This week Penske Logistics announced that they will be adding new video-based safety technology — including driver-facing cameras — to nearly 3000 trucks
In a blog post published on April 3, Penske wrote that they are installing SmartDrive video technology in their trucks. The SmartDrive technology consists of “event-triggered onboard cameras that face inside the truck cab, and outwards to the road, to complement ongoing driver safety coaching.”
Penske says that the cameras are only triggered to record video when “triggered by an event when the vehicle is in operation.” They argue that the combination of driver-facing cameras and outward facing cameras will “provide for a wide-ranging view of the driver’s behavior.”
Penske says that the new SmartDrive video technology is being “increasingly deployed” throughout the company’s dedicated carriage fleet. The company says that they plan to have the video systems installed in 2,800 heavy-duty trucks by the end of 2018.
Michigan-based Penske operations manager Daniel Grivej admits that drivers are not always happy about the driver-facing cameras but says that they adjust to them: “I would say the drivers were hesitant at first, but now they consider it part of their job. I do think the cameras are an effective coaching tool.“
