J.J. Keller expands its fleet camera offerings

Heather Graves

Staff

September 5, 2023

NEENAH – According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) most recent Crash Preventability Determination Program (CPDP) Quarterly Statistics, of the nearly 40,000 crashes submitted for review, approximately 96% were found unpreventable.

With that in mind, J.J. Keller® – a regulatory, safety and compliance solutions provider headquartered in Neenah – recently expanded its line of auxiliary cameras with four new offerings as part of its VideoProtects and Encompass Video Event Management Systems.

The new lineup includes two styles of cargo/utility cameras, side-view cameras and a rugged exterior camera – all of which aim to support companies with their legal defense, exonerate drivers and protect their bottom line in rear-end collisions and sideswipe crashes – significant causes of FMCSA-defined non-preventable accidents.

The new lineup of J.J. Keller auxiliary cameras includes two styles of cargo/utility cameras, side view cameras and a rugged exterior camera. Photo Courtesy of J.J. Keller

“The addition of these auxiliary cameras to our line of dash cameras not only strengthens a fleet’s commitment to driver safety and accountability, but also provides rear and side video footage that could help fleets lower their CSA (compliance, safety, accountability) Crash BASIC scores when submitted to the CPDP,” Jason Hartwig, senior product manager of technology solutions at J.J. Keller, said.

Things have come a long way
For the last several years, Mark Schedler, senior editor-transport management at J.J. Keller, said road-facing cameras have become extremely important to private fleets and over-the-road, for-hire training companies.

“Then it moved to driver-facing cameras,” he said. “And the results have been nothing short of remarkable because they changed behavior.”

When he left the trucking operations industry in 2016, Schedler said cameras weren’t a big deal because, at that point, they were still too expensive, the video quality wasn’t that great and much of the data collected was done from the truck’s computer module.

“Fast forward to 2018-19, cameras became more commonplace and when carriers combined coaching with cameras – road-facing and eventually driver-facing – unsafe behavior was being corrected,” he said.

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, of the nearly 40,000 crashes submitted for review, approximately 96% were found unpreventable. Photo Courtesy of J.J. Keller

Schedler said today, in 2023, there’s a lot of coaching going on just based on the road- and driver-facing cameras, however, “I haven’t seen many auxiliary cameras until this year or late last year” – due in part to an increase of cargo theft.

“CargoNet is a nationwide, well-known organization that tracks cargo theft,” he said. “CargoNet reported cargo theft went up 20% in 2022 (an estimated $223 million in stolen cargo) – and that was the year following probably the most lucrative year in trucking since I’ve been in the business.”

Having a cargo/utility camera, Schedler said can provide drivers an additional measure of security.

Schedler said a “skyrocketed increase” in inattentive driving also prompted a need for auxiliary cameras.

“Several studies have found that non-commercial motor vehicles cause 70% of non-commercial motor vehicle/commercial motor vehicle crashes,” he said. “You have to have more than a road-facing view – you have to be able to see the sides of the vehicle if you want an accurate picture. Trucks get blown around by the wind and things like that, but if somebody is checking a text, or Snapchat and swerves into a truck’s tandem, their trailer – drivers could easily allege that the truck ran into them.”

Side views, Schedler said, can very clearly tell “who did what to whom and when.”

“The other thing with proving whether you’ve had a preventable accident or not, FMCSA has a crash profitability determination program, which allows carriers to submit appeals through a system of FMCSA,” he said. “You can upload police reports or anything written, but they also allow video footage, (which these auxiliary cameras can provide).”

A 360-degree view of commercial vehicles is another protective force against nuclear verdicts.

J.J. Keller’s new auxiliary camera offerings provide rear and side video footage. Photo Courtesy of J.J. Keller

Schedler said they can also provide an opportunity for coaching when crashes don’t happen.

“Like I said, you can’t just stick cameras on the truck, you need to use it for coaching,” he said. “Even if there was a lane departure and the driver came back in that lane, that can be triggered by the video camera, and you would coach those things,” he said. “I’m not one to throw the latest technology on a truck and say you’re safe.”

Camera specifics
The new lineup of J.J. Keller auxiliary cameras include:
6-Pin Cargo/Utility Camera – Compact and lightweight interior camera, designed for vehicle cab and trailer placement4-Pin Cargo/Utility Camera – Ideal for interior passenger and trailer placement, offering intelligent night vision and anti-tampering featuresSide Cameras – For vehicles with side access doors, withstands rugged environments and includes driver- and passenger-side cameras and mountsExterior Camera – IP67-rated for heavy-duty applications, providing reliable video event
Why expand offerings?
Schedler said J.J. Keller does what it can to keep up with offerings that help reduce risk for its customers.

“We have a great technology services area that stays on top of the trends – we try to offer the most impactful and system-based solutions,” he said. “Cameras are affordable now, so I think the affordability and taking safety to the next level had a lot to do with being comfortable with going out and offering a cost-effective solution to our customers.”

For more information on J.J. Keller’s dash camera solutions, visit JJKeller.com.