How Fox Brothers switched to a proactive safety stance and saved £200,000 with Samsara

“Samsara’s AI technology was a big differentiator for us. It allowed us to switch from a reactive approach following accidents, to having the ability to intervene and potentially prevent accidents from even happening.” Andrew Latchum, Insurance Manager, Fox Brothers

Standout Benefits

• 86% reduction in mobile phone usage

• 91% reduction in seatbelt infringements

• 78% reduction in road collision risk

• 67% reduction in insurance claim volume at Lancashire depot

• £200,000 savings from reduced claims costs across operations

The risks of an unreliable system

As a FORS Gold accredited operator, Fox Brothers has built its reputation on maintaining the highest standards of fleet operations in the construction supply and haulage industry. 

But beneath the surface of this industry-leading operation, Fox Brothers was grappling with technological limitations that threatened to undermine its gold-standard reputation. The existing camera telematics system was increasingly unreliable, creating blind spots in safety monitoring and compliance efforts.

“The system would continuously drop off, with footage often unavailable when we needed it most,” said Andrew Latchum, Insurance Manager at Fox Brothers. “There were instances where I would jump in the vehicle with a screwdriver trying to get the hard drive out myself.” 

For a company serving major construction clients nationwide, these technological shortcomings created significant operational risks. Insurance claims couldn't be properly documented, unsafe driving behaviors went undetected, and using multiple systems created a disjointed approach to fleet management.  

From reactive to proactive safety measures

The need for a new technology solution became front of mind at risk management meetings, which saw Fox Brothers’ insurance partner, QBE, advocate Samsara as the provider of choice. After looking at multiple suppliers, Fox Brothers selected Samsara for its comprehensive platform capabilities and advanced AI technology – as well as access to discounted rates due to being a QBE policyholder. The implementation process began in July 2024, with complete installation across the fleet by mid-September. “Getting everything installed was flawless,” said Latchum. “Even when our camera fitter was going through the process, there was always help on hand with any queries.”

But installation was just one side of the implementation process – Fox Brothers also had to ensure employees would be ready to put Samsara’s solutions to work. With this in mind, the company took a strategic approach to driver adoption, developing educational materials including one-pagers and "mythbusters" about the technology to ensure driver buy-in. "We didn't just shove it in. We communicated and educated them," said Simon Colderley, Transport Manager at Fox Brothers. "Making sure we kept drivers in the loop was key to getting their buy-in."

The early results were startling. What began as a trial on five vehicles quickly revealed the true extent of safety issues that had gone undetected. "When we were benchmarking, we identified some 360-odd seatbelt offenses in just two weeks. This had been going on for who knows how long because we didn't have visibility into it," said Colderley. 

Reimagining risk management through data

Using Samsara's Safety Dashboard and AI Dash Cams, Fox Brothers implemented a comprehensive coaching program. Drivers receive in-cab alerts to help them self-correct on the road, while managers review safety inbox video clips when necessary to intervene with drivers  and address unsafe behaviors before they result in accidents.

"It's an eye-opener when you show drivers the videos," said Colderley. "They don't always realise how bad it actually is. There's a lot going on in that five-second video that they don't see in the moment."

The impact has been dramatic. Within just months of implementation, Fox Brothers achieved an 86% reduction in mobile phone usage, a 91% reduction in seatbelt infringements, and a 78% reduction in risk of on-road collisions. This has translated to a 45% reduction in insurance claim volume at their Lancashire depot, and £200,000 in savings from reduced claims costs across operations.

The implementation of Samsara has also strengthened Fox Brothers' relationship with its insurer, QBE. With collisions down 54%, the company has been able to increase deductibles and take on more risk, resulting in lower premiums. QBE has also increased its risk management bursary to support Fox Brothers' investment in Samsara, recognising the value of  the company’s proactive approach.

“Fox Brothers Group is a longstanding customer of QBE, and we are delighted to support Andrew and the Insurance Team with their use of Samsara, which has made a positive impact to the performance of the Portfolio,” said David Cairns, Regional Underwriting Manager, QBE. 

Spotting operational gains beyond safety

The benefits of Samsara's platform extended far beyond safety improvements. Fox Brothers quickly spotted the potential of driver and vehicle performance insights for efficiency gains as well.

"When we set off on the journey, it was purely to find a more reliable safety system," said Latchum. "But we soon realised that with Samsara, there was a lot more to it than just cameras and tracking. Having real-time data and being able to identify where we're wasting fuel and where we're not as efficient as we should be is a big thing for us."

To address this, Fox Brothers is trialling a driver incentive program, offering a £100 reward (£50 for safety and £50 for fuel efficiency) for top performers. The company has also established API links between Samsara and its workshop management system to streamline maintenance processes. Bringing the systems together has created a complete audit trail from defect reporting on the Driver App, through to repair completion at the workshop.

"We now know exactly what's been defected and who fixed it at what time and where," said Colderley. "And it’s just as useful for drivers as well – they have one place for everything rather than needing to manually fill out forms."

Keeping future standards high

Looking ahead, Fox Brothers is recruiting transport supervisors who’ll be tasked with further improving the company’s risk strategies using insights from Samsara. The company is also exploring additional Samsara features, including the Electronic Brake Performance Monitoring System (EBPMS) beta program for its trailer fleet.

“We're keen to implement EBPMS across our trailer fleet to meet compliance requirements,” said Colderley. “Rather than taking trailers off the road for manual testing, being able to import performance data directly will make testing much easier — especially since our fleet operates nationwide.”

With sights set on continuous innovation, Fox Brothers is well placed to maintain its gold standard and push the boundaries of what’s possible in fleet operations through its partnership with Samsara.