SAN DIEGO, Oct. 13, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SmartDrive Systems, a leading provider of driving safety and fuel management solutions, has been selected by the Regional Transportation District (RTD) to provide its comprehensive, video-based operator performance and safety program for 500 buses serving the Denver metropolitan area. RTD selected the SmartDrive Safety program following an evaluation of the latest industry offerings for in-vehicle recording technology.
SmartDrive Safety has been installed on more than 10,000 transit vehicles in the past year, helping agencies to better protect vehicle operators and the public while lowering operational costs. SmartDrive will be exhibiting its safety programs at the APTA EXPO Booth 3901 this week through Oct. 15 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston.
"RTD is committed to the highest standards in public transit safety and service within Denver's eight-county metro area. In our evaluation of SmartDrive, we have been able to outline achievable goals for improving efficiency, operator skills and overall safety. We expect that the full implementation of the program will help us continue towards measurable improvements of safety performance while keeping our costs down," said Mike Gil, deputy assistant general manager of bus operations at RTD.
Starting in the third quarter of 2014, RTD began installation and testing of the SmartDrive Safety program to identify and capture video and vehicle data for safety incidents that occur during its bus fleet's daily routes. All recorded event clips will go through the SmartDrive Review Center where SmartDrive's specialists provide industry-leading video analysis services including reviewing, scoring and prioritizing videos for coaching based on risk. With this information, RTD bus fleet managers will be able to coach operators on the areas that will have the greatest impact on operational efficiency and overall safety for passengers and operators.
SmartDrive's open platform will also enable integration with other third-party systems on RTD's buses. Implementation of SmartDrive Safety is expected to be complete by June 2015.
"SmartDrive is well-positioned to help transit agencies address the challenge of maintaining safety while meeting increased ridership demands and budgetary pressures. RTD and other agencies' recent SmartDrive implementations illustrate the transit industry's growing awareness of the important role in-vehicle technology can play in operational improvement strategies. We are proud to have been selected for this project," said Steve Mitgang, CEO of SmartDrive.
In addition to RTD, 27 transit agencies across the U.S. have deployed the SmartDrive solution; customers include LA Metro, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), Nassau County, Utah Transit Authority and Transdev. For more information about SmartDrive's solutions for the transit industry, visit http://www.smartdrive.net/smartdrivetransit.aspx.
About SmartDrive Systems
SmartDrive Systems gives commercial fleets and transit agency operators unprecedented driving performance insight and analysis, helping save fuel, expenses and lives. Its video analysis, predictive analytics and personalized performance program help fleets improve driving skills, lower operating costs and deliver significant ROI. With an easy-to-use managed service, commercial fleets and transit agency operators can access and self-manage driving performance anytime, anywhere. The company has compiled the world's largest storehouse of more than 60 million analyzed risky-driving events. SmartDrive Systems is based in San Diego, CA and employs over 400 people worldwide.
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