Bridger Steel

Proud, home-grown steel supplier uses Zonar to make its fleet more efficient and its drivers safer than ever before.

Bridger Steel has been manufacturing high-quality metal panels for roofing, siding and interior projects for over 20 years. Since the company was founded in 1996, its goal has been providing customers exceptional quality and service every step of the design and installation process. Bridger Steel's commitment to excellence extends to its fleet of more than 20 trucks across the North West.

Unfortunately, Bridger Steel's existing telematics provider didn't share that same commitment. Instead, it over promised and under delivered—time for a new provider.

Before choosing a replacement, Bridger Steel's Inventory and Logistics Coordinator, Glen Hand, reviewed his fleet’s requirements and providers on the market in depth. Zonar was the clear choice.

Diagnostics that deliver

Bridger Steel immediately began reaping the benefits of the VTHU’s diagnostics capabilities, including notifications regarding vehicle check engine lights. The VTHU delivers diagnostics information on Bridger Steel’s truck engines, enabling the company’s maintenance professionals to address mechanical issues immediately.

With this information, they can also let drivers know whether to continue on their routes, pull over or find the nearest dealer within the dealer network.

Making safe drivers even safer

Advanced telematics and diagnostics were a start, but Hand wanted even more out of his Zonar solution. Hand knew he had a team of great drivers, and now he wanted to help them be safer, for several reasons.

Risk comes with the job, for his drivers and others on the road. But also, accidents in commercial trucking can be costly. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association (FMCSA), crashes involving large trucks and buses cost, on average, between $75,000 and $11 million, depending on severity.¹

Standard dashcam technology could help, but many truck drivers in general feel the cameras invade their privacy. However, as a former truck driver, Hand "wanted a solution that I know that I would be okay using."

He wanted a solution his drivers would accept and that would still help them improve their driving behavior; an outward-facing dashcam was ideal. But, unlike one the previous vendor could provide, Hand wanted one that delivered corrective, real-time feedback directly to the driver.

Enter Zonar Coach

Zonar Coach features an outward-facing, smart dashcam that uses machine vision and artificial intelligence to scan the road ahead. Coach delivers immediate, audible feedback directly to the driver when it detects one of seven common, unsafe driving behaviors.

As for Hand's need for a solution his drivers would accept: "Zonar Coach is exactly that. With Coach, the drivers get an outward-facing dashcam and instant feedback on their tablets, allowing them to police themselves toward better driving practices. This has been game-changing. I've had to coach some drivers, but for the most part, they’ve been receptive to Coach. But they've also identified and worked to correct their bad driving habits."

Real-time, audible notifications

Zonar Coach provides drivers audible notifications if and when they:

• exceed posted speed limits
• follow too close
• lane drift
• roll through a stop
• brake too hard
• accelerate too quickly
• take a corner too hard

With this real-time feedback, drivers have the opportunity to correct their behavior in the moment.

Safer drivers, safer trucks

When Hand implemented Zonar Coach, his drivers initially received notifications at a rate of 0.4 to 0.5 notifications per mile driven. After only a few weeks that rate dropped to between 0.01 and 0.04 notifications per mile.

Because of Zonar Coach, Hand’s drivers recognize bad driving habits and make corrections on their own. When necessary, Hand can still coach them toward better behavior by reviewing their dash footage with them.

And, because of Zonar's telematics technology, Bridger Steel's drivers now operate safer vehicles.

Ensuring pre- and post-trip inspections

Safer driving wasn't the end of Hand's initiative to improve Bridger Steel's fleet operations. He also wanted another way to prevent accidents and breakdowns, such as making sure trucks are properly inspected.

To ensure Bridger Steel's vehicles are road ready, Hand needed to make sure his drivers conduct pre- and post-trip inspections properly, even at a different location. Enter Zonar’s Electronic Verified Inspection Reporting (EVIR) solution, the only verified, visual inspection system of its kind on the market.

Using Zonar Connect tablets, Hand’s drivers physically inspect designated, RFID-tagged zones on their truck. Results are uploaded into Zonar’s secure web portal, Ground Traffic Control, where they can be reviewed anytime, anywhere.

Now Hand can verify that his drivers perform inspections properly every time. "With EVIR, my drivers have to walk around and inspect their trucks at specific locations and scan a tag to verify that they've looked at the area, Hand explains. "I can see their inspections on Zonar’s Ground Traffic Control no matter what location my trucks are at because they are digitally transmitted back to our office."

He can also verify that the inspection was done in an appropriate amount of time. "If I see an inspection is done in under six minutes, I know that the driver didn't spend enough time looking at each zone. I can then coach them toward better practices."

With Zonar’s EVIR on board and Zonar Coach helping drivers change their habits, Bridger Steel’s fleet operations are safer than ever before.

Making the most of the Zonar solution

Bridger Steel is also taking full advantage of Zonar's technology to:

• track when and where vehicles are located
• ensure compliance with Hours of Service (HoS) regulations
• maximize each truck’s fuel usage

Zonar's ZFuel tracks key vehicle metrics such as mileage, shifting and cruise control use, all of which directly impact fuel costs. Hand even uses ZFuel to consider the terrain on which the truck operated. With this data, Hand can coach his drivers toward more fuel-efficient driving.

Zonar's solution has empowered Bridger Steel to see inside its fleet, making it more efficient and safer all around. For a company that puts such a premium on excellence, it's the ideal solution.

1. www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety/good-business/safety-good-business