Birmingham City Schools
Company Size
1,000+
Region
- America
Country
- United States
Product
- Samsara Vehicle Gateways
- Samsara Driver App
- Samsara Dashboard
- Samsara Idle Time Report
Tech Stack
- Telematics
- Driver Safety Scores
- Electronic DVIRs
- Fuel Tracking
Implementation Scale
- Enterprise-wide Deployment
Impact Metrics
- Cost Savings
- Customer Satisfaction
- Employee Satisfaction
- Productivity Improvements
Technology Category
- Analytics & Modeling - Predictive Analytics
- Functional Applications - Fleet Management Systems (FMS)
- Networks & Connectivity - Cellular
Applicable Industries
- Education
Applicable Functions
- Logistics & Transportation
- Maintenance
Use Cases
- Driver Performance Monitoring
- Fleet Management
- Predictive Maintenance
Services
- System Integration
- Training
About The Customer
Birmingham City Schools (BCS) is the fourth-largest school system in Alabama, responsible for transporting over 20,000 students daily. The school district operates a large fleet consisting of 158 school buses and 135 white fleet vehicles, covering over 1.3 million miles annually. Each department within BCS functions as a business with its own goals and KPIs, emphasizing the importance of quality and safety in their operations. Casey Foster, the Director of Transportation, sought a telematics solution to enhance fleet management, improve driver safety, and optimize maintenance processes. BCS's unique approach to departmental operations and their commitment to safety and efficiency set them apart from other school districts.
The Challenge
With over 20,000 students to transport every day, Birmingham City Schools (BCS) faced significant challenges in managing their large fleet of 158 school buses and 135-vehicle white fleet. The primary issues included improving on-time performance, reducing unsafe driving behavior, and optimizing vehicle maintenance. The previous telematics provider took over 5 months to install devices on new buses, leaving the fleet without real-time data and insights. Additionally, the vehicle-based safety score system was inadequate for tracking individual driver performance, leading to inaccurate assessments and difficulties in driver accountability. Foster, the Director of Transportation, needed a more efficient and reliable telematics solution to address these challenges and improve overall fleet safety and efficiency.
The Solution
BCS implemented Samsara's plug-and-play Vehicle Gateways to quickly integrate with their fleet, saving months of installation time compared to their previous provider. The Samsara solution provided real-time data on vehicle locations, driver safety scores, and fuel usage. The driver-based safety score system allowed for accurate tracking of individual driver performance, enabling Foster to address unsafe driving behaviors and celebrate safety achievements. The Samsara Driver App facilitated electronic DVIRs, streamlining the maintenance process by automatically creating work orders and reducing communication delays. Additionally, the Samsara Idle Time Report helped BCS comply with state-mandated idling laws and improve fuel efficiency. The integration with Transfinder allowed BCS to track on-time performance and optimize routes, further enhancing fleet efficiency.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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