technologies is about more than improving a carrier’s bottom line, it’s about helping drivers be the best they can be.
Derek Tate, president of Enpact Group and former driver, spoke
to Alberta Motor Transport Association (AMTA) Safety Conference attendees Sept. 21 in Red Deer, Alta., about this very issue, highlighting how companies can use the data they receive from technologies as a teaching tool for their drivers.
The overall goals Tate said car- riers should strive to achieve through the collection of data is saving lives, reducing injuries, and reducing overall costs to the company.
One piece of advice Tate said can go a long way is to show drivers how slowing down and wearing a seatbelt can help reach these goals.
“You may not stop the crash from happening,” Tate said, “but you’ve saved a life.”
Tate said carriers can see
a return on investment from on-board cameras, GPS, ELDs, and other telematics, quickly with a reduction in fines, lower WCB and insurance premiums, and less liti- gation from collisions.
Vehicle monitoring systems can provide data records on driver speed, time on the road, distance traveled, acceleration and decel- eration rates, seat belt usage, and fuel consumption – all of which can then be used to help drivers hone their skills in areas of poten- tial weakness.
Tate said a key component to the success of these technologies
is what kind of driver behaviors fleets track, as well as how they are supervised and managed.
With driving by nature being an unsupervised position, Tate said carriers need to ask themselves who is monitoring the data coming from on-board technology and how the data is being used to ensure driver competence.
In addition to increasing coach- ing and mentoring, data can help identify driver behavior, driving
hazards in operating environ- ments, and measure the return on investment.
When an incident does occur, Tate said fleets must provide an analysis of the situation to deter- mine whether it was caused by an intended violation, unintended vio- lation, system induced violation, human error, or if it was supervi- sion related.
One approach Tate advised carriers to avoid is the “I got ya” mentality when bringing issues forward to drivers.
“If all you’re going to do jump all over somebody, all you’re going to do is suppress,” he said. “It’s very rare that you should jump on any one individual piece of data, you should look for trends.”
With fleets able to track several data points with telematics like idling, night driving, engine error codes, and time over speed limit, as well as other capabilities, such as driver fatigue, following distance, lane departure, and journey man- agement, Tate said it’s important for companies to identify what they are going to monitor.
“If you can’t impact it, what’s
the point?” he said. “Once you
start combining (capabilities), it becomes that much more powerful. There are a lot of things that can tie in and it can become very valuable.”
In the end, when collecting and analyzing data, carriers should build trust with their drivers and use the information in a positive way.
Data should be used to identify the cause of the at-risk behavior, and not always taken simply for what’s on the surface.
“People want to do a good job,” said Tate, “they just need to be reminded.”
WCB rates
WCB rates are down 0.79% from 2017 in the general trucking cate- gory, 3.07% in specialized truck- ing, and 7.43% in garbage collec- tion and disposal.
Deb Nielsen, account manager for WCB Alberta, outlined the most recent trends in the trucking indus- try during the AMTA conference, which also showed an upward tick in disabling injury and lost time claim rates.
THIS MONTH’S CROSSWORD PUZZLE
Across Down
1 Truck World or Truxpo (5,4)
6 Exhaust-related reservoir contents (1,1,1)
8 Oklahoma’s I-44 / I-244 oil city
9 Auxiliary axle type (3,4)
10 Used truck transactions
11 Globetrotter trim package brand
12 Slang term for Canadian
14 Moving under customs seal, cargo-wise
(2,4)
17 O/O portion
19 Eighteen wheeler power unit
22 Brake system type (3,4)
23 Common cargo covers
24 Canada’s national route, briefly (1,1,1)
25 Refreshing long trip pauses (4,5)
1 Specialized mobile home mover 2 Truck transmission brand
3 Message from home, perhaps 4 Final-ride ride
5 Plumber or electrician transport (4,3) 6 Really boring hand tool
7 Overweight cargo, informally (3,4)
12 Radiator liquid
13 Transport company
15 It’s crossed by Hwy 401
16 Vertical exhausts
18 It’s up on the map
20 Certain transmissions, briefly 21 Flowers referenced on AB plates
20 TruckWest•November2018
TN-185 Nov. © 2018 M. Jackson
Answers on page 37