Yodel, the UK independent parcel carrier, has enhanced its fleet safety programme and reduced collision rates over its HGV fleet by using SmartDrive System’s managed service video-based safety programme.

Hertfordshire, UK —  12 November 2020 The company operates a proactive, ongoing safety improvement programme – implementing the latest technology across all aspects of its fleet to ensure continuous improvement.

This latest investment in SmartDrive’s video-safety programme has seen Yodel exceed its annual fleet safety target regarding collision reduction, in just six months, as well as exonerating its drivers when not-at-fault and providing protection from fraudulent claims.

Yodel Head of Fleet and Transport, Andy Yemm says: “There are two types of operator – those who react to incidents and those who want to proactively prevent them from happening.

“With SmartDrive we benefit from objective risk scoring of on-road instances and follow up with driver coaching. It was great news to hear that, on the strength of data from the SmartDrive programme, our insurer accepted that our new proactive approach to road safety was capable of significantly reducing our collision risk.”

Choosing a proactive approach

Yodel decided to adopt a proactive, rather than reactive, approach to on-road fleet risk in 2019 and spent considerable time examining offerings from various camera suppliers, including its incumbent telematics provider. After an intensive head-to-head trial period, it chose SmartDrive Systems.

“SmartDrive was not the lowest cost choice, however it was evident during the trial that it was the most likely to help us achieve our ongoing safety goals,” says Yemm.

This proved a good choice, as the system provided an ROI within weeks.

While other systems would have required the Yodel driver-trainer team to assess thousands of pieces of footage, SmartDrive’s managed service approach means that all footage is reviewed and risk scored in a consistent and objective manner by SmartDrive’s trained safety professionals. It is then made available to Yodel with coaching insights, via an easy-to-use online portal, which was a key benefit for the company.

Yemm says without SmartDrive it would have taken huge internal resources to manage this amount of data effectively and, in practical terms, would have been impossible to implement and objectively use as part of a proactive driver safety improvement programme.

He says his team now have clear guidance as to which incidents to follow up with specified levels of intervention, from debriefing to coaching.

Yemm has a single dashboard from which he can view Yodel’s three regional depots’ performance.

Yemm says the risk scored camera footage is more effective than a driver-trainer assessing from the cab because it generates more reliable real-world observations. An unexpected benefit of the SmartDrive system was that driver-trainers could continue to work remotely with drivers even during lockdown, using the footage and coaching insights.

Yodel has three cameras on each vehicle, a front-facing camera and two side cameras. The footage is risk scored against a comprehensive list of observations by SmartDrive’s risk analysts.

“We don’t have to work from snapshots,” says Yemm. “We can see trends in behaviour, and that’s much more powerful.”

He says that while simply having cameras on the vehicles had an immediate effect on driver behaviour, the value of the system is the guided coaching.

“We use Microlise telematics and Tachomaster, both of which give us valuable data. Tachomaster can, for instance, show us harsh braking or speeding. Microlise can show us an individual’s driving style. However, we still have no context or narrative. The SmartDrive footage and coaching insights give us the final piece of the jigsaw, which makes it far more powerful when we sit down with a driver to show them what actually happened,” says Yemm.

“We always recognise good driving as well as catching poor driving and drivers have also found the system a powerful advocate.”

Plans for the future

The use of SmartDrive’s video safety programme has been hugely successful and Yemm is keen to see what else he can achieve with it.

For example, Yodel is also looking at rolling SmartDrive out on its yard shunters.

“It may be that we can develop a coherent strategy for minimising these incidents using footage, as we have on-road incidents. We are conducting a cost-benefit analysis,” says Yemm. “Either way SmartDrive will be very useful in exploring that business case.”

Yodel has entered several awards for fleet safety improvements based on the performance improvements it has gained from working with SmartDrive Systems.

-ENDS-

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 personalised performance programme 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 six consecutive years, has recorded over 15 billion miles and compiled the world’s largest storehouse of more than 350 million analysed risky-driving events. SmartDrive Systems is based in San Diego, Calif., and employs over 725 people worldwide.

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

Contact or Follow SmartDrive at:

Email – penny.brooks@omnitracs.com

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/smartdrivesystemsinc

Twitter – https://twitter.com/SmartDriveLtd

YouTube – http://www.youtube.com/smartdrivesystemsinc

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/smartdrivesystems/

Media Contact:

Penny Brooks for SmartDrive Systems Ltd

penny.brooks@omnitracs.com

+44 (0)7904 204412

About Yodel

UK independent parcel carrier, Yodel, handles over 160 million parcels every year and has a relationship with 85 per cent of the UK’s top retailers. The company is headquartered in Hatfield and has over 50 locations across the UK, including three central sorts and over 47 customer delivery depots.

Through its sister company, Arrow XL, Yodel can also offer a two-man service for white goods and large items up to 120kg.

To find out more visit www.yodel.co.uk

Media Contact:

Yodel press office – press.enquiries@yodel.co.uk Tel: 0207 025 6605