Liquid bulk transport company K-Limitied Carrier has adopted the SmartDrive video-based safety program following a successful pilot program.
Within the first few months of rolling out the SmartDrive program across its entire fleet, K-Limited said they experienced a dramatic improvement in its CSA Unsafe Driving BASIC score, dropping from approximately 32 percent prior to adoption to just 18 percent a few months after adoption.
The company’s leadership team credits this improved safety performance to the insights provided by the SmartDrive analytics and reporting, as well as the strong driver coaching program established based on use of the platform’s risk assessments and driver safety scores.
“For any transportation company, there’s no such thing as being ‘too safe,’ and this is especially true for a company like K-Limited that often transports hazardous materials,” said Candi Coate, director of safety and regulatory compliance at K-Limited Carrier. “Working with the SmartDrive program gives us the most complete and accurate view of risk so we can coach drivers, improve their skills and prevent incidents before they occur.”
Founded in 1997, K-Limited primarily serves the Midwest region of the United States, and specializes in transporting chemicals, acids and lubricants with a team of highly skilled industry experts and drivers.
K-Limited is dedicated to adopting the most innovative and technologically advanced programs and transportation methods not only to adhere to its own strict safety standards, but also to provide "impeccable" customer service, the company says. The company chose to adopt the SmartDrive safety program due to its intuitive and actionable driver coaching tools, hands-on customer support offered by the SmartDrive team, and because the solution enables the fleet to exonerate drivers and protect the company in incidents where they are not at fault.
Demonstrating a strong commitment to promoting industry safety, Coate was elected the new national Chairwoman of the National Tank Truck Carriers (NTTC) Safety & Security Council at the 2017 NTTC Safety & Security Council Annual Meeting, held June 20-22 in Nashville. During this conference, Coate also participated in a panel discussion on video-based safety in which she discussed her company’s use of the SmartDrive program and results observed to-date.
With drivers on the road for weeks at a time, K-Limited has designed a driver coaching program rooted in SmartDrive analytics and risk assessments. Driver coaches stationed in each terminal provide in-person training when needed, as well as education and feedback sessions conducted via phone when swift action is needed to correct a potential safety risk. Thanks to open, frequent communication during safety meetings and in one-on-one conversations, drivers gained an understanding of the benefits of video-based safety, helping ensure the success of the program.
“We believe in offering positive reinforcement to our drivers for performing well and upholding our strict safety standards, in addition to remedial training when needed,” said Jack Schunk, driver safety training leader at K-Limited and a former driver for more than 40 years. “The SmartDrive program allows us to reward our drivers, as well as provide specific and tailored feedback when improvements are needed. One of the biggest keys to our success has been the quality of the video footage—when drivers can see for themselves exactly what went wrong and how a problem can be corrected in the future, they’re extremely receptive and motivated to improve.”
In addition to the improvements in K-Limited’s Unsafe Driving BASIC score, the SmartDrive program is also credited with benefits related to driver exoneration. In one instance, a K-Limited driver was making a wide right turn when a passenger vehicle tried to pass the truck on the right ahead of the turn. The incident was captured on video and the passenger vehicle driver was issued a citation, with no claims or citations issued against the K-Limited driver.
“K-Limited is among the growing number of fleets to benefit greatly from the flexibility and control the SmartDrive program offers when it comes to risk reduction,” said Steve Mitgang, CEO of SmartDrive. “Given the inherent challenges of carrying hazardous materials, the K-Limited safety team chooses to receive and review each and every incident captured by the program. We are proud to be able to offer this level of detailed insight into potential risk.”
