AVON, Ohio – Drivers for Hoffman Transportation LLC/G&D Trucking Inc. have not had a rear-end accident in more than 10 years. How does this carrier, which covers up to 12 million miles a year, do it? Jerry Curl, director of operations at the Channahon, Illinois-based company, breaks down the number.
“The combination of skilled professional drivers and safety equipment is what it’s about,” Curl said. “The two together make our drivers safer, our company safer, and our roads safer. What could be more important? That’s your family and my family out there sharing those roads.”
Hoffman equips its 160 power units with the Bendix® Wingman® Fusion™ advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) from Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC (Bendix), the North American leader in the development and manufacture of active safety, air management, and braking system technologies for commercial vehicles.
The carrier also specs Bendix® ADB22X® air disc brakes, Bendix™ BlindSpotter® side object detection system, and SafetyDirect® by Bendix CVS while working closely with Bendix on driver and technician training.
“We don’t own a truck without these features, and we wouldn’t,” Curl said. “I would not buy a new or used truck without them. I believe these kinds of technologies should be mandatory in every vehicle. Drivers have the toughest job, and we invest in their safety.”
Supporting Technologies
Hoffman’s adoption of advanced safety systems in support of its drivers goes back to Bendix’s earliest radar-based collision warning technology, Bendix® Wingman® ACB – Active Cruise with Braking, and has been ongoing ever since. Today, Hoffman specs Bendix® Wingman® Fusion™ – Bendix’s flagship driver assistance system – on its vehicles, as well as Bendix® ADB22X® air disc brakes, Bendix™ BlindSpotter®, and SafetyDirect® by Bendix CVS.
Wingman Fusion is built on the foundational technology of the Bendix® ESP® Electronic Stability Program full-stability system. This technology enables the system to help assist drivers in avoiding some additional crash situations, including rollovers and loss-of-control scenarios.
Fusion gathers input through its radar, video, and the ESP braking system, combining and cross-checking the data from sensors that are working together and not just in parallel. By creating a more detailed assessment from this information, Fusion delivers rear-end collision mitigation on moving and stationary vehicles, active cruise with braking, along with following distance alerts, stationary object alerts, lane departure warning, and alerts when speeding – all while prioritizing alerts to help reduce driver distraction.
Bendix ADB22X air disc brakes provide shorter stopping distances and deliver greater reliability with more consistent stops, while also delivering ROI in the shop through longer friction life and quicker pad changes than drum brakes. In addition, air disc brakes virtually eliminate brake fade. This advantage distinguishes them from drum brakes, which can fade during heavy stop-and-go traffic situations or during mountain descents – extending stopping distances as they heat up. The performance advantages of air disc brakes mean they provide better support to today’s advanced driver assistance systems.
Further strengthening its safety efforts, Hoffman incorporates Bendix BlindSpotter and SafetyDirect by Bendix CVS. BlindSpotter is a side-radar system designed to alert drivers to objects in adjacent lanes to help drivers mitigate sideswipe crashes. BlindSpotter operates independently of the Wingman Fusion system.
SafetyDirect is a safety platform featuring a user-friendly web portal that provides fleet operators with comprehensive feedback of what’s happening out on the road. Linked to onboard safety technologies and other sources, SafetyDirect captures information and then automatically transmits data, video, and event-based information to a fleet’s back office for analysis. The tool also serves as a coaching tool, providing a wealth of knowledge that can further help fleet managers and drivers strengthen safety.
“SafetyDirect helps us identify good driving behaviors as well as what can be done better,” Curl said. “When you identify your weaknesses, own them, and make them your strengths, you continue to get better.”
To see the entire announcement, click HERE.
