McCarthys reduces annual accidents by 75% with Samsara’s actionable, real-time data

HIGHLIGHTS

• <span class="text-base font-bold"><span class="text-blue">75%</span> REDUCTION IN ACCIDENTS PER YEAR</span>

• <span class="text-base font-bold"><span class="text-blue">TIMELY DELIVERIES</span> WITH HIGHLY OPTIMISED ROUTES</span>

• <span class="text-base font-bold"><span class="text-blue">MORE EFFICIENT</span> USE OF FUEL</span>

SNAPSHOT

• Location: Norwich, UK

• Fleet size: 18 vehicles

• Challenge: Poor visibility of the fleet, with delivery and stock information residing in disparate, often paper-based systems

• Products: Samsara Connected Operations Cloud, dash cams and vehicle gateways

• Solution: Samsara enables McCarthys to digitally connect all aspects of its operation, increasing driver safety, improving operational efficiency, and enhancing the customer experience

Fresh fruit and vegetables supplier embarks on digital transformation journey

D & F McCarthy Ltd is East Anglia’s leading wholesaler of fresh fruit and vegetables. As a supplier to the Royal Household, the company holds the coveted position of being a Royal Warrant Holder — a symbol of service, quality and excellence.

“Our fleet has carried our family name since the 1800s and our brand is very visible as drivers travel across East Anglia. We take our responsibility as a local business and employer very seriously. Driver safety and delivering the very best produce alongside the very best customer service are key,” explains David McCarthy, Director, McCarthys.

David recognised that McCarthys was suffering from poor operational visibility of its fleet, with information residing in different systems and no central overview of routing or driver behaviour. There was also a strong reliance on paper-based delivery notes, which had to be returned to the depot to be processed.

Although seeped in heritage and tradition, McCarthys took a forward-thinking approach turning to Samsara to digitally transform its operation.

A central platform to connect drivers, vehicles, and business operations

Following a successful trial with a vehicle that covers the longest distances, Samsara dash cams and vehicle gateways were installed across McCarthys’ entire fleet. The open and fully integrated Samsara platform integrates seamlessly with the in-vehicle products, enabling data to be viewed and analysed in one place and in real time. 

McCarthys is capturing rich data from sensors, cameras, and OEM integrations, giving the business real-time visibility of the entire fleet operation — including telematics, delivery times, and potential delays in expected delivery times.

“Samsara has ushered in an era of digital transformation at McCarthys. What started off as a vehicle tracking system has evolved into an end-to-end operations platform, fully integrated with all departments across the business,” comments David McCarthy.

A safer transport operation

Using Samsara’s actionable, real-time data, McCarthys has created a much safer driving environment. In-cab alerts have helped improve driver habits and prevent accidents.  Despite longer journeys and additions to the McCarthys fleet, the average number of accidents have fallen 75% a year.

“Safety was the priority that led to McCarthys considering Samsara and it has resulted in an overnight ‘revolution’ in our approach. The technology is helping us coach drivers on safe driving practices, prevent repeats of risky behaviour, and reduce our incident rates. We can have meaningful discussions with our drivers, which is securing their buy-in to our safety strategy.”

David McCarthy, Director, McCarthys

Safety has been further improved through optimised vehicle maintenance. Samsara sensors typically pick up and report faults ahead of the vehicle notifying the driver, prompting McCarthys to implement preventative maintenance work before a vehicle breaks down.

 The focus on safety has also reduced the number of accident claims, leading to more favourable insurance premiums. Before Samsara, the ‘miles per at fault claim’ was 1 in 158,000 miles, which has now increased to 1 in 634,000 miles — a four fold  increase.

Real-time visibility creates new operational efficiencies

By centralising all its operations data on one unified platform, McCarthys has been armed with an entirely new level of visibility into its operations, allowing the company to create new efficiencies.

“New fuel and route efficiencies are a great example,” explains David McCarthy. “Alerts in the system for engine idling have brought down idling time very quickly. In the past, our logistics manager also had no proper tools to analyse and optimise routes. Now we regularly review the run of routes as a team, discuss different options and introduce new ideas.”

Real-time visibility of the fleet has allowed McCarthys to optimise return trips, with vehicles picking up goods on the way back rather than returning empty. By integrating the data with the warehouse, the warehouse team can plan the receipt and storage of new goods in advance, and start processing the paperwork before the arrival.

Replacing manual paperwork with digital workflows

The Samsara implementation has digitally transformed McCarthys’ operations with workflows that have replaced manual, paper-based and error-prone processes.

Daily vehicle safety checks were paper-based and drivers carried paper delivery notes, which were manually processed on their return to the depot. These documents are now digitised and centralised, keeping information synced between drivers and the rest of the business to improve efficiency and keep customers updated on order status.

If a driver, for instance, calls in sick, the logistics manager may need to merge two routes to accommodate the absence. In the past, this would have been a cumbersome process but with the data now consolidated in the Samsara platform, alternative route options can be mapped out swiftly, ensuring uninterrupted deliveries.

“Having access to a completely new layer of detail means that we can gain new insights into our customer service, identify trends and patterns, and remove guesswork from decision-making. Access to real-time, meaningful information also enables us to be more agile, react to unforeseen events with confidence, and even predict issues before they arise."

David McCarthy, Director, McCarthys

The road ahead

The success of the Samsara implementation has set a benchmark at McCarthys for digital transformation. As a result, the company is keen to continue with the digital transformation of the business, which includes fully embracing all the functionalities of the Samsara platform.

 “The Samsara experience has made it much easier to get people on board with using new digital solutions. The platform is now one of the cornerstones of our customer excellence and employee experience. We are slick and quick, our drivers feel safe, and our customers are happy,” concludes David McCarthy.