SmartDrive Safety Program Chosen By Access Services to Improve Safety in Its Paratransit Fleet

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Extending its reach in the public transit market, SmartDrive Systems, a leader in fleet safety and operational efficiency, today announced that the SmartDrive Safety program has been selected by Access Services of Los Angeles, CA, for the paratransit transportation program.

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The SmartDrive Safety program uses in-vehicle recorders to capture highly detailed video and vehicle data during sudden stops, swerves, collisions and other events. Captured data is downloaded wirelessly and sent to professional safety review analysts who categorize and score the events according to 50+ safety observations. Fleet managers then use these results to improve fleet performance and overall driving safety.

Access Services provides transportation services to more than 90,000 disabled riders annually throughout Los Angeles County. The Access transportation service includes nearly 550 vans and mini-buses and 1,200 drivers, serving a 1,950-square-mile metropolitan area.

"Our mission at Access Services is to deliver our special-needs passengers safely to their destination. By improving performance and overall safety through video event recording and coaching, we can lower our accident rates and vehicle down time – helping us fulfill that mission," Access Services Fleet Manager Rick Streiff said.

"Since the SmartDrive Safety recorder provides a broad view of the vehicle interior, the system also can help Access improve rider safety by alerting Access personnel to passenger safety concerns, such as not wearing seat belts correctly. Additionally, the event recorder is a valuable tool in documenting traffic incidents, helping to quickly and accurately resolve claims," Streiff added.

"After reviewing and implementing other services, we chose SmartDrive Safety because it offers the effective and easy approach we were looking for and choices that met our business needs – a real winning combination of performance and value," Streiff noted.

"At SmartDrive our goal is to help our customers identify and reduce risk in their fleet operations, before they experience collisions or other serious incidents," said SmartDrive President Jason Palmer. "It's all about delivering the right information, at the right time, to the right people, in a cost-effective way. We are gratified that Access Services has chosen us to help them improve fleet performance and maintain a high level of safety for their clients."

"In addition to providing insight into risky driving events, the SmartDrive Safety program also lets Access reward good drivers," Streiff noted. "We can see who is actually doing a good job out on the streets and reinforce those safe-driving skills."

About Access Services

Access Services, the Los Angeles County (CA) Consolidated Transportation Services Agency, administers the LA County Coordinated Paratransit Plan, on behalf of 46 public, fixed-route, bus and rail operators.  Operating under the name "Access", the paratransit service offers disabled riders an alternative mode of flexible passenger transportation.  Reservations and transportation services are provided by independent private transit companies, under federally funded contracts administered by Access Services.  

The Access system provides more than 2.3 million rides per year to more than 90,000 qualified disabled riders in a service area of over 1,950 square miles. Its ridership includes senior citizens, persons with disabilities, the young and low-income disadvantaged passengers. Access Services receives funding for these services from Proposition C sales tax, Federal 5310 grants and fare box revenue.  For more information, please visit www.asila.org.

About SmartDrive Systems

SmartDrive delivers innovative solutions that make it easy for fleet managers to improve driver safety and reduce operating cost. SmartDrive records comprehensive video-based data from the road, then thoroughly reviews and scores critical events and recommends action for fleet managers to quickly respond and deliver sustainable savings – all through an easy-to-use managed service. The company has compiled the world's largest and fastest-growing storehouse – more than 33 million events – of real-time, risky driving incidents. SmartDrive Systems is based in San Diego, CA, and employs approximately 300 people worldwide. For more information, please visit www.smartdrive.net.

SOURCE SmartDrive Systems