Founded in 1945, Nussbaum Transportation employs over four hundred fifty drivers and hauls dry van freight across the lower 48 states with a heavy Midwest footprint. CEO Brent Nussbaum recently decided to take a cue from the tech sector and give his employees a stake in the business by implementing an Employee Stock Ownership Plan, or ESOP. Employees now have 35% ownership of the Hudson, IL-based carrier and will become fully vested after just 1,000 hours.

The Nussbaum team was looking for a way to improve driver safety and operational efficiency. While they knew that video-based driver feedback solutions could help, they needed a tool that would provide realtime access to safety, fuel and operational data from the vehicle systems. After evaluating several options, the company settled on SmartDrive’s SmartIQ transportation intelligence suite.

SmartIQ allowed them to link driver behavioral data to the enormous amount of data that comes from multiple vehicle systems. The result was no preventable Department of Transportation (DOT)-recordable accidents in the first six months of implementation and a significant improvement in CSA behavior analysis and safety improvement category (BASIC) scores.

Nussbaum has also found savings in other areas by using SmartDrive’s data analytics to optimize fleet operations and reduce the amount of time drivers spend waiting at loading/unloading sites. In addition, the fleet uses the TRANSTEX TopKit to reduce aerodynamic drag on their 53’ Duraplate HD trailers from Wabash National. This year, the fleet was able to implement a 1-cent-per-mile pay increase for company drivers. Other perks include consistent weekend home time, late model Freightliner trucks and trailers, medical benefits, a 401(k) match, referral bonuses and a weekly minimum guarantee.