Every camera company is a bad company.

Correct, as mentioned above, I now work in the office of a medium sized carrier, middle management position of a specific department. With the Samsara system, I can look at the camera of any truck, any time I want, full stop. Recently Samsara did remove the ability to view the cameras in real time if the driver is off duty/sleeper, but On Duty/Driving no issue. We initially started out with outward facing, no audio.....well I just got the Memo we're going inward facing also w/audio by February. I swear to god, these electronic leashed are ADDICTIVE, once a company gets a taste, they have to have the whole suite of options to "monitor and coach" drivers. As a result, all the veterans and anyone with self respect leaves, and we just get more and more sub par steering wheel holders brought on. Then of course the damage to equipment and freight goes through the roof, and the answer is more and more pictures/camera's/inspections lol. I mean, they're talking about putting camera's at the yard gates now, looking across the gate at hub level, to make sure all the wheels are turning on trucks going in and out LOL.

On a side note, it really takes a lot to be in the office these days, its just loud chaos from the moment you clock in, until the moment you pull out of the gate at night. I don't think I've had a smooth or quiet day since I started this gig in March. The emails/Calls and brain dead questions just don't stop. Thankfully I'm at the third largest Terminal in the company, I was in the head office for 2 weeks this summer, as part of a cross training rotation. I honestly wouldn't be able to work there, just way to much to deal with.

Not my department, but I have heard/been told many times now, that Insurance is directly tied to cameras/carrier score, so take that's for what its worth.

 

I have seen one that fell off when the detailing crew got too close with the steamer, yes. You can't see through the sticker.

 

I started one, but covid hit and backed up the courts. At the same time they told unemployment that I quit voluntarily, but they also told other trucking companies that I was fired. I clearly quit—even with ten days advance notice to my driver manager—and I delivered the truck right back tot he terminal and cleaned it up. I get so sick of all this attack on truck drivers when trucking companies themselves are not only corrupt, but they hold all the cards so it's really hard to prove anything with evidence.

 

When one of my trucks was hit this summer, the cager tried to claim she was also distracted by using her phone to text. The camera cleared up that false BS Immediately.
Cager was found 100% at fault for the accident.

 

Maybe its just the garbage drivers that fear cameras?

 

Actually everyone of my drivers said thanks for installing them, many asked for them before they were installed.
The camera is there to clear up false information given about my drivers.
Have reviewed the in cab camera footage from my trucks twice this year, both times after an accident happened. Both drivers were found to have done nothing wrong, and not distracted at the time of the crash.

 

Safe drivers are safe.. but human.. garbage drivers are garbage drivers.. like the vast majority of collision avoidance and other training systems, they are not designed to "catch" good drivers doing anything.. if a driver is doing really dangerous or dumb things, it gives a company (who has to pay for the results) a chance to TRAIN them out of the behavior, or after trying that, they can get rid of the moron and let them go have the big crash in someone else's truck.

 

The only time I look at camera footage from trucks, is if there was an accident.

 

The system used at my outfit reports various things that break certain thresholds. Sort of like 2001 a space odessy.. its HAL. If HAL thinks he's going to die.. HAL reports the clip, the VAST majority of clips are never even seen by us. The company gave the camera source a list of things that they want to know about. MOST are just regular silly stupid things that ALL drivers do on occasion and are handled in short contacts with the driver. Some of the things we have gotten are GREAT cause for being concerned. Drivers on their phones crossing into oncoming traffic without even noticing it causing cars to hit the shoulder at speed to avoid our driver, Drivers who are driving constantly running stop signs, drivers who have unauthorized passenger(s) etc etc.

 

The cameras are not seen by a 3rd Party person for me.
Me and my drivers.
Looked at literally just if there was a collision.
Sometimes cagers will hit a truck and admit fault. But other times they will try and blame the trucker, in those cases drivers are glad for those cameras.