SmartDrive and Brenntag Renew Partnership with Multi-Year Contract

Leading Chemical Distributor Cites Driver Exonerations and Consistent Improvements in Risky Driving Behavior in Decision

SmartDrive Systems, a leader in video-based safety and transportation intelligence, announced Brenntag North America, the global market leader in full-line ingredient and chemical distribution, has renewed its SmartDrive^® video-based safety program in a multi-year contract. With more than 180 distribution locations and a nearly 1,500-vehicle fleet, Brenntag’s decision is aligned with its aim to set industry standards for safety, striving for zero accidents and incidents worldwide.

“We began to see results immediately after partnering with SmartDrive. Not only did our drivers change their habits by driving more carefully, but we witnessed a cultural shift throughout the company,” said Matt Fridley, corporate manager of safety, health and security at Brenntag. “In all aspects of their work, employees throughout the company became safer. We attribute 100% of this companywide impact to SmartDrive.”

Since originally deploying the SmartDrive program in 2014, Brenntag has steadily recorded improvements across a number of leading safety indicators. Given the hazardous nature of Brenntag’s cargo, video-based safety offers fleet managers the crucial insight needed to reduce risk. As a result of these advances, Brenntag’s drivers have come to rely on SmartDrive’s feedback and video capture, refusing to drive a vehicle not equipped with the SmartDrive platform. In addition to the numerous exonerations that have saved the company money and its drivers’ CDLs over the years, Brenntag has:

• Increased proper seatbelt use by 75%
• Reduced use of mobile devices while driving by 50%
• Decreased instances of unsafe following distances by 83%
• Improved SmartDrive Safety Score upwards of 73% in regional companies

“Throughout the course of our collaboration, Brenntag has experienced remarkable improvements to its bottom line and, most importantly, the safety of its employees,” said Steve Mitgang, chief executive officer at SmartDrive. “Building and expanding on success to date, we are excited to continue driving measurable safety and operational gains across all divisions of Brenntag North America.”

When it came time to renew its video safety program, Brenntag, like many of today’s fleets, required a solution that would complement its existing ELD technology footprint. The SmartDrive team took the lead in developing a program that merges data from SmartDrive and the ELD solution to provide Brenntag’s fleet managers with an integrated understanding of driving performance from a single user interface. SmartDrive also implemented a driver ID solution using driver schedule data from the ELD provider. While many transportation technologies operate in isolation, the SmartDrive Transportation Intelligence Platform has earned recognition for its one-of-a-kind ability to merge data from third-party systems, empowering customers to employ the best solution for their unique needs.

“Hands down, SmartDrive is the best safety program we’ve implemented in the last decade. With every new acquisition, one of our first actions is to implement the program because of the value we know it will deliver,” added Fridley. “Based on exonerations alone, it has paid for itself over and over. Our habits, our behaviors, our safety scores—everything the SmartDrive program encompasses has been worth every dollar we’ve spent.”

Category: Connected Fleet News, Driver Stuff, Featured, Fleet Diagnostics & Software, Fleet Tracking, General Update, News, Safety