A leading UK-based fleet provider of essential infrastructure services to the telecoms, energy, gas, and water and highways sector is spearheading the drive for greater road safety within the industry.

M Group Services Plant & Fleet Solutions (MGSPFS) — the fleet management operating business of leading essential infrastructure services provider M Group Services — has teamed up with Samsara to develop the next generation of in-vehicle safety systems to protect drivers and road users.

The new solution is an industry-first collaboration that integrates Samsara's Connected Operations Cloud with a 360-degree camera solution from UK-based fleet safety systems provider Motormax. It warns drivers if a vehicle is being overloaded or if cranes, booms, or stabilising legs are not stored correctly.

The system was recognised at the UK's Fleet News Awards 2023 where MGSPFS won the highly prestigious Excellence in Fleet Safety and Compliance Award. It was also Highly Commended at last year’s Global Fleet Champions Awards and is now being rolled out across the Group’s fleet, providing an extra level of protection for both drivers and other road users.

"At M Group Services, our key safety message is that nothing is so important that we cannot take the time to do it safely," said Tony Draper, Director of Safety, Health, Environment and Quality (SHEQ) at M Group Services Plant & Fleet Solutions.

"Our job is to keep the number of road traffic incidents involving our fleet to an absolute minimum because lives and jobs are at stake if we don’t. That’s why we turned to Samsara," he said.

Working partnership forges greater safety

This new solution is just the latest development between MGSPFS and Samsara to improve fleet safety across 8,500+ vehicles used Group-wide.

The companies started working together in 2020 when Samsara came on board to help MGSPFS address one of its core values: putting people's health, well-being and safety first.

As a result, MGSPFS is installing Samsara’s video-based safety technology solution across its fleet, including dual-facing artificial intelligence (AI) dash cameras. This solution is the foundation of a long-term safety programme for the business.

This new industry-leading solution shows what’s possible when you combine MGSPFS’ commitment to safety with Samsara's connected smart solutions. By harnessing vehicle telematics and 360-degree vehicle cameras — and feeding them into Samsara’s cloud platform — fleet safety is elevated to a whole new level.

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Safety-first collaboration drives innovation

While Tony Draper is wholly focused on the safety of drivers across the Group and other road users, he’s also a vocal advocate for connected operations and the value of data. He’s seen first-hand the transformative power of data within a fleet, not just on a day-to-day operational level, but across the business as well.

"If you can harness the data, you can find out so much about your business,” he said.

"If we can see fault codes as they appear, rather than waiting for something to go wrong, we can find out how the engine is running. For instance, the technology allows us to work out miles per gallon (MPG) and carbon dioxide emissions and then overlay this information alongside other data such as safety scores and individual driver performance.

"By taking this approach you don't just get data on individual areas such as fuel consumption, instead, you get the bigger picture. Suddenly, without even realising it, you're using all these data touchpoints to help move your business strategy forward," he said.

The implementation of a single platform across the whole business means improvements in one area have seen tangible improvements and benefits across the Group.

What's more, it helps the Group improve efficiency and build upon an excellent environmental, social and governance (ESG) rating. Currently, M Group Services is recognised as a global ESG leader by the independent risk ratings agency, Sustainalytics.

A focus on one area of the business can impact the entire fleet

"By using technology to change driver behaviour, you start to see a decline in the amount of fuel used," said Tony. “You're not seeing as much wear and tear on a vehicle. Our drivers arrive at their destination with a better mindset. They're not as stressed out."

Ultimately, though, any conversation with Tony always returns to the issue of safety. And he is convinced the use of technology to help drive a safety culture is paying dividends.

"One of the things we've learned is that when you start slowing people down, then you start getting them to look at what they're doing. They slow down around corners. They reduce harsh braking and as a result, they're more courteous to other road users.

"Because we've now got technology in place that coaches our people as they drive, it's like having a passenger next to them," he said.

And it’s that reassurance for Tony, the drivers and the management team that is so important to the ongoing relationship between M Group Services and Samsara. It shows that by working together, technology firms can deliver tangible benefits for those fleets committed to digital transformation.