Driver and passenger safety is the number one priority for our Transportation team, which is why the department began implementing new technology to help assist drivers with their safety needs. Starting in February 2024, all buses at UDS were equipped with Motive cameras. These cameras help drivers monitor their driving habits by starting each driver with a base safety score and deducting points for hard braking, accelerating and cornering, speeding and idle time.

Implementing these cameras has increased overall driver safety. By helping drivers stay safe on the road, the aim has been to avoid potential accidents. Since implementing these cameras, drivers have increased their overall safety score by sixty percent. “It’s really helped drivers become safer on the road by creating more awareness of individual driving habits,” says Director of Transportation Jim Acton. “These measures not only help assist drivers stay safe, but it also provides significant annual cost savings as well.”
Thanks to monitoring how long the drivers allow the vehicle to idle, decreasing these times has saved our Transportation Services $27,408 in 2024. Despite our team driving 5,000 more miles in 2024 versus 2023, these new safety measures have allowed the department to save 9,200 gallons of gas.
There’s also a monthly incentive to keep things fun for our drivers. At the end of the month, the driver with the best score receives a $25 gift card. Congratulations to our recent winners: December 2024 winner Pam Guinther, November 2024 winner Barb Bryant, and October 2024 winner Elijah Kareem.
Thank you to all of our drivers and Transportation team for keeping our passengers, drivers and roads safe!