Government

The City of El Paso recovers $1.3M in assets and reduces accidents by 29% with Samsara

The City of El Paso's Environmental Services Department transformed their fleet operations with Samsara—achieving significant improvements in safety, efficiency, maintenance, and asset protection. Samsara is seen as a "game changer" within the department, positively impacting their safety culture and the community they serve.

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Meet the City of El Paso's Environmental Services Department

460 vehicles

800,000+ residents served

425 employees using Samsara daily

The Challenge

Unpredictable breakdowns and missing equipment disrupted critical waste services

Serving the sixth-largest city in Texas, El Paso's Environmental Services Department (ESD) manages waste collection, recycling, and landfill operations for more than 800,000 residents across 248 square miles. With trucks serving 81 routes daily, any disruption to their fleet operations directly impacts the community.

Before implementing Samsara, the department experienced three common challenges. First, limited visibility into driver safety made it difficult to coach drivers and protect the city from false claims. Second, unpredictable vehicle and equipment failures would cause sudden breakdowns, forcing the team to scramble for repairs. Finally, poor asset visibility sometimes resulted in incidents of theft and loss.

With a diverse fleet of automated side loaders, rear loaders, roll-off vehicles, and sweepers operating in challenging conditions—from dust storms to extreme heat and occasional snow—the department needed a comprehensive solution to improve visibility, enhance safety, and prevent costly service disruptions.

"Samsara has been a game changer for our department and our city. It's not just the safety improvements—it's the entire operational mindset that has transformed the way we work."

Ivan Villalobos

Support Services Specialist II

The Solution

Swift rollout delivers transformational visibility in just six weeks

The City of El Paso’s ESD implemented Samsara solutions across their fleet, utilizing Samsara Vehicle Gateways (VGs), AI Dash Cams, and Asset Tags. The rollout was swift and efficient; initially, they installed 350 VGs in critical vehicles, including automated side loaders, rear loaders, and roll-off vehicles, in just six weeks. Since the initial deployment, the number of connected vehicles has grown to approximately 460. The department's partnership with Samsara has been highlighted as exceptional, with strong customer service and support throughout the implementation process.

Now, they have complete visibility across their fleet, all accessible through the Samsara Fleet App that gives supervisors real-time visibility from anywhere. "This is hands down the number one vendor experience that I've ever had," said Project Manager Cosandra Wrice, who has been with the city for 12 years.

Cameras & Video

Nearly $200K saved due to fewer accidents and protection from false claims

The department transformed its safety culture from reactive to proactive with Samsara. Real-time feedback from in-cab alerts has been incredibly effective at reducing risks such as distracted driving, drowsy driving, and seatbelt non-compliance. As a result, since implementing Samsara they have seen an 80% reduction in mobile usage events and a 29% overall reduction in accidents, saving the city an estimated $200,000 in accident and legal-related costs. HD dash cam footage also enabled them to exonerate a driver, saving them $50,000 in potential legal charges.

"With Samsara, we have seen that prevention is one of our biggest assets."

Cristian Benitez

Safety & Engineering Program Manager

Fleet Telematics

Faster repairs and fewer service disruptions with real-time maintenance alerts

Over-the-air vehicle diagnostics and real-time alerts enable the team to proactively address maintenance issues before they cause breakdowns and service disruptions. Because Samsara provides mechanics with crucial information about vehicle issues before they even reach the site of the breakdown, they can better prepare for service calls with the proper tools and parts, which has led to a 66% reduction in repair time in the field. As a result, vehicles are returned to service much faster, helping the department meet their daily fleet rollout target and ensure trucks are consistently available to service citizens.

City of El Paso - Fleet Telematics Image

Asset Tag

$1.3M excavator recovered thanks to Asset Tag

The Samsara Asset Tag has proven invaluable for asset protection and swift recovery in cases of theft, providing real-time visibility that has saved the city from significant financial losses. In one case, real-time location data from an Asset Tag, combined with HD footage from an AI Dash Cam, was critical in the recovery of a stolen excavator valued at $1.3 million. Now, supervisors always know where their assets are located across their 248-square-mile service area.

"We were able to recover a $1.3 million piece of equipment because of Samsara. The real-time video and location data literally saved our department millions and protected our drivers."

Pat Ross

Solid Waste Operations Manager

Workforce Management

Smarter, more nimble operations with on-the-go visibility

The Samsara Fleet App provides supervisors with user-friendly, remote visibility into critical operational data, significantly enhancing their ability to manage operations anytime, anywhere. Supervisors leverage the mobile app on their phones and tablets to track vehicles in the field, freeing them from being confined to a desktop computer. This mobile capability also improves their ability to quickly determine which driver is currently operating a specific vehicle.

Samsara Platform

Next-level efficiency made possible by a flexible, open platform

The department has leveraged Samsara’s open platform to further enhance efficiency, specifically through an integration with Rubicon. This integration is used with their sweepers to determine and track completed roads, ensuring route efficiency, allowing for better tracking of fuel utilization and mileage, and optimizing scheduling. This has led to fuel savings, as sweepers can now be directed to closer dumping locations instead of having to take longer routes.

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