Sobeys drives efficiency and sustainability forward with Samsara data

Creating efficiencies today for a more sustainable future. 

As an active member of the communities they serve, sustainability is a priority for Sobeys. They have aggressive emissions reduction goals for the near term as well as big-picture sustainability targets for the future. A key enabler of their sustainability program is their Center of Excellence, which is supported by the Samsara Platform. “Our Center of Excellence is all about leveraging Samsara to its full potential to make the data come to life,” said Fitzpatrick. 

Using Fuel and Energy Reports powered by the Samsara Platform, Operators use the Center of Excellence, using data from the Samsara Platform Fuel and Energy Reports, to identify opportunities to minimize fuel waste and make adjustments in real time. “The moment we connected Samsara, we were able to take actions to drop our idle time significantly,” said Tostowaryk. “Moreover, data-driven route optimization allows us to consolidate and cover more deliveries over fewer kilometers.”

The visibility gained with Samsara helps Sobeys measure every action they take, big or small, so they can stack their sustainability efforts to maximize their impact. “Efficiency and sustainability go hand in hand, and it always has,” said Fitzpatrick. “Every time we can fit another box on a truck, we reduce trucks on the road. We're using technology to optimize delivery routes, and continuously explore efficient avenues for distributing products to our stores.”   

Accurately forecasting inventory needs with reliable data. 

Before Samsara reports, Sobeys relied on manual tracking for some of their most valuable efficiency metrics, such as fleet utilization. “Obtaining visibility into our idle time, total cost of ownership, and utilization was cumbersome. Getting that information could take days or weeks and was often difficult to interpret, making it prone to human error,” said Tostowaryk. “This meant we couldn’t forecast 100% accurately and risked carrying too much or too little equipment inventory”

Using the Samsara Platform, Sobeys manages their fleet with a new level of granularity to boost efficiency and fill the gaps of their logistics operations. Now, Dormancy Reports track how long their trucks and trailers remain unmoved. “Looking at our Dormancy Reports, we’re able to better understand which days of the week we're underutilizing our fleet,” said Tostowaryk. “Prior to Samsara, we knew that our utilization wasn't optimal, but we lacked the data to confidently assess network utilization capacity. Now, we know when we can increase network capacity. By accessing and interpreting the ELD data, we can see patterns of fleet availability—by days and times of the week—and use that equipment availability to perform incremental work.”

Remote reefer monitoring ensures product integrity.

Sobeys remotely monitors their reefer temperatures with Samsara Environmental Monitors (EMs). EMs offer constant temperature reporting, safeguarding products.

Supply chain visibility improves collaboration and communication.

Prior to Samsara, Sobeys’ fleet management began with a yard assessment to determine equipment availability, a process that proved time consuming. With Samsara, Sobeys can more efficiently and appropriately plan for their upcoming workload. “Samsara helps us manage our fleet to enhance visibility on which trucks or drivers are needed on a given day,” said Adam Nathan, Transportation Supervisor.

Today, Sobeys maximizes the power of Vehicle Telematics and their existing TMS technology to solve one of their biggest challenges—delivery tracking and communication. Before Samsara, dispatchers manually coordinated deliveries between their drivers and stores, so providing real-time updates was difficult. “One of the things that we implemented through Samsara is our store notification capability. It's enabled us to communicate with our 1,600 stores across the country in a transformational way,” said Fitzpatrick. “Now, the stores are automatically notified of their shipment’s journey. If there's a delay or an issue, they can immediately see where their delivery is.” By automating this process, Sobeys increased coordination and closed the communication gap between their warehouse, fleet, and store teams. 

If there is an unexpected delay, they have the visibility available to solve the problem at hand. “Our dispatchers and managers no longer have to call cell phones to locate shipments,” said Tostowaryk. “Having real-time visibility into our fleets enables dispatchers to be more efficient in their roles and empowers them to immediately address concerns, right in the Samsara dashboard.” 

Enabling drivers with technology to attract and retain talent.  

Previously, Sobeys had limited insights into on-time delivery history and store feedback. Now, using Driver Safety Scores to measure events such as harsh driving and speeding, Sobeys has a clear snapshot of their top performers and can regularly recognize those drivers. “In addition to our drivers being dependable, we're able to validate their performance with data,” said Tostowaryk. 

“Samsara technology, like the Driver App, will help us retain our current drivers and attract new drivers that want to work for a smart fleet,” said Tostowaryk. By creating a driver-focused environment, Samsara helps Sobeys’ drivers thrive in an industry that continues to face challenges. “Our drivers have been very open to feedback. Samsara helps us engage our drivers so they can model their best practices.”

Sobeys also uses Driver Efficiency Reports to collaborate with drivers for fuel-efficient practices that contribute to Sobeys’ sustainability efforts. “Our drivers regularly travel thousands of kilometers and the data shows that many have exceptional habits from no harsh events to low idle times,” said Tostowaryk.