The conference provided an opportunity to review the newly unveiled data from the 2023 NETS Benchmark Report, offering participants an in-depth analysis of road safety data, fleet safety best practices, and more.
Photo: Judie Nuskey, ADTS / Automotive Fleet
The 2024 NETS Strength in Numbers Fleet Safety Benchmark Conference, held Oct. 8-11 at the Omni Hotel at Centennial Park in Atlanta, brought together industry leaders, road safety professionals, and sponsors to discuss critical advancements and strategies in fleet safety.
The conference provided an opportunity to review the newly unveiled data from the 2023 NETS Benchmark Report, offering participants an in-depth analysis of road safety data, fleet safety best practices, and trends across leading organizations.
Pre-Conference Professional Seminars
For the first time, the NETS annual conference offered the opportunity for completion certificates and certification credits by taking professional development seminars (PDS) at the conference. Topics included:
- Risk-Based Incident Investigation and Safety Through Accountability and Recognition offered by the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP)
- National Safety Council’s Defensive Driving course
- Smith System’s One-Day Driver Direct
- CEPA’s 7 Pillars of Comprehensive Driver Safety
2024 Safety Award Recipients
This year’s conference also celebrated the outstanding achievements of individuals and organizations making significant strides in fleet safety through the NETS Road Safety Achievement Awards.
The awards ceremony was opened with welcoming remarks from Jane Terry, director of the Office of Impaired Driving and Occupant Protection, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Terry highlighted the importance of the role of the private sector in advancing road safety.
The recipients were recognized for their innovative safety programs and their dedication to improving road safety outcomes within their respective industries:
- International Road Safety Award: Amazon – Global Transportation Docking and Releasing (GDTR) Technology
Amazon’s GDTR Technology was recognized for its pioneering role in improving safety across its global transportation networks. This innovative technology has reduced the risks associated with docking and releasing trailers at distribution centers, ensuring safer and more efficient operations.
- Overall Road Safety Award: Sara Wojcik – Sunbelt Rentals – Driver Risk Profile
Sara Wojcik of Sunbelt Rentals was honored for her exceptional work in developing and implementing the Driver Risk Profile program.
This initiative has significantly enhanced the company’s ability to identify and mitigate risks among its drivers, leading to a reduction in incidents and improved driver performance.
- Women in Fleet Award: Pam Chandler – Syngenta North America – Fleet Modernization
Pam Chandler was recognized for her leadership in Syngenta North America’s fleet modernization efforts.
By transitioning to newer, safer, and more fuel-efficient vehicles, Syngenta has not only improved its sustainability efforts but also enhanced driver safety across its operations resulting in significantly reducing crash rates and repair and maintenance costs.
These award recipients have set the bar for road safety excellence, demonstrating that innovative technology, comprehensive risk management, and strategic fleet upgrades can significantly reduce crashes and improve driver safety.
The awards dinner was completed with a keynote presentation from Bill Sims on human and organizational performance (HOP) and how it impacts an organization’s safety culture.
Technology Talks: Round Table Tech Sessions
Attendees were provided with an interactive platform to explore the latest advancements in fleet safety technology. During these sessions, participants rotated around the room to four different stations, each featuring a cutting-edge topic in telematics, driver safety tools, risk management software, and fleet data analytics: ITell Motion, Lightship Neuroscience, Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA), and Emergency Safety Solutions (H.E.L.P.).
This format allowed for dynamic discussions and deeper dives into the technologies that are shaping the future of fleet management. Attendees gained firsthand insights into how these innovations can be integrated into their own safety programs to reduce risks, improve driver behavior, and enhance overall fleet performance.
This collaborative setup not only fostered knowledge sharing but also encouraged real-time problem-solving among fleet safety professionals.
Venue and Benchmark Report
The Omni Hotel at Centennial Park provided a central location in Atlanta and commitment to community support, including its “Say Goodnight to Hunger” group promotion, where each room booked contributed a meal to Feeding America, the hotel reflected NETS’ values of giving back while advancing safety initiatives.
One of the major highlights of the conference was the unveiling of the 2023 NETS Benchmark Report, which offered detailed insights into crash metrics, injury frequencies, and road safety policies across a variety of industries.
The data-driven discussions that followed the report’s presentation helped companies identify gaps and potential improvements in their road safety programs. The benchmarking data allows organizations to compare their fleet safety performance with peers and adopt best practices that are proven to reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities.
Keynotes and Sessions
The 2024 conference agenda included keynote addresses from Brian Fielkow, Jacy Good and Steve Johnson, Steve Greenfield, and Sergio Rojas. The keynoters shared their insights on leadership, safety culture, the transition to EV’s, driver health and wellness, and personal stories.
The Roadmap to Fleet Safety
Fielkow’s opening keynote, “The Roadmap to Fleet Safety,” outlined the practical steps to instill a safety-first mentality across fleet operations. His extensive experience in executive leadership and safety-sensitive industries provided attendees with actionable takeaways for fostering safety cultures in their organizations.
Hang Up and Drive
Good and Johnson’s “Hang Up and Drive” presentation was one of the most moving sessions of the conference. Their personal story of how distracted driving led to a tragic crash that took the lives of Good’s parents and left her critically injured resonated deeply with the audience.
Good’s advocacy for phone-free roads and her passion for preventing similar tragedies were a wake-up call for fleet managers and safety professionals. Their presentation went beyond statistics, reminding everyone that the human cost of distracted driving is far too high. Having spoken at over 1,600 events, their message continues to inspire change within industries and among individuals.
Transition from ICE to EV
Another memorable session was delivered by Greenfield, who explored the shift from internal combustion engines (ICE) to electric vehicles (EVs) and what this transition means for fleet managers. His talk, titled “The Transition from ICE to EV – How Will This Play Out?”, provided a forward-looking perspective on the future of fleet management and vehicle technology.
Driver Health & Wellness
And finally, Rojas, a certified health coach and corporate trainer, provided insights into the health and wellness of drivers. Through personal stories and years of experience, Rojas explained how improving a driver’s well-being leads to better driver retention and overall driver safety.
Strength in Numbers
As NETS continues to lead the charge in fleet safety, the 2024 Strength in Numbers Conference successfully reinforced the importance of collaboration, innovation, and unwavering commitment to reducing road incidents.
This year’s event highlighted the vital role that both data and personal stories play in shaping fleet safety programs for the future.
