Cassens Transport Selects SmartDrive Video-based Safety Solution After Competitive Review

* Video-based Safety Solution with Extended Recording and 360 Coverage Proved Most Effective at Improving Fleet Safety
* Company Reduced Risky Driving Events by 58 Percent and Improved Safety Score by 61 Percent During Trial Period

SmartDrive Systems, a leader in video-based safety and transportation intelligence, announced Cassens Transport Company, one of the oldest automotive logistics services company in the United States, joins a growing roster of auto transporters that have deployed the SmartDrive® program across its entire fleet of nearly 1,200 trucks.

Cassens selected the SmartDrive solution following a thorough competitive review and head-to-head pilot program. Company leaders cited platform scalability and flexibility, intuitive user interface, and superior customer service and responsiveness as key factors in choosing the SmartDrive system.

“Cassens Transport—and most auto haulers—are 100 percent responsible for damage to any vehicles they haul, so safety is of prime importance,” said Joshua Suhre, operations and labor manager at Cassens. “When we started to experience an increase in jury judgements against us when our drivers were not at fault, we knew we had to find a video-based safety solution to prove their innocence. Once we installed the SmartDrive program, we quickly realized that the benefits of video-based safety extend far beyond exonerations, enabling us to minimize losses related to vehicle damage, as well as improve driver habits and reduce the number of actual incidents.”

With a rich history dating back 85 years, Edwardsville, Illinois-based Cassens Transport is dedicated to providing premier automotive logistics services, noting its reliance on, “the best people, best methods and best technology.” The company delivers as many as 10,000 vehicles per day for 11 automobile manufacturers in the U.S. and North America. In addition to exonerating drivers, fleet managers also sought a solution that would help reduce vehicle damage, the bulk of which occurs during loading and unloading.

“The combination of SmartDrive capabilities provides us with insight into how our customers’ vehicles are being handled and the context we need to effectively intervene with proactive driver coaching,” commented Suhre. “With comprehensive visibility to how drivers were loading and unloading the cars and trucks we are entrusted to transport, coupled with intuitive coaching workflows that enable us to easily refresh drivers’ familiarity with standard operating procedures, we have significantly reduced our losses.”

During the pilot program, Cassens Transport experienced a 58 percent reduction in high-risk driving events, including following too close, speeding, lane departures and incomplete stops, contributing to a 61 percent improvement in the fleet’s SmartDrive safety score. Suhre and his team quickly noted the value of SmartDrive 360, which enables fleets to trigger up to four cameras simultaneously for maximum insight to risk. They also appreciate the benefits of Extended Recording, which captures hard-to-get, low impact incidents to provide additional video context and ensure compliance.

“Having been in the automotive hauling space since 1933, Cassens is a truly pioneering fleet operation,” commented Steve Mitgang, CEO of SmartDrive. “The company—with its impressive history, commitment to the highest standards of quality, and continued focus on tapping advanced technologies to optimize safety and efficiency—is a welcome addition to the growing roster of fleets embracing the value of SmartDrive’s video-based safety program.”

“In comparing video safety solutions, we found SmartDrive’s open, scalable platform, built for 4G, provided the best technology for now—and the future,” continued Suhre. “From exoneration to fostering a culture of safety and improving driving habits, SmartDrive will help any fleet reduce accident frequency, cargo damage and fatalities. It’s an outstanding solution that provides immediate ROI.”

About SmartDrive Systems
SmartDrive Systems gives fleets and drivers unprecedented driving performance insight and analysis, helping save fuel, expenses and lives. Its video safety, predictive analytics, telematics, compliance 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™ for five consecutive years, 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.

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