Why ABM (formerly Ampco System Parking) was Ready for a Video-Based Safety Program

ABM has long utilized video-based driver safety systems to reduce accident frequency and improve driver safety. They turned to the SmartDrive program from a self-managed system to simplify the day-to-day management of the program. ABM continues to see impressive results:

  • Reductions in risky behaviors such as cell phone usage, no seat belt, and speeding
  • Driver exoneration in not-at-fault accidents
  • Safety bonuses and other rewards encourage driver acceptance

Why the SmartDrive® program is the Smart Choice for ABM

ABM offers parking lot and shuttle services in over 29 states nationwide, including facilities supporting major airports such as Denver, Detroit, Honolulu, Los Angeles and San Diego. Ampco is a division of ABM, one of the largest facility services contractors in the U.S., operating over 3,500 vehicles. The company invested in first generation video-based driver safety technology in 2001 and saw an immediate reduction in avoidable accidents.

Maximizing the Value of their Investment

In 2007, ABM switched to the SmartDrive Measured Safety Program® after they determined the need to manage all of its locations through the corporate office in order to have a complete view of fleet operations. The SmartDrive program is a fully managed service that eliminated a lot of man hours required to run the program, letting ABM focus on what was important.

ABM has a very comprehensive driver training program, and leverages the SmartDrive platform to strengthen compliance with its safety policies and track how well their drivers are responding to specific training. The company has strict policy against aggressive driving, including speeding. To ABM, controlling speeding is the most important benefit of the SmartDrive solution.

“We also practice a zero tolerance policy for driving without seatbelts and while using cell phones. The SmartDrive performance reports and video allowed us to quickly identify incidents, coach drivers, and track individuals after training. We also use a series of video clips for general driver training. When drivers see their peers making critical mistakes they learn pretty quickly. A picture is worth a thousand words.”

Tom Merlino, Director of Safety

ABM encourages safe driving throughout their fleet through the “Keeping the Camera Green” program where drivers are rewarded for avoiding triggering the camera. By providing a method of measuring safety trends, ABM can tie rewards to individual driver safety performance. Names of safe drivers are placed into the pool for a month-end prize drawing. In addition, ABM provides year-end safety bonuses to those who have the strongest safety records.

Perhaps most importantly, the SmartDrive program has been instrumental in establishing causality of accidents and exonerating their drivers when not at fault. “SmartDrive helps us support our drivers by avoiding the he-said/she-said scenarios that typically occur after an accident.”

 

Results

The SmartDrive system has driven significant reductions in speed-related events and measured impacts to other unsafe driver behaviors. In addition, the SmartDrive program has increased the effectiveness of other ABM driver training initiatives by tying their reward system to driver performance as measured by the SmartDrive solution.

The SmartDrive program has provided numerous incidents of driver exoneration in accidents. During one three-week period, ABM drivers were exonerated in three different collisions where the SmartDrive system was able to clearly show that the accident was caused by the other driver.

“SmartDrive is a no brainer. It only takes one significant collision where your driver is exonerated to pay for the entire cost of the program; in some cases not just for the current year, but several years out.”

Tom Merlino, Director of Safety

 

Learn More About Video-Based Safety for Your Fleet