An internal video from Swift President Richard Stocking directly to drivers announced that Swift will be implementing driver-facing cameras starting in May. More than 6,000 company-owned trucks will have Lytx DriveCam systems with both forward-facing and driver-facing systems installed.
Stocking called the cameras an “in-cab coach.” He assured drivers that the cameras would not be used to monitor them in real time. Rather, he says the cameras will only upload critical safety events and the 10 seconds before and after they occur.
Many people in the trucking community are extremely concerned about the repercussions that Swift’s decision might have on drivers and the industry. There are obviously massive privacy issues associated with having a camera that the driver is unable to turn off installed in all of Swift’s trucks. Others are concerned that the decision may make it difficult for Swift to hire and retain sufficient numbers of drivers. Some have speculated that the cameras may cause drivers unnecessary stress and lead to more accidents or other safety issues.
CDLLife attempted to reach Swift for comment, but they have not yet responded to our inquiry.
What are your thoughts on this?
Posted by CDLLife.com on Friday, April 24, 2015