Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
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TECHNOLOGY: GAME TECH DRIVING GAMES TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING THE WAY FLEETS ENGAGE DRIVERS TO IMPROVE BEHAVIOR BY AARON HUFF F ive months ago, flatbed carrier Pro Fleet Transport set up a personal computer in its driver's lounge. Drivers for the 40-truck fleet can use the PC to check e-mail, surf the Web or prepare a document. Most never leave the homepage, where they log in to the Elkhart, Ind.-based company's rewards program, Drive for Gold. One driver used to avoid computers, but he now logs in immediately when he comes to the office. He earns points instantly by answering a safety question. He also sees his point balance increase weekly for safe driving, turning paperwork in on time, fuel efficiency and other metrics. Each point brings him closer to the prize rewards on his wish list. "The driver didn't want anything to do with the program at first," says Mike Gregory, safety director. "He thought it was just another flash in the pan. Now he is one of the biggest cheerleaders. That by itself is a huge victory." Rewards programs are popular among businesses to encourage loyal customers, but that's not what Pro Fleet has in mind. Its objective is to build profitable, safe and loyal drivers. If you are looking to start a driver rewards or incentive program, or looking to improve an existing one, consider these five technology strategies to engage drivers and maximize results. GAMING DRIVERS Online and mobile games are engrained in society. Millions of people play them from lap- We can focus on the important things like servicing clients, making a happy environment for drivers and delivering a safe product. – Doug Schrier, vice president of continuous improvement, Covenant Transport tops, smartphones and tablets. Many games encourage users to share their achievements and find new opponents through social media sites such as Facebook. Fleets and technology suppliers are capitalizing on this trend by using game dynamics to engage drivers – especially the younger generation. Driver portal websites are common tools for giving drivers access to safety training videos, payroll information and routine communications such as to request time off. Integrating game dynamics into these applications is one place to start. A number of companies have developed cloud-based services for fleets that want to hit the ground running. Stay Metrics, based in South Bend, Ind., developed the Drive for Gold program for Pro Fleet. Carriers that use the Stay Metrics platform are seeing a difference with driver retention. The company's clients are seeing a turnover COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL 0213_TECHFeature.indd 37 | FEBRUARY 2013 37 1/23/13 8:43 AM