ISAAC HORIZON – a dual success in 2024

Our User Conference this year was a roaring dual success. It featured our first-ever trucking technology conference in the heart of the US in Dallas, Texas, alongside the French version at our HQ in Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Quebec. In this article, we bring you the top five ISAAC HORIZON 2024 highlights.

1. ISAAC’s Safety & Compliance Playbook : a concrete how-to for carriers

A kind of recipe book, a collection of cheat sheets, a reference guide… ISAAC’s Safety & Compliance Playbook is all these things. It was designed by ISAAC’s experts to help our clients fully leverage the ISAAC Platform in addressing their challenges as carriers. Not sure how to reduce unsafe driving behaviors? Flip to page 6 to learn why you should address them, which ISAAC tools to use, and what to do specifically.

This Safety & Compliance playbook covers everything clients need to quickly deal with challenges, from driver fatigue to speeding, vehicle maintenance and more.

2. Professional Services: more bang for your buck

Fun fact: none of ISAAC’s clients use all of the ISAAC features available to them for optimizing their operations. Starting now, they can call on our Professional Services team to analyze their fleet’s challenges and opportunities and deliver tailored, efficient solutions.

This team of experienced ISAAC experts with deep trucking expertise knows how to approach a problem from all angles—not just the technological side.

Another fun fact: fleets with an average size of 250 trucks that increase their ISAAC Coach scores from 75% to 90% across their fleet can achieve average yearly fuel savings of $800,000. That’s entirely feasible with the right deployment of our platform!

3. ISAAC Analytics: empowering fleets like never before

ISAAC Analytics is a new fleet analytics tool within the ISAAC platform that empowers ISAAC’s clients to make strategic decisions based on data—not gut feelings.

With Business Intelligence (BI) empowered by AI, ISAAC Analytics keeps you on top of operational costs, fuel efficiency, asset utilization, and safety and compliance statistics. It provides 360° insights and easy-to-use dashboards that visually explain the data, helping fleets act on emerging trends quickly thanks to actionable fleet management insights.

Data metrics include ISAAC Coach scores, miles-per-gallon, and asset utilization, as well as engine idling, hours-of-service violations and critical events like hard braking. Clients can review two years of data to focus on year-over-year and month-over-month trends, and they can view results by terminal, driver, or driver manager.

Read more about ISAAC Analytics in our whitepaper.

4. ISAAC’s 2024 innovations and 2025 roadmap

In 2024, we introduced many valuable features to help carriers run safer, more efficient operations. For ISAAC users who missed these due to busy daily operations, the recap at the conference is a perfect way to get caught up!

We also shared what’s on our 2025 roadmap with our clients. That presentation has the audience wide-eyed every year, as users discover what they can look forward to in the year ahead. That’s all we’re saying about the 2025 roadmap in this article, as only conference participants are in the loop. 😉 Let’s just say, exciting things are ahead!

2024’s innovations are public news, so here’s a peek at some of the latest benefits ISAAC users are enjoying.

Safety & Compliance

• ISAAC’s latest on-board camera series that covers every angle, leaving practically no bind spots
• Extraction of longer videos and real-time diagnostics for ISAAC InView cameras to ensure cameras are always up and running
• Improved management of unassigned driving time to help managers quickly identify and resolve these segments for better compliance

Driver Experience

• The new ISAAC Scan: better image quality, and driver-friendly features such as automatic document detection and blurry image warnings to help drivers perform quality scans on the first take, reducing back-and-forths with the office
• ISAAC’s new M Series tablet dock featuring an optional plug-in speaker that helps drivers hear tablet messages loud and clear in a noisy truck
• Clearer, easy-to-read instructions to drivers on their tablet, thanks to added styling features for dispatchers to use

Operational Efficiency

• The just-released ISAAC Analytics, which uses BI and AI combined to boost our clients’ decision-making power like never before
• Enhanced licensing management for integrated systems like CoPilot, Drivewyze, and SpeedGauge

ISAAC’s Open Platform

• Over a dozen new API options to support seamless and efficient system integration
• New trailer-tracking partners for system integration, to help fleet managers track their assets directly from the ISAAC InRealTime portal

5. Engaging roundtables, panels, and workshops

Clients had the chance to roll up their sleeves with ISAAC experts and their peers and tackle top-of-mind challenges in friendly discussions and expert panels. Here’s a glimpse of that buzzing activity.

• Peer-to-peer roundtables, namely the Safety & Compliance roundtable led by Mélanie Simard, our VP of Safety & Compliance & Technical Support, was very popular. The hot topic of this year: unassigned driving management.
• Our trucking expert panel on the top industry issues and economic outlook, featuring Rebecca Brewster (ATRI) and Bob Costello (ATA) was a highlight as usual. During this panel, they shared the latest trucking research and economic data.
• A panel featuring real-world results from early ISAAC Analytics users had the audience paying very close attention. The fleets sharing their experience were Challenger Motor Freight and Tucker Freight Lines at the Dallas conference, and Molson Coors and Groupe Guilbault at the conference in Quebec.
  

  “The biggest benefit I see from this platform [ISAAC Analytics] is the consolidation of the rich data ISAAC has. ISAAC Analytics transforms and cleanses all of the data points and puts it into a one-stop shop. That alone is super powerful.”

  Matthew Campbell, Manager of Transformational Excellence & Analytics, Challenger Motor Freight

  

• Our Safety & Compliance expert panel is always a treat for conference participants, as peers share their field experience and the concrete solutions they find for the challenges they face. Kriska Holdings, Leonard Express and Quality Carriers were our guests at the Dallas event, and Groupe Loyal Express and Groupe Nadeau took the stage at the Quebec event.
  

  “We work hard to coach our drivers with the ISAAC information. Their data integrity is high, and we’re able to use harsh braking and speeding information. We can coach our drivers in a timelier manner because we have notifications right away when someone is speeding or has an hours-of-service violation.”

  Katie Griffin, Director of Fleet Safety, Leonard’s Express

  

• Our workshops offered practical tools and tips on subjects like overcoming driver resistance, using the ISAAC Coach Safety Report for in-cab coaching, and exploring ISAAC Analytics dashboards. Attendees left with actionable insights to maximize their tools and improve operations back at work.

Over the two days of peer-to-peer roundtables, expert panels, and workshops, attendees had many opportunities to connect, ask questions, and find creative solutions to their most pressing problems.

ISAAC HORIZON – a must for forward-thinking fleets

And these are the ISAAC HORIZON 2024 takeaways in a nutshell! Of course, we didn’t mention the moments of laughter and connection, the countless hallway conversations, and the vibrant atmosphere in both Dallas and at our Quebec headquarters this year.

ISAAC HORIZON is a must for ISAAC clients who want to stay ahead of the curve with trucking industry innovations and connect with like-minded professionals. All leave with a truckload of actionable insights for their fleet.

Want to join us? Become an ISAAC client, and then stay updated on registration for ISAAC HORIZON 2025!

The Economy

Among the more than 4,000 respondents across North America, concern over the economy was this year’s most critical trucking industry issue. High diesel prices, inflation, rising interest rates and slumping freight rates have combined to make this “a year of disruptions,” according to ATRI. At the same time, trucking experienced record-high costs in 2022—a 21.3% increase in operational costs over the previous year.

We were fortunate at the user conference to have ATA’s Bob Costello provide his latest economic analysis. He confirmed it’s been a difficult year, especially for those reliant on the spot market. Costello also projected some relief in the spring as excess capacity exits the market.

While so many global economic factors are out of trucking’s control, every feature of the ISAAC solution is designed to maximize revenue and keep costs in check. ISAAC provides a complete solution with exceptional uptime, and manages all rugged hardware, software and network components. It offers operational savings through simpler trip management, which guides drivers with location-based tasks and pre-filled forms, saving time and reducing human error. Likewise, ISAAC’s easy-to-use electronic logging device (ELD) helps ensure drivers and vehicles are always in compliance and avoid unplanned downtime.

Truck Parking

The lack of safe and available truck parking reached No. 2 in 2023, its highest-ever position. Drivers lose an average of $4,600 a year in time spent looking for parking. This is more than an economic issue, as several fatal crashes illustrate the dangerous situation all highway users face when truck drivers are forced to park on the side of the road.

The ISAAC solution can help trucking companies plan and optimize routes in advance, which can factor in the best places for drivers to stop, based on available hours. Dispatch can also help drivers in real time if they are having difficulties locating a safe place to park.

Fuel Prices

Finishing third on the 2023 list was fuel prices, which account for 28% of trucking’s total operating costs, the highest percentage since 2014. High diesel prices are especially challenging for owner-operators, who have ranked fuel prices as their top concern for three consecutive years.

The same week as the user conference, ATRI released new research that showed traffic congestion on U.S. highways added $94.6 billion in costs to the trucking industry in 2021. That equates to more than 460,000 truck drivers sitting idle for one entire work year.

While avoiding traffic jams may be impossible, the ISAAC Coach is a unique, real-time driver coaching system with easy-to-follow visual indicators that helps all drivers boost fuel economy. The ISAAC Coach evaluates driver performance without penalizing drivers for factors outside their control such as load size or wind. A new scientific study from the Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF) has shown the clear link between eco-driving using the ISAAC Coach and improved highway safety.

Driver Shortage / Driver Compensation / Driver Retention

The driver shortage placed No. 4 on the annual survey, just ahead driver compensation (No. 5) and driver retention (No. 7). As the ATRI report points out, these are related workforce issues, though the strategies to address each are distinct.

While some may debate whether or not there is a shortage, we know at ISAAC that fleet clients are always seeking to recruit and retain top-performing drivers, technicians and other back-office positions.

The ISAAC solution is designed to keep drivers happy by delivering them a tablet that is intuitive and simple to use. The predictive workflow provides pre-filled trip information to maximize the productivity of every run.

Fleets can use the ISAAC Coach to implement incentive programs based on a driver’s actual performance. Fleets can see a companywide gain of 5% in fuel economy and create a positive competition among drivers to achieve the highest ISAAC Coach scores.

“A well-executed data-driven driver incentive program can provide considerable return on investment as a result of improved driver safety and reduced accidents, all while enhancing recruitment and retention,” ATRI said.

Partnering with ISAAC elevates the driver experience and boosts retention by setting them up for success. They can rest assured they are compliant with all regulations, on the most efficient route and one click away from being in contact with dispatch to address any problem that arises on the road.

Lawsuit Abuse Reform

Besides fuel costs and the driver shortage, lawsuit abuse reform is the only issue to appear in ATRI’s inaugural survey in 2005 and remain today. It was the sixth biggest concern in 2023, and is closely linked to insurance cost and availability, an issue just outside this year’s Top 10.

ATRI research documented a 40% increase in the liability insurance premium cost per mile over the past decade. An even biggest threat for trucking fleets is the rise of nuclear verdicts. With jury verdicts regularly in the millions of dollars, one accident can jeopardize an entire business.

The ISAAC InView fully integrated video camera system is crucial to defend against the threat of nuclear verdicts. It provides critical footage and undeniable telemetry data that can exonerate drivers and protect your company’s reputation. ISAAC InView dash cams enhance a fleet’s safety and driver training programs, reducing speeding, and other dangerous behaviors. That translates into fewer accidents and a greater chance of keeping insurance premiums in check.

Driver Distraction

Driver distraction, this year’s No. 7 issue, returned to the Top 10 list for the first time since 2018. It was the top concern cited by survey respondents from the law enforcement community and truly is a safety crisis that extends far beyond professional drivers.

Trucking fleets can play a role in reducing distractions on the nation’s highways with their choice of in-cab devices. The ISAAC solution is “built for trucking” because it is rugged and designed specifically for the industry’s harsh conditions. But that also means fleets can customize the apps and integrations that drivers can access on the device, and prevent the use of unauthorized apps when the vehicle is in motion.

By avoiding the use of drivers’ personal devices for work-related tasks, the temptation of distractions is removed.

Detention/Delays at Facilities

Delays at customer facilities placed ninth on the survey, and they continue to create “cascading impacts for drivers as their available hours-of-service are wasted,” according to ATRI.

To better cater to drivers’ needs, ISAAC developed the ISAAC Connect smartphone app. It is a companion application to the ISAAC solution, allowing them to step away from the truck at a rest stop or shipper’s facility and continue on their personal devices conversations started with dispatch on the ISAAC in-cab tablet.

Fleets can also utilize data from ISAAC to pinpoint customers or terminals where delays are creating unfair burdens on drivers.

Zero-Emission Vehicles

This issue made the Top 10 list for the first time in 2023, as government agencies consider aggressive timelines for transitioning vehicle fleets to alternative power. With ISAAC, no matter what is under the hood, the solution can support your fleet’s needs. ISAAC’s experience with electric vehicles dates all the way back in 1996. Known then as ISAAC MotorSports, the company was instrumenting its first fleet of electric trucks that year.

Innovation as Your Ally

As ATRI’s survey shows, there is no shortage of critical issues currently facing this industry. Regardless of what new challenges may emerge next, ISAAC’s continuous innovations in areas including artificial intelligence (AI), business intelligence (BI) and cybersecurity ensure you will always have a reliable telematics partner by your side.

ISAAC is also a member of many trucking associations across the United States and Canada, and our subject matter experts serve on numerous committees. That includes Mike Stapleton, vice president of industry relations, who is a member of ATRI’s Research Advisory Committee. By being active participants, we believe ISAAC can better support trucking’s efforts to reach higher levels of safety, productivity and sustainability.

Canada’s carriers face new ELD rules on January 1, 2023

Fleets face new Canadian rules for electronic logging devices (ELDs) that start in less than three months. After delays in 2021 and 2022, Canada’s ELD mandate appears to be on track for enforcement on January 1, 2023. Previous reasons for postponement, such as the pandemic and a lack of certified ELDs, aren’t likely to be roadblocks again.

Fleets can check to see if their ELDs are certified by Transport Canada. Carriers that don’t have certified ELDs should begin the transition as soon as possible. Companies must consider the impact that ELDs will create across their fleet to plan enough time for effective change management. This helps to reduce friction that drivers and fleet workers experience towards new systems and industry rules.

Getting your entire fleet on board is a crucial part of rolling out efficient compliance measures for the Canadian ELD mandate.

Get the Guide – Canadian ELD Compliance

Is my ELD certified?

Transport Canada offers a website for carriers to verify their ELD device as compliant with the mandate. This list includes all certified ELD products in Canada. Use the list to confirm that the product model name and number are certified. The software name and version can also be confirmed on the ELD certification list.

If you can’t find your device on the list, contact your vendor. Since time is running short, it’s important to know where your vendor stands in the process of becoming certified. Don’t hesitate to ask questions, such as:

• What steps are being taken to become compliant?
• Will I need new hardware?
• Will there be a major software update?
• Can we achieve compliance with an over-the-air update?

The answers you get to these questions will directly impact how quickly you’ll be able to deploy an ELD solution that complies with the mandate. An over-the-air software update can be fast. If you need new hardware or a new vendor, you will require a lot more time to make the transition.

Following best practices for ELD implementation will shave time off the project. Getting started with the process sooner than later will allow for enough time to smoothly transition before the mandate starts in January.

How fleets manage the change to ELDs

Transitioning to a certified ELD requires a change management plan, starting with an evaluation of the impact the change creates across your fleet. Understanding the impact helps to clarify the project scope before deployment. The changes that drivers experience with the new system will be different from those experienced by dispatchers and managers, so a change management plan must account for each group.

The upcoming Canadian ELD mandate does not alter hours of service (HOS) regulations, but using an ELD will change the way drivers and fleet workers go about their day. Drivers will need to know how to use ELDs for HOS and DVIRs and to show compliance during roadside inspections. Office personnel will need to get familiar with the new technology and understand how to support drivers using the solution.

The current state of your fleet systems will determine your starting point in the transition process. If your drivers are using paper logs, the amount of change experienced will be much greater than for a fleet already using ELDs. Fleets switching from paper logbooks to ELDs must factor in time for drivers and office personnel to get familiar with the new technology. Fleets familiar with ELDs will need less time to get people up to speed.

Managing change is challenging for many fleets. Understanding the extent of the changes and the impact of new systems on individuals will make it easier to equip your fleet and complete the transition for full compliance.

Transparent communication and engaging training

Fleets with a solid change management plan understand that ELD installation is part of a larger transition process. Drivers and fleet workers must adopt the new system and learn to use it before the final steps of deployment.

A transparent, engaging communication plan helps to reduce resistance to change. Let people know about incoming ELDs well in advance. People who react with more resistance will benefit from a bit more time to accept the new technology. Many will accept the transition to a new system when you take the time to explain the new regulations and time-saving features.

A robust training program helps to reduce the stress of change and quicken the transition to certified ELDs for your fleet. Make training and development resources readily available, including online and in-person activities. Designate mentors and create a support system that everyone can rely on when they have questions or want to become more proficient with the system.

It’s tempting to turn on the ELD compliance setting for all drivers when you finally become compliant. However, if time allows, it’s best to roll out in smaller groups to validate that the deployment is working as intended. You can start with the most tech-savvy drivers or roll out the system one terminal at a time—whatever works best. If issues arise, adopt fixes before the next deployment phase.

Who needs ELDs in Canada?

Canada’s ELD mandate is scheduled to become enforceable in January 2023. Carriers with intra-provincial operations (except Alberta, P.E.I., Saskatchewan), federally regulated fleets, and U.S. fleets that cross over to Canada will need to be compliant with new ELD regulations.

If your fleet hasn’t made the transition, find out more about the road to ELD compliance in Canada.

Get the Guide – Canadian ELD Compliance

Truck driving is a demanding, high-stress job that involves time away from family and friends, especially for long hauls. This is part of the reason why driver retention and turnover have been a significant problem in many fleets across North America for over a decade.

Multiple causes of driver dissatisfaction contribute to high levels of churn, adding to the complexity of solving driver shortages. These shortages create intense competition among fleets for skilled drivers, and statistics show that the labor market is likely to grow tighter.

Fleets can mitigate shortage and retention challenges by understanding driver trends, addressing pain points, and implementing systems that support driver satisfaction and success.

Download White Paper—Driver Retention & Satisfaction

Eye-opening driver shortage numbers

The current and impending growth of driver shortages emphasizes the importance of driver retention and satisfaction for fleets.

Bob Costello, Chief Economist for the American Trucking Association, stated that the driver shortage climbed to 80,000 in 2021. Demographic trends and freight growth could double the driver shortage to 160,000 by 2030. Overall, estimates project that the trucking industry will need to recruit nearly one million new drivers to address increased freight demand, driver retirements, and other industry issues.

Driver turnover increases the labor challenges faced by fleets. Costello noted that truck fleets categorized as over-the-road operations experience turnover rates of around 90%. Some drivers leave the industry, but most switch fleets. As driver shortages become more severe, carriers will be more aggressive to poach top talent from each other.

Fleets offer higher wages and signing bonuses when poaching drivers from rivals, increasing labor costs. Studies show that the cost of replacing a driver varies from several thousand dollars to more than $20,000 for truck drivers with specific endorsements on their CDL, such as HAZMAT.

Aging demographics for the trucking industry will mean that fleets need to adjust to attract a younger, more diverse group of drivers. Carriers that act to address pain points for seasoned and new drivers will reduce churn and access a larger, more diverse labor pool.

Pain points that cause driver turnover

Truck drivers navigate a series of complex professional and regulatory challenges that other workers don’t deal with. This ranges from HOS and DVIR rules to endorsements for dangerous loads. Infrastructure hasn’t kept pace with the growth of the trucking industry, causing serious problems such as a lack of safe parking spots for truck drivers.

Trucking companies have limited say in most regulatory matters. Instead, fleets should focus on making it easier for drivers to successfully comply with rules and regulations, including ELD regulations in the United States and Canada.

Drivers saddled with ELDs that don’t meet their needs experience unnecessary frustration. Technology is great when it works, and an impediment when it doesn’t. Some of the common issues that drivers experience with ELDs include:

• Unnecessary features or apps
• Systems that demand too much attention
• A complicated user interface
• Solutions that require intensive training
• ELDs with downtime and outages

Drivers who use solutions that waste time and create frustration are more likely to jump to another fleet compared to those with trucking tools that they like to use. Leading in-cab solutions go beyond ELDs to save time for drivers while optimizing fleet operations.

Great technology makes life easier fleetwide

Giving drivers reliable tech helps them perform their jobs safely and efficiently while maintaining compliance and preventing downtime. Dispatchers and fleet managers also benefit from greater fleet visibility and insight into potential optimizations across the entire business.

In-cab systems such as the ISAAC solution simplify trucking in a variety of ways, including:

• Automatic adjustment of ELD regulations and functions at border crossings
• Clear communication with drivers and faster responses to queries
• Automatic updates for HOS status when drivers report activities
• Instant syncing of driver logbooks and trip sheets
• Unassigned driving event reporting
• Predictive driver workflows that require as few screen taps as possible

Clearly, technology isn’t the only way to improve the retention of drivers, but they will respond favorably to companies that make their life easier. Our in-depth guide to driver retention and satisfaction provides a comprehensive look into different ways fleets prevent churn and thrive through driver shortages.

Download White Paper—Driver Retention & Satisfaction

Lessons from past cyberattacks can help companies prepare and respond more successfully to future threats. According to research published by the Cyentia Institute, a business that responds poorly to a cyberattack experiences 2.8 times more losses than companies that respond well to an attack.

Responding correctly to cyberattacks is the responsibility of everyone in an organization, not just the IT security team. Preparedness begins at the top, with leadership that deploys strong security and business continuity processes while avoiding common mistakes that make things worse.

Watch Webinar – Ramping Up Cybersecurity

3 Common Mistakes that Prevent a Successful Recovery

Nobody goes to work expecting a cyberattack, so it catches companies by surprise. People can be caught off guard and quickly overwhelmed when confronted with situations that they haven’t trained for or experienced. As emotions and stress rise, people will be more likely to make mistakes that impact business continuity and damage control.

Unrealistic recovery deadlines and expectations

Senior leaders should be aware that the worst day of a cyberattack isn’t necessarily on day one or two. There could be significant uncertainty for weeks before gaining a full understanding of the scope and damage of the attack.

Recovery will depend on multiple factors, including the systems and software impacted, the type of attack deployed, and overall preparedness. Companies that enlist support from third-party security firms and law enforcement can help to accelerate recovery and minimize damage.

Waiting too long to get help

Many cyberattacks deploy sophisticated tactics and advanced digital tools. Organized crime groups responsible for most attacks have sharpened their tactics and tools to become experts at cybercrime. Few businesses have the resources and expertise needed to defend against experienced cybercriminals alone.

If an attack happens, fleets should not hesitate to get help as soon as possible from organizations such as:

• Police departments
• Security specialists and consultants
• Legal firms
• Vendors and suppliers
• Government agencies

In fact, companies should already know who to contact before experiencing a cyberattack. Not all incidents require a coordinated effort involving several organizations. However, working with these groups can significantly accelerate a response to an attack to limit the damage.

Blaming IT and employees in anger

Cyberattacks create a shocking business disruption that feels like it happens instantaneously. Emotions can quickly become heated, resulting in anger and blame towards IT departments and employees. In the wake of an attack, energy should be focused on resolving issues instead of adding pressure that can increase organizational paralysis.

Company leaders must understand that criminals are responsible for an attack—not a hacked IT department or an individual. Business leaders should always focus on solving problems, even if mistakes or oversights occurred.

How Fleets Can Respond Well to Cyberattacks

Data breaches, ransomware, online fraud, and cryptocurrency theft will continue to be a persistent business threat, including trucking fleets of all types. Companies need to ready themselves to respond correctly to an attack, even if they deploy excellent preventative security measures.

Plan and prepare

Companies that prepare for a potential attack can deploy a plan that reduces damage and supports business continuity. Three main aspects of a strong plan include:

Accurate threat detection—Companies should have systems in place to detect incoming attacks and reveal intrusions. IT security systems should provide a transparent view that prevents blind spots in security and ensures an awareness of threats.

Timely incidence response—Incident response capabilities, including digital tools and external support, help to effectively investigate threats and remediate problems before they grow into an attack that disrupts the entire fleet.

Prompt disaster recovery—Disaster recovery plans cover common types of threats to business continuity, including natural disasters, physical threats, and digital attacks. Companies implement disaster recovery capabilities to become more resilient and reduce damage, especially for key business functions and departments. This includes backups for data and core operating processes.

Active leadership instead of delegating

Don’t consider your leadership work complete when you create an incident response procedure. Actively review and test procedures, including them as part of your regular tabletop security exercises. Leaders need to recognize that their active investment in security will greatly improve a company’s response to cyberattacks. A workplace climate of collective responsibility, guided by active leadership, helps to keep organizations running and lessen the impact of cyberattacks.

Open, consistent communication

Companies should maintain open discussions about cybersecurity, before, during, and after threats occur. Leaders with coherent, consistent communication will improve the entire organization’s response to security incidents. When everyone is on the same page, people will understand their roles and responsibilities in the event of a cyberattack, avoiding organizational paralysis.

Secure Solutions for Trucking Companies

Success or failure in the event of a cyberattack depends on an organization’s preparedness, including the in-cab technology that fleets provide for their drivers. ISAAC prepared our in-cab solution and organization to meet strict security standards, including a recent ISO 27001 certification.

Find out how companies can mitigate risk using fleet management technology:

Watch Webinar – Risk Mitigation Using Fleet Solutions

At the end of last summer, I looked back a quarter-century when ISAAC, then known as ISAAC MotorSports, began testing its first fleet of electric trucks. These long-ago achievements positioned ISAAC to help serve the trucking industry as it undergoes a “green” transition. Now, as the summer of 2022 comes to a close, I find myself not looking back decades, but instead to some of our most recent accomplishments. 

Large fleets continue to entrust us with their business

Throughout the summer, we have worked with two of the largest fleets in North America to deploy the ISAAC solution. One is Quality Carriers, a partnership we announced earlier this year. We are not at liberty yet to publicly announce our collaboration with the other major fleet, but are working closely with them to install the devices in every truck. We are also training every driver and back-office staffer, all while avoiding disruptions to regular delivery schedules.

ISO certification gives fleet clients a competitive advantage

I am tremendously proud of ISAAC obtaining the ISO 27001 certification, the international standard for information security management. It truly was an organization-wide effort, as every single ISAAC colleague went through online training during the 18-month intensive process. 

This tremendous undertaking was all for the safety and security benefit of our fleet clients. And it comes at a time of rising cybersecurity threats facing the transportation sector. That is why ISAAC always follows the highest industry standards to protect carriers’ valuable data. We believe this will continue to give our clients an important competitive edge. 

Rebranding to better reflect ISAAC’s commitment, culture 

On a somewhat lighter note, I am equally proud of the ISAAC team for the successful rollout of our rebranding and new website last month. When I first got involved in discussions surrounding a possible rebrand, I was not completely convinced it was needed. 

However, as the process unfolded and ideas sprung to life, my opinion quickly changed. Our updated color palette represents reliability, a passion for innovation, and our friendly culture. It also aligns with our core values and commitment to our clients. 

A busy conference season awaits 

Together as a team, the efforts just listed reflect a tremendous summer of accomplishments for us at ISAAC. But we are not slowing down. We have a busy remainder of the year planned, including attending numerous conferences in the United States and Canada. You can check out our events calendar and schedule a specific time to meet with our experts to learn how our solution can help your business. 

For our clients, we also have our 2022 ISAAC User Conference scheduled on November 15-16 at our offices just outside Montreal. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn, connect and discover how to achieve more with the ISAAC solution. I hope to see you there!

Safety is top priority for professional truck drivers, and sharing busy highways is a source of risk. Fatal crashes involving trucks were up by 13% in 2021, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This rise creates a risk for drivers of all vehicle types.

Operation Safe Driver Week (July 10-16, 2022) is an educational and enforcement campaign that seeks to reduce risky driving behavior. This Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) program will feature law enforcement on the road across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Officers will be looking for commercial and passenger vehicle drivers who exhibit dangerous driving habits.

Just like last year, the focus of Operation Safety Driver Week will be speeding—a major factor in traffic-related casualties across North America.

Alarming rise in U.S. fatal crashes

Traffic stats show a continued rise in fatal accidents this decade. In 2020, the NHTSA reported a 17% rise in speed-related fatalities. A year later they reported a 13% increase in fatal truck crashes. In 2022, the CVSA reports that fatal crashes have increased by 6.8% although crashes and traffic injuries have declined.

Fewer crashes and more fatalities point to speed as the reason for more deadly U.S. traffic crashes. Studies also show that it doesn’t take much extra speed to increase the danger of serious injuries and death.

Why is speeding so deadly?

It doesn’t matter what type of vehicle a driver operates. Speeding creates danger in several ways:

• Increased braking distance
• Less time to react for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians
• Reduced effectiveness of airbags and seatbelts
• Reduced vehicle control
• Greater force of impact

The last point is crucial to understanding the role of speeding in traffic deaths. A 2016 study showed that the rate of fatality and serious injury starts rising quickly at around:

• 18 mph (30 kph) for collisions with pedestrians or cyclists
• 31 mph (50 kph) for side collisions
• 43 mph (70 kph) for head-on impacts

Truck collisions create a devastating impact

The typical weight of a U.S. truck is 80,000 pounds, compared to 4,150 pounds for passenger vehicles. This means that the average truck collides with 19 times more energy than the average car traveling at the same speed, emphasizing the importance of truckers reducing speed.

“The rising fatalities on our roadways are a national crisis. We cannot and must not accept these deaths as inevitable,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

Telematics help reinforce fleet safety culture

Companies can use truck telematics data to establish and maintain a strong fleet safety culture. Telematics systems collect data in real time, providing detailed information about each driver’s behavior. At the same time, the system gives you a comprehensive view of company-wide operations and assets.

This data helps to guide vehicle training and maintenance efforts, and validates the effectiveness of your safety policies. Telematics also provide a powerful communication tool that facilitates positive interactions between your drivers and office staff. Everyone can play an active role to improve safety for the entire fleet.

Real-time coaching for drivers is key. Addressing risky behavior as it happens increases driver awareness and improves safety habits. Telematics technology, such as the ISAAC Coach, monitors speed, acceleration, hard braking, and sudden turns in real time, with the ability to alert drivers without distracting them. When risky behavior isn’t addressed right away, drivers are less likely to commit to safety improvements.

Sometimes, drivers need a quick reminder to keep eyes on the road, hands on the wheel, and their head in the game. In other cases, in-depth training and follow-ups may be required. Safety is an everyday issue year round—not just during safety week. Telematics make it easier to continually improve and strengthen driver safety.

Find out how ISAAC can become your partner in building and maintaining a strong safety culture within your fleet.

The new ELD mandate for Canadian trucks becomes enforceable on January 1^st, 2023, so fleets already have the momentum to implement end-to-end automation. Trucking companies that successfully deploy automated fleet management processes enable valuable benefits for drivers, maintenance, and back-office people.

How ELD systems can drive fleet management automation

In a recent interview, ISAAC CEO Jacques DeLarochellière stressed that “automation is about having the answers at the right time—not chasing the answers.” ELD systems can play a key part in delivering timely answers that support crucial aspects of automated fleet management.

Such a system can serve as a hub that helps to push the right information at the right time to the right people. At the same time, it can collect individual truck data that feeds automated workflows. Automated, self-driving trucks grab all the headlines, but automated dispatching, fleet planning, and maintenance can deliver real-world value and benefits right now.

Three benefits of automated workflows for fleets

Automation keeps the wheels turning

Drivers can rely on ELD systems and automation to quickly give them the information they need. When drivers must present logs to authorities, they won’t need to fumble around with software and paperwork. Instead, automated processes help to deliver the information to people who enforce regulations.

Less time looking for data allows drivers to keep the wheels turning.

Automation helps to address labor shortages

Automated systems also help to reduce the amount of work required to manage fleets and comply with regulations. Otherwise, when drivers don’t have the answers they need in front of them, they will pass this type of workload to people in the back office. Increased workloads require a larger workforce, while automation can reduce the overall volume of work required.

Automation delivers actionable insight

Automation provides access to insight for many aspects of fleet management, such as maintenance. ELD systems can also include components that analyze a truck’s data network, revealing a type of maintenance needed, and potentially unseen issues that could create delays.

With enough data, automated systems can help to implement preventative repair schedules that maximize the availability of trucks while extending the lifespan of the entire fleet.

ELD regulations reveal an opportunity to automate

ELD regulations signal a permanent shift in the way that the North American trucking industry will move forward. These regulations provide additional motivation for companies to fully embrace an automated, data-driven approach to fleet management.

It’s important to understand that automated workflows don’t replace drivers, dispatchers, and other people. Instead, the systems automatically push timely information that enriches the day-to-day work of people while opening up more time to perform critical work.

Companies with significant fleets can leverage not only the electronic logging of service hours, but also automated workflows to transform the way they manage every aspect of fleet operations. Nearly all businesses have an opportunity to create greater efficiency, transparency, and productivity through automation.

Talk to our experts to discover how automation benefits your fleet.

That was among the key takeaways from his conversation with Fleet Equipment magazine for its “Unscripted” video series. During a recent visit to ISAAC’s U.S. office in Cleveland, DeLarochelliere took the short drive to Akron, Ohio, to meet with Jason Morgan, content director at Fleet Equipment.

DeLarochelliere points out automation is about having the right answers at the right time, and goes far beyond just serving the driver. If a driver is having a problem, not only is that truck not moving, but it pushes some of the workload to back-office staffers.

“Taking an automated approach to your workflow […] means putting the right information at your fingertips when you need it and not wasting time trying to track down the answers you need,” says DeLarochelliere. “And you can do that right now.”

With so many companies struggling to fill open positions in many different departments, taking steps to increase automation and create a smoother workflow is growing more important than ever.

The “Unscripted” interview also touches on the Canadian ELD mandate, cybersecurity, data security and other topics. Visit Fleet Equipment magazine to watch the entire conversation