TIL leading the way on transport safety

Ensuring safety on the road for TIL’s drivers and other road users is a priority for leading New Zealand transport business, TIL Logistics Group (TIL). The company invests significantly in technology and training to support its road safety culture and has recently signed an agreement with driver safety solutions provider, AutoSense.

The agreement will see AutoSense providing induction, ongoing online driver training and in-cab simulator training to TIL drivers as well as installing Seeing Machines Guardian technology in over 1,000 of TIL’s fleet vehicles.

Distraction and fatigue are human factors – everyone at some point suffers from this but when you are driving this could have tragic consequences. Guardian is a real-time driver fatigue and distraction solution that is scientifically proven to reduce fatigue events by upwards of 90% (click to view the demonstration video).

Guardian is often referred to as having a “buddy in the cab”. The technology monitors driver behaviour and eye patterns and provides immediate intervention to the driver when fatigue or distraction starts to take hold. Audio alarms and seat vibration alerts are activated instantaneously to warn the driver to re-focus their attention to the road.

Footage is only ever recorded if an ‘event’, such as prolonged eye-closure or unacceptable head movement, is detected and it is then sent to the business’ fleet manager for them to action if required. This allows for additional training or support to be put in place for the driver, and in a world where the driver is often wrong until proven otherwise, the technology takes the ambiguity away, allowing a quick and clear investigation.

TIL is also investing in continuous driver professional development. Utilising the AutoSense mobile truck simulator, TIL is able to evaluate all its drivers on an annual basis and offer targeted coaching and professional development where required.

AutoSense Ambassador, Greg Murphy, has applauded TIL’s focus on road safety, saying “The transport industry is the lifeblood of the economy and the Guardian technology is designed and proven to support the industry and the drivers by lowering the chances of a crash. I really commend TIL for getting on board and making such a commitment to driver training and driver safety within their organisation. This ultimately improves road safety for all road users.”

The agreement further supports TIL’s commitment to driver safety and utilises some of the best-in-market training and technology solutions, provided by AutoSense.

Alan Pearson, TIL Group CEO says “With more than 860 drivers on the road around New Zealand, having the best possible training, health and safety culture and systems is an imperative for TIL. We welcome new technologies, such as those provided by Autosense, which allow for better training, greater efficiencies, reporting and oversight. Our priority is to ensure our drivers get home safely and keep the communities in which they drive safe as well and our investment is a small price to pay to ensure safer roads.”

Charles Dawson, AutoSense CEO said: “This agreement is a sign of the maturing of the transport industry in taking driver training and road safety seriously. By signing an agreement that involves the total package of driver training, TIL is demonstrating a serious commitment to their people, and keeping them and all road users safe on our roads”.

ABOUT TIL LOGISTICS GROUP AND AUTOSENSE

NZX listed company, TIL Logistics Group (NZX: TLL) is one of the largest domestic freight and logistics businesses in New Zealand, with a nationwide network of branches, depots and warehouses. TLL’s activities include transporting and warehousing freight throughout New Zealand and co-ordinating freight movements offshore with the assistance of international alliances. TLL also has a specialist road tanker division which is one of the largest operators in the New Zealand fuel delivery market.

AutoSense offers driver safety solutions for Heavy and Light vehicle commercial fleets, through its online induction and training programmes as well as in-cab simulator training. They also hold the master distribution rights for Seeing Machines products in New Zealand. This includes the Guardian AI technology – a camera which sits in a vehicle and observes a driver’s attention, alerting them to distraction or fatigue events. Under revised and improved commercial terms, Autosense has committed to trebling their existing connections by the end of 2019.

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