Driver training and the use of on-board telematics to monitor driver behaviour has seen the accident rate for Christchurch’s Red Buses fall by 40%.
Red Bus chief executive Paul McNoe says there has been a 40% reduction in the number of accidents involving Red Buses since implementing SAFED (safe and fuel efficient driving) training for drivers in late 2014.
He says the on-board telematics technology, which collects real time vehicle data and reports performance back to drivers, is also resulting in reduced fuel and vehicle maintenance costs and a better passenger experience.
The system’s dashboard display shows green, amber or red signals to indicate whether drivers’ performance is good, needing improvement or poor.
Speeding inadvertently, harsh braking, taking corners too quickly, revving the engine too hard and leaving the engine idling for too long are all monitored and reported back to the driver.
More than 85% of kilometres travelled by Red Buses are now being monitored, with a third of the company’s drivers trained in SAFED to further improve performance.
McNoe says the project has cost the transport operator less than $250,000 and the company is expecting a return on investment of 10% through fuel reduction, repair and maintenance savings.
Telematics has given Red Bus tangible performance data to acknowledge and reward drivers who are consistently driving professionally.
“Data produced by the telematics system provides effective feedback and tells us which drivers constantly display excellent driving,” he says.
Telematics also provides independent data if there is an event or complaint from another road user or passenger.
