Telematics That Drivers Actually Trust

Fleet Management as a Safety Tool—Not a Surveillance System

SUMMARY

A major Pacific Northwest utility improved fleet safety by combining advanced vehicle telematics with a people-first change management strategy. Rather than rushing deployment, we helped the client focus on trust, fairness, and transparency—starting with leadership testing, thorough system calibration, and early union engagement.

Additionally, we helped the utility reduce manual work and keep driver data accurate through managing their SAP HR integration. The result was fewer claims, better safety visibility, and a cultural shift from fear of surveillance to shared ownership across a 300-driver workforce.

CLIENT BACKGROUND

The client is a leading Pacific Northwest utility serving approximately 1.1 million customers. The organization operates more than 1,000 fleet vehicles across diverse terrain and emergency-response conditions. A large portion of the workforce is union-represented, requiring careful coordination anytime new technology affects daily work practices. Safety is a core organizational value, reinforced consistently across leadership and operations.

“Safety was the number one goal—getting drivers home to their families.”

Patty Griffith, Lead Project Manager

CHALLENGE

The utility needed better insight into driver behavior to improve safety and reduce claims. Prior attempts to introduce in-vehicle technology had failed, leaving drivers skeptical and wary of how data might be used against them. Trust with the union had been strained, and concerns centered on privacy, camera use, and whether automated scoring would fairly reflect real driving conditions.

“Privacy mattered, and we made that clear.”

Patty Griffith, Lead Project Manager

They also struggled with manual driver data management. Without SAP HR integration, it was hard to keep driver records up to date when employees changed roles or left the company. Plus, any new solution needed to prove accuracy, protect privacy, and demonstrate clear value to both leadership and the workforce.

SUCCESS CRITERIA

• Reduced insurance claims and legal exposure

• Established and reliable fleet safety metrics

• Verified fairness and accuracy of driver scoring

• Driver and union trust in the system

• Adoption of coaching-first safety practices

• Ability to exonerate drivers during incidents

• Automated, accurate driver data management through SAP HR integration

SOLUTION

The utility implemented the Samsara Connected Operations platform, integrating GPS, sensors, and outward-facing cameras across its fleet. Tamazari led deployment planning, testing, change management, governance, and SAP HR integration to ensure a smooth rollout.

Built on Samsara’s real-time visibility, the program was designed to promote safety rather than punishment. Instant alerts helped drivers self-correct, while data-driven coaching tools empowered supervisors to recognize and reward good driving. The SAP HR integration automated driver onboarding and offboarding, cutting administrative workload and reducing compliance risk.

IMPLEMENTATION

The program was delivered over 18 months and began with early engagement of union leadership. While union discussions were underway, the team launched a controlled pilot using a small group of vehicles and approximately 20 managers and supervisors as testers. Hardware was installed, alerts configured, and scoring models calibrated during a 2.5-month testing period.

This leadership-first testing allowed supervisors to experience alerts, video events, and coaching workflows firsthand—and to provide feedback before drivers were introduced. The team adjusted scoring thresholds to reflect real-world conditions, such as school zones and inconsistent speed-limit data. Transparency during testing helped demonstrate that the system was fair and accurate.

“This wasn’t a flip-the-switch deployment. We tested, calibrated, and rolled it out in stages.”

Patty Griffith, Lead Project Manager

Driver rollout followed extensive, in-person training across multiple locations to match different shifts and schedules. Supervisors—not external staff—led training to ensure credibility and relevance. A grace period ensured no scores counted until every driver had been trained and was comfortable with the system.

Ongoing feedback from drivers was actively encouraged. When drivers reported incorrect speed limits, the team worked directly with Samsara to audit and correct hundreds of locations, reinforcing trust and collaboration.

The SAP HR integration ran in parallel, automatically syncing driver records with the telematics system. This ensured drivers were added, updated, or removed correctly as roles changed.

RESULTS

The program produced immediate and lasting impact. Insurance claims dropped, and video evidence helped exonerate drivers during incidents—including one crash that resulted in zero cost to the utility after video disproved a false claim.

“The video completely exonerated the driver and the company. It cost them $0—one email with a video attachment.”

Patty Griffith, Lead Project Manager

Safety scores improved across the fleet as drivers responded positively to in-cab alerts and coaching. Over time, skepticism gave way to trust, as drivers were exonerated again and again, rather than being penalized. Leaders gained reliable safety data, and HR teams benefited from automated driver management with fewer errors.

LONG-TERM VALUE

The telematics program continues to support the utility’s strong safety culture while reducing long-term legal and financial risk. Automated SAP HR integration improved data accuracy and reduced administrative burden as employees joined, moved, or left the organization.

Equally important, the program demonstrated how thoughtful change management can turn sensitive technology into a trusted safety tool. The success of this integration increased organizational confidence in future system integrations and data-driven initiatives.

“The legal and claims benefits continue long after implementation.”

Patty Griffith, Lead Project Manager

KEY LEARNINGS

• Early union engagement prevents resistance and builds shared ownership

• Leadership-first testing drives empathy and credibility

• Fair, well-calibrated systems increase trust and adoption

• Coaching and recognition outperform punishment-based models

• Transparency and two-way feedback improve outcomes

• Integration with HR systems improves accuracy and scalability

• Culture change is essential to long-term success

Interested in optimizing your fleet? Learn more about how we help organizations rollout their telematics initiatives.