Grundon invest in driver safety

Waste-recycling company implements Samsara AI technology to improve fleet safety

GRUNDON are investing around £750,000 in Samara’s industry-proven Connected Operations Platform over the next three years, as part of a new driver improvement programme to be rolled out across the company’s 300-plus-strong fleet. 

The business is said to be one of the first UK waste-management firms to adopt the AI technology, following successful trials at two Grundon depots.

A key part of the rollout is Samsara’s dual-facing AI dash cams, which helps to improve driver behaviour through audible in-cab alerts that highlight high-risk behaviours and events in real-time. The technology is designed to help drivers improve safe driving habits, encourage good behaviour, and reduce incidents such as braking sharply or driving too close to the vehicle in front.

Cameras situated at the base of the windscreen monitor driver activity and capture high-definition footage, enhancing driver vision and providing up-to-date routing data to the fleet management team.

Chris Double, Grundon’s regional operations manager, said: ‘Driver and vehicle safety is of paramount importance, and we firmly believe this investment will help promote safer driving. During the trials and training period, Samsara’s Dual-Facing AI dash cams received very positive feedback from our drivers, who were both enthusiastic and engaged with the whole process.’

Over a six-month period, the two Samsara trials at Grundon showed an impressive 71% reduction in detected events and they both demonstrated increased fuel efficiencies as drivers were encouraged to optimize fuel efficiency and minimize idling. Once in place fleet-wide, such measures are expected to reduce fuel costs for Grundon by around £220,000 per year.

Philip van der Wilt, senior vice-president and general manager EMEA at Samsara, commented: ‘Our Connected Operations Platform allows essential physical operation businesses like Grundon to have a single view of their critical operational data and manage their entire fleet with real-time, data-driven decisions. 

‘The measurable impact of Samsara’s technology in Grundon’s six-month trial is a testament to our focus on innovation and safety. We look forward to working with Grundon for many years to help them continue innovating in their industry.’