Bruce Donovan, General Manager of NECO Transport, believes that high-performing fleets are built on data and incentives. That’s why Bruce uses data from Samsara’s fleet management platform to gauge how his drivers are performing, and either train or reward them appropriately.

Today, we are excited to introduce a new feature in the Samsara Driver App to help fleet managers like Bruce further motivate their drivers. Drivers around the country already use the Samsara Driver App to complete key tasks before, during, and after their trips. They can complete pre- and post-trip driver vehicle inspection reports (DVIRs), manage their hours of service (HOS), receive route updates in real-time, and more.

Driver Gamification applies elements of game design to motivate drivers to adopt better driving behaviors, such as complying with posted speed limits and applying the brakes more gently. Countless studies have shown that when an activity is more fun, people are more likely to do it. For example, when taking the stairs becomes a game, 66% more people than normal choose to take the stairs rather than an escalator. By assigning points to drivers, ranking drivers against their peers, and creating a mechanism to drive ongoing app engagement, the Samsara Driver App becomes more like a game, which encourages drivers to be safer and more efficient.

Keeping Safety Top of Mind with Driver Safety Scores

Driver Gamification lets drivers view their Samsara Safety Score right from their mobile device. These scores are based on data captured by the Samsara Vehicle Gateway and calculated using Samsara’s methodology (if you’re curious, it is fully explained in our Knowledge Base).

Driver Gamification breaks down the Safety Score for drivers, so they can see exactly what goes into the score, understand how they are being evaluated, and see actionable tips on how to improve their score. Scores are updated throughout the day, so drivers can see their scores in near-real-time. By providing drivers with full transparency into how risky maneuvers impact their safety score, the gamified Samsara Driver App helps fleet managers build a shared understanding of the behaviors that contribute to better performance.

Fostering Healthy Competition with Driver Leaderboards

Driver Leaderboards rank drivers by their Safety Scores and show them exactly how they stack up against their peers. The Leaderboards make it easy to see top performers, which motivates users to increase their score, reach the number one spot, and earn bragging rights.

Leaderboards can be set for the entire organization, or for peer groups in a specific geography, driving team, and more. By creating healthy competition and motivating drivers to earn the top spot on the leaderboard, drivers are safer and more engaged, which ultimately boosts fleet performance.

Creating Engagement with Weekly Competitions

Driver Leaderboard rankings are reset every week, so that even if drivers perform poorly one week, they can still be motivated to reach the top of the leaderboard the following week.

By providing helpful suggestions and friendly competition, Driver Gamification boosts driver performance over time. With competitions running weekly, drivers understand that safety is not just one-and-done. They know that earning a top spot requires constant vigilance, which ultimately helps promote a culture of safety.

Getting Started

Driver Gamification is available to all Samsara customers this week. If you can’t wait to gamify your driver experience, contact your account executive to request expedited activation. If you’re curious about how Samsara can motivate your fleet to perform better, contact us for a free trial today!