SmartDrive Systems, a leader in video safety and transportation intelligence, today announced that Clariant, a global leader in specialty chemicals, has selected the SmartDrive® video-based safety program for use by Clariant’s Oil Services business. Based on discussions with current SmartDrive customers for references and reviewing the program’s proven track record of results, Clariant management decided to forego a pilot program and install the new SmartDrive Transportation Intelligence Platform with SR4 hardware across its North American Oil Services fleet of approximately 400 vehicles.
Clariant Oil Services adopted the SmartDrive program to be proactive in its driver safety efforts with the goal to prevent accidents before they occur. With the use of SmartDrive, Clariant is confident that its fleet of drivers will continue their commitment to safe operation while providing greater transparency to driver behaviors. With the hands-on support of the SmartDrive implementation team and open communication with drivers, the Clariant fleet has already experienced a smooth onboarding process, further validating the decision to move forward with the leading video safety solution.
“We knew that we did not want just cameras. We wanted a measurement and benchmarking tool that would make our drivers safer,” said Clint Johnson, manager of environmental health and safety affairs for Clariant North America. “SmartDrive provides us with a proactive tool to better protect our drivers, our assets and the public.”
The SmartDrive Transportation Intelligence Platform includes new SR4 hardware with unprecedented compute power in a small, flexible footprint; new sensors for advanced risk identification and real-time driver-assist; innovative architecture enabling the convergence of data, devices and network connectivity; new analytics powered by SmartDrive SmartIQ®; and a best-in-class video safety program. With a unified view of driver performance and actionable insight into risk, Clariant managers can coach drivers to improve safety skills as well as reduce fuel consumption, improving operational results companywide.
“Because of its intuitive design and ease of use, the SmartDrive coaching dashboard and driver scorecards allow us to instantaneously coach drivers on needed skills as part of a continuous improvement program. There is no doubt the SmartDrive program is taking our fleet safety to the next level,” said Dane Dorval, regional operations manager for Clariant. “Additionally, we were very pleased with the new SR4 hardware, which is extremely flexible in design and can easily integrate with other systems and devices, future-proofing our investment as we grow and our needs evolve. Knowing we won’t have to replace hardware each time we want to upgrade our program is yet another advantage.”
When introducing the SmartDrive program to drivers, Clariant management took a proactive, open and transparent approach in its communication. By reinforcing the positive benefits of the program, drivers better understood how the tool is designed to help them continuously enhance their driving skills and improve safety. Furthermore, the program also utilizes a coaching system where both road-facing and cab-facing cameras provide realistic knowledge for the coaches to have effective discussions with drivers on key improvement areas.
“We know that a majority of collisions involving a truck are not the commercial driver’s fault,” added Dorval. “Technology like the SmartDrive video-based program can help create factual accident reports, thus eliminating those ‘he said/she said’ situations.”
“While all fleets must have a commitment to safety, those operating in the oil and gas industry must be especially diligent, as collisions and spills can have significant adverse environmental effects, in addition to the risks of personal injury and loss of life,” said Steve Mitgang, CEO of SmartDrive. “We applaud Clariant for taking this important step in creating a safer organization and for their commitment to continuous improvement, knowing there is no such thing as being ‘too safe.’”
