Truck driver-facing cameras

As a truck driver, you are expected to operate your equipment as efficiently and productively as possible. Your days are spent on the road, and you have a schedule and goals you need to meet everyday.

One of the great perks of the job is being out on the open road. There is nothing better than driving down the road with the windows cracked listening to your favorite tunes. There is a lot of freedom as a trucker.

Sometimes though, drivers are required to have driver-facing cameras installed. It feels like “Big Brother” is always watching and it takes away some of the feeling of freedom. From the driver’s perspective, it’s easy to understand those feelings. The videos are usually only used in the event of a crash. It can harbor the feeling that the fleet doesn’t trust their drivers.

From the equipment management point of view, videos can be incredibly helpful not just for the fleet, but for the drivers too. They can benefit the driver in case of a lawsuit after collisions or other dangerous situations.

So naturally, there is still some debate over whether taking advantage of this technology is really worth it.

The pros

Apart from alerting drivers whenever they are distracted or too tired, driver facing cameras have been proven to reduce liability of the truck driver. In the case of an accident, a driver facing camera could be used as evidence to exonerate the truck driver and their company.

The expensive legal settlement that would have been paid out in unclear circumstances is reduced or completely avoided. If the company notices there are specific areas the driver might need to improve, it’s easy for companies to know when a driver needs to be retrained.

Driver-facing cameras come in handy when an unexpected security breach happens in the cab. Don’t forget, the data backed up in the on board system could an easy way to catch an intruder or potential thief.

The cons

One of the biggest cons to installing driver-facing cameras is the possibility of drivers quitting. Many drivers with ten to twenty years under their belt with no major accidents do not take it lightly when they are introduced to a driver-facing camera.

Work relationships in the trucking industry are based on trust, and many drivers don’t want to feel micromanaged. However it’s important to remember that life-threatening accidents do happen on the road, and for drivers the road is also their office.

Another con is the way drivers may act while on camera. People always tend to act differently on camera. Many times this can be looked at as a pro and a con.

While on camera drivers tend to pay better attention to the road, practice good driving habits and do not involve themselves in in distracted driving habits. One of the biggest misconceptions is that the camera is always on. Many trucking companies will make it clear to their drivers that while they are off duty, the cameras will not be monitoring their activity.

At TransWood it’s our mission to achieve excellence through superior systems, training and dedication which ensures TransWood will provide a level of disciplined quality service that exceeds our customers’ expectation. If you are interested in working for TransWood head to our website for an application. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us.