The ISAAC Coach safely informs truckers about their performance in real time so they can improve driving techniques while traveling. It provides easy-to-follow visual indicators and helps achieve as much as 15% fuel savings. The system provides a universal score that is based solely on efficient and safe driving and does not penalize drivers for elements outside their control, such as vehicle aerodynamics, road slope and wind.
Fair Scores Drive Incentive Programs
The fair scoring just described makes it ideal for fleets to craft driver incentive programs, as at Trimac, where each driver who scores above a performance threshold becomes eligible for weekly rewards, explained Deryk Gillespie, Trimac’s vice president of information technology and innovation. The improved driving performance led the company to be honored by the National Tank Truck Carriers as the safest North American tank truck fleet with operations surpassing 15 million miles annually.
Derek Gaston, supervisor of trucking operations at CN, said the ISAAC Coach has helped change the culture at the company, which just completed its safest year in history. Meanwhile, Cody McClain, director of safety Tucker Freight Lines, said many drivers have achieved upwards of a 1 mpg gain after beginning use of the ISAAC Coach. For the top performing drivers, the incentive program could reward them up to an extra $200 a week. Tucker is a leading dry van, open deck, and dedicated freight carrier based in Dubuque, Iowa.
Less Stress, More Enjoyment
Even for less experienced or lower performing drivers, the results repeatedly show the ISAAC Coach helps improve overall fuel efficiency and create safe driving habits across the board. “Drivers enjoy using the system so much, they frequently provide tips to management on how to enhance the training program so new drivers can benefit more quickly,” Gaston said. He also believes the ISAAC coach offers benefits beyond on-road performance — it helps truckers reduce stress by transforming them into calmer, more defensive drivers. “I really do think it does help the health of drivers if they follow the coach,” he asserted.
McClain added that the automatic alerts drivers receive as they approach the end of their available driving hours or mandatory rest period, further reduces stress. Receiving an initial alert one hour before a required stopping time provides them adequate opportunities to find a safe location well before the clock hits zero.
More Features to Support Drivers
Another feature that proved helpful, in the event a driver is concerned something is wrong, is the remote support application. It eases tensions by allowing back-office staff to see exactly what the driver is seeing in real time on the tablet. This allows experts to guide drivers step-by-step through any potential problems. McClain called the feature a “life saver” and said it has “helped with [driver] retention more than anything else.” Gillespie agreed, saying, “The ability to tackle pain points with drivers in real time has been a game changer for us.” That feeling extended to the ease of using the ISAAC tablet to transition to electronic driver vehicle inspection reports (DVIR). “It’s a quantum leap forward,” Gillespie said.
See for yourself how the ISAAC Coach can help give a boost to drivers – and your entire operations.
