ETB reports accident and fleet cost savings with Webfleet system

Bridgestone-owned retailer ETB (Exhausts, Tyres and Batteries), has reported a 40 per cent reduction in accidents and is set for insurance savings of up to £30,000 following the introduction of the Webfleet fleet management platform. The Software-as-a-Service) SaaS system from Bridgestone-owned Webfleet Solutions, which has been integrated with forward and reverse Mantis Live cameras, has been rolled out across ETB’s 100-strong tyre delivery fleet, comprising both HGVs and vans.

ETB – which distributes to a network of 37 centres across Midlands, Wales, the South West and Cornwall – has also switched its fleet to Firestone Vanhawk tyres, which is expected to lead to a 35 per cent saving in tyre replacements, due to the longevity over its predecessor.

“The integrated Webfleet system will have paid for itself within three years,” said ETB Operations Manager Dave Isles, adding: “What’s more, I would now be lost without Webfleet as an informative tool as I’m no longer reliant upon word-of-mouth. It’s a priceless system. It tells me when a vehicle is due for a service, which allows me to plan ahead for maintenance, and I get daily miles per gallon readings on every vehicle. Specific reports are also generated for each vehicle type, with our HGVs, vans and cars using differing levels of fuel at different times of the day.”

Webfleet’s OptiDrive 360 functionality is being used by ETB to help improve efficiency and driver safety, profiling them based on incidents such as harsh braking, sharp cornering or speeding. Connected Mantis Live cameras, meanwhile, provide associated video evidence for every event, offering further insights into why incidents occur.

“I have noticed a big difference in driver behaviour,” said Isles. “Drivers are more attentive and careful at the wheel because they know they are on camera. That extra accountability has been welcomed too, because they know they are being protected and that their good driver habits are being noted and rewarded.”

In addition, ETB is using Webfleet’s integral Tachograph Manager to remotely download driver cards and analyse infringements, while drivers are using an integrated mobile app to digitally conduct their daily vehicle maintenance checks.

On his preferred tyre choice, Isles added: “We’ve driven in just about every weather condition since the Vanhawk was fitted and it’s performed impressively in the wet, dry and cold. We could have opted for a cheaper, budget tyre, but it’s a false economy. It wouldn’t match the Vanhawk in the wet and we get better value for money because it will last so much longer.”