ORLANDO. LinkeDrive, Inc. announced the launch of its PedalCoach, a software solution that it said provides truck drivers with real-time, adaptive feedback for improving fuel economy here at the American Trucking Assns.’s (ATA) annual conference.
Jeff Baer, founder and CEO of Boston-based LinkeDrive, said that “PedalCoach is already helping several trucking companies save a nickel a mile in fuel costs. The magic of PedalCoach lies in its unique ability to generate an appropriate, achievable fueling target in real time and communicating that to the driver in a simple, intuitive, fun manner.”
He said that PedalCoach includes a fuel bonus program that is “fair and effective” and that the solution integrates with existing pay-for-performance plans to drive higher driver participation and performance. In addition, while the solution “leverages cutting-edge technology and data science, the in-cab driver coaching is purposely kept very simple.”
LinkeDrive deploys PedalCoach on smartphones and tablet devices or it can be integrated with existing in-cab technology. According to the firm, installation takes under 20 minutes per truck and fleets can securely access driver and truck analytics to track trends, compare drivers, assess differences in truck models and evaluate regional and seasonal variances in performance.
"We fundamentally believe that drivers hold the key to maximizing fuel economy," said Baer. "They want to do a good job, and they want to hear it so that they can take pride in their work. And we have also learned that ex post facto driver scorecards, aggressive speed governors, unfair fuel bonuses and the like have not been very effective and actually can create quite a bit of dissent and tension between drivers and fleet managers.
“PedalCoach changes the game by playing the role of a virtual coach and providing positive, on-the-fly feedback that is fun, easy to follow, and appropriate for changing circumstances that are out of our drivers' control," he continued.
"Most rewarding is how quickly PedalCoach has been able to convert skeptical drivers into our biggest fans,” noted Baer. “We've had drivers tell us 'PedalCoach gets me through my day' and ‘I’ve told management I don't think I’ll able to drive without it.' One driver made his first MPG bonus target in eighteen years. Nothing is more rewarding than helping our fleets forge win-win relationships with their drivers."
Founded in 2012, LinkeDrive’s “experience and expertise spans solutions leveraging web, search, mobile, cloud, networking, business intelligence, vehicle dynamics and alternative battery technologies.”
