Amid news that partner GreenRoad is integrating an in-vehicle camera to capture video of driver behavior behind the wheel, a Zonar Systems representative said the GPS hardware and software company is currently testing the GreenRoad app for the 2020 tablet that is coming to school buses.
Brianna Grantham at Zonar told STN that the app is expected to be launched by the end of the year. For the pupil transportation segment, she added that the GreenRoad app gives school districts and private bus companies “an incredible opportunity to make their drivers and their students safer.”
“We are very excited about the potential for our customers to benefit from our partnership with GreenRoad,” Grantham continued. “We think they have a really excellent product and pairing it with the 2020 makes it even more powerful.”
The 2020 tablet launched several years ago primarily for the trucking segment as a mobile device to provide electronic inspection, hours-of-service, instant driver feedback, fuel efficiency, two-way messaging and advanced commercial navigation fleets to integrate other systems and customize its use. The open-source Android tablet allows fleets to integrate other systems and customize its use. The goal all along was to make the 2020 tablet available to school bus applications, but Zonar officials said earlier this year that an investment made into the company by partner Daimler Trucks North America hastened its use, especially by student transporters who operate Thomas Built Buses. Thomas and Zonar already partner on an in-factory GPS and telematics solution in the Saf-T-Liner C2.
Meanwhile, the GreenRoad Central mobile app was launched in 2012 to allow vehicle operators to monitor and correct driving behaviors, participate in driver incentive programs, access safety scores, reduce fuel consumption and measure, track and improve fleet key performance indicators. The GreenRoad app does not disable itself when the vehicle is in motion, as the driver behavior coaching functionality needs to operate in real time.
Outside of its partnership with Zonar, GreenRoad has been working on integrating in-cab video/cameras. While messages left for GreenRoad representatives in the UK, where the company is headquartered, were not returned at this writing, a company statement indicated that the new in-vehicle video solution will be available to customers via in the app, as well as online.
In a statement, Roni Raviv, GreenRoad’s chief technology officer, said integrating video footage with the company’s safety score data helps to not only correct unsafe behaviors behind the wheel, but also drive down fraudulent insurance claims. Safety events for which recordings are saved include braking, acceleration, corner handling, lane handling and speeding. The data can also be immediately sent to insurance companies for review, cutting down on administrative time.
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this article incorrectly reported that the GreenRoad app is disabled when the vehicle is motion and incorrectly associated the intregration of in-cab video/cameras by GreenRoad as an element of the Zonar partnership. STN regrets this error and any confusion that resulted.
