Helping NYSDOT Get More from Samsara Telematics

Tamazari's Director of Technology Strategy Shares Practical Fleet Management Strategies

Telematics starts creating value once the platform is live, but that value doesn't fully show up on day one. It grows over time, as supervisors learn which reports actually matter, alerts reach the right people, training aligns with real job responsibilities, and teams have the support they need to handle more complex requests without slowing down. That's when fleet technology starts to become part of everyday operations. It's also where Tamazari does its best work, helping organizations turn telematics investments into safer, smarter operations by connecting the platform to real workflows and supporting adoption well beyond deployment.

That focus was on full display when Gerald “Gerry” Matarazzo, Tamazari’s Director of Technology Strategy, was invited by the New York State Department of Transportation’s Fleet Administration & Support team to present at a recent all-hands meeting. His presentation was centered on how to help fleet supervisors better understand the support structures, reporting tools, alerts, and training resources available to them in the Samsara platform. Gerry’s presentation also reflected his role supporting NYSDOT as a resident consultant via Tamazari.

Rather than treating telematics as just another software platform, the session explored a more useful question: how can NYSDOT get more from the tools it already has? Drawing from real-world experience supporting the agency, Gerry walked through the practical decisions that make a difference over time, including when teams can solve a need through existing resources and when a more advanced request requires help from a resident consultant. That included support for reporting strategy, workflow design, ticketing guidance, and more involved technical configurations.

One of the strongest sections of the presentation focused on reporting. Gerry broke down the different levels available in Samsara, from out-of-the-box reports to Advanced Custom Reports and, when needed, more complex API-based configurations. The message was not that every team needs the most sophisticated option. It was that the right reporting structure depends on the question being asked, the audience receiving the information, and the complexity of the operational need. He also highlighted the value of scheduling prefiltered automated reports so the right information reaches the right people at the right time.

That kind of guidance reflects a broader Tamazari approach. Tamazari’s fleet telematics work is centered on execution, adoption, and real-world usability, not simply deployment. Our fleet approach emphasizes integrating telematics into existing operational systems, guiding onboarding, calibrating tools for real conditions, and making sure dashboards and role-based reporting views are configured in ways people can actually use.

Gerry also spent time on alerts and digital workflows, an area where small improvements create meaningful operational gains. His presentation outlined how alerts can be structured around trigger type, recipient, and notification method to reduce the time between an event and team awareness. Examples included scheduled maintenance reminders, speeding alerts, fault-code notifications, harsh-event alerts, and more advanced alert logic tied to conditions like idle duration, PTO activity, and temperature ranges. The larger point was simple: when alerts are designed well, they help teams stay ahead of issues instead of reacting after the fact.

Training was another major theme. Gerry pointed NYSDOT teams to current Samsara training resources, including the training portal, academy, webinars, and knowledge base, while also outlining the roadmap ahead: role-specific training materials, FAQs, office hours, and ongoing updates tied to new feature rollouts. In other words, the session was not just a one-time knowledge share. It was part of a larger effort to strengthen adoption and help users build confidence in the platform over time.

That long-view mindset fits naturally with Tamazari’s people-first delivery model. We believe technology succeeds when frontline teams are enabled, not when tools are simply turned on and left to speak for themselves. For public-sector fleets and other complex operating environments, that means combining system knowledge with governance, coordination, and training that help organizations keep improving after go-live.

All in all, the NYSDOT session was a valuable opportunity to share practical insight grounded in real operating experience. It gave fleet supervisors a clearer view into the reporting options, support structures, alert strategies, and training pathways available to them, while reinforcing a bigger idea—telematics creates the most value when it's paired with the right operational strategy.

We are proud to see Gerry representing Tamazari through our partnership with Samsara and sharing expertise that helps organizations like NYSDOT get more from their telematics investment.

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