Employee-Owned Big G Express Improves Safety Score by 38 Percent After Deploying SmartDrive Program

Extended Recording, Managed Service, Video Quality and Efficient Coaching Process Cited in Decision to Implement SmartDrive Program Across Entire Fleet

SmartDrive Systems, a leader in video-based safety and transportation intelligence, today announced that Big G Express, a premier over-the-road trucking company, has deployed the SmartDrive^® program with Extended Recording across its entire fleet. The fleet selected the SmartDrive platform based on its fully managed service, effective coaching program and high-quality video, among other distinguishing attributes. As a result of adopting the SmartDrive program, Big G Express has successfully exonerated numerous drivers involved in collisions. The company has also seen a 38 percent improvement in its SmartDrive Safety Score—a leading indicator that equips fleets to objectively assess driving performance and compare drivers, sites and other segments of the business.

“Big G is committed to creating a solid safety program to improve overall safety, reduce accidents and decrease injuries,” noted Gregg Brown, safety manager at Big G. Express. “When our team evaluated the SmartDrive program, we quickly realized it would be critical to the success of our safety program.”

Founded in 1995, Big G Express started with just ten trucks, and today it has over 500. Since 2009, the company has been 100 percent employee owned. Through its employee stock ownership plan (ESOP),  Big G employees earn shares of stock in the company based on their years of service and compensation.

“With every one of our associates owning a piece of the business and the value of stock aligned directly with company performance, improving fleet safety and reducing risk is important to each employee,” added Brown. “The marked improvement in our SmartDrive Safety Score proves our fleet is getting safer; and the safer we are, the more lives—and money—we save, which benefits everyone.”

Some video safety providers deliver thousands of videos each month, which can prove unmanageable for fleet managers, challenging them to know where to focus their time and attention. In contrast, the SmartDrive fully managed service identifies the drivers who need coaching and the specific skill areas that need to be addressed, incorporating an effective and efficient coaching platform with an intuitive coaching workflow. The program provides high-quality videos that enable constructive conversations to correct drivers’ unsafe habits, as well as robust, easy-to-understand analytics to measure driver improvement and coaching effectiveness.

“The SmartDrive program is a perfect fit—it requires a minimal amount of work to yield phenomenal results. I’m able to set notifications, so I’m alerted to severe events allowing me to focus on coaching instead of being buried in videos trying to identify those who need coaching,” Brown commented. “In addition, the SmartDrive Safety Score has helped engage our drivers, who now come to me on a weekly basis asking if they’ve improved, and what they need to do to enhance their individual score.”

Another reason for Big G’s decision to deploy the SmartDrive program is its Extended Recording capabilities. “Extended Recording allows us to capture those low-impact incidents that might not be triggered by other systems,” added Brown. “In addition to providing information for exonerations, it helps us understand sideswipes, workers compensation claims, driver compliance with company policy and the like”.

“Gregg and his team at Big G Express echo what we hear from many fleets, which is that video alone isn’t enough. They tell us time and again that what really makes a difference when it comes to safety is the expert review, rich analytics and prescriptive insights that come along with a managed service,” stated Steve Mitgang, SmartDrive CEO. “Achieving nearly 40 percent improvement in its safety score is what our customers regularly experience. We are so pleased to welcome Big G to the community of fleets that have selected SmartDrive.”

About SmartDrive Systems

SmartDrive Systems, the recipient of Frost & Sullivan’s Customer Value Leadership Award for Video Safety Solutions, gives fleets and drivers unprecedented driving performance insight and analysis, helping save fuel, expenses and lives. Its video analysis, predictive analytics and personalized performance program help fleets improve driving skills, lower operating costs and deliver significant ROI. With an easy-to-use managed service, fleets and drivers can access and self-manage driving performance anytime, anywhere. The company, which is ranked as one of the fastest growing companies by Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500™, has compiled the world’s largest storehouse of more than 240 million analyzed risky-driving events. SmartDrive Systems is based in San Diego, Calif., and employs over 725 people worldwide.

For more information on SmartDrive Systems, visit www.smartdrive.net

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