Utilities

Hope Gas enhances emergency readiness with Samsara’s Vehicle Gateway, now FirstNet Trusted™

Samsara's FirstNet Trusted™ Vehicle Gateway (VG55-FN) helps Hope Gas maintain critical connectivity during emergency events. By running on the FirstNet network, it provides the near-real-time data needed to track and dispatch their fleet with precision. Their operational readiness is further enhanced by Samsara’s real-time asset tracking and over-the-air vehicle diagnostics, which protects their high-value assets and reduces vehicle downtime.

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Meet Hope Gas

900+ ASSETS

600+ EMPLOYEES

670+ SAMSARA DEVICES

The Challenge

Lack of real-time data hindered emergency response and increased costs

Hope Gas provides natural gas services to 125,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers throughout West Virginia. As a subsidiary of Hope Utilities—a holding company that includes Northeastern Ohio Natural Gas, Sycamore Gas Co., Frontier Natural Gas, and Hope Water—Hope Gas provides shared services to the other utilities operating in these six states. To support this broad operation, they manage a diverse fleet of over 900 assets, including trucks, trailers, side-by-sides, and specialized equipment. Recognized as an essential service that supports first responders in emergencies, their unwavering commitment to operational readiness and asset security is essential to their mission.

Before implementing Samsara, Hope Gas lacked GPS capabilities and real-time data capture, relying entirely on spreadsheets and manual processes to manage their diverse fleet. Asset utilization remained guesswork, and field supervisors were not equipped with the tools needed to quickly locate and dispatch the nearest resources during emergencies—a critical capability for an essential service. “I came from another gas company where we had GPS. Having that data previously and then coming to a fleet where I didn't have it—I knew I was missing something essential,” said Jennifer Truman, Director of Fleet and Supply Chain.

Beyond emergency readiness, the lack of real-time data was impacting their bottom line. Missed maintenance opportunities and excessive idling led to preventable engine failures, resulting in substantial repair costs and prolonged vehicle downtime, which cost an estimated $130,000 annually. The absence of accurate idling data made fuel efficiency monitoring nearly impossible, complicating operational planning. This lack of visibility unfortunately also left Hope Gas assets vulnerable to theft, and with no location data to assist with recovery efforts, stolen equipment was typically written off as a total loss.

Samsara has been instrumental in transforming our operations and paving the way for future improvements. The visibility we now have across our fleet has removed the operational handcuffs we faced before and enabled us to make smarter, data-driven decisions every day.

JENNIFER TRUMAN

Director of Fleet and Supply Chain

The Solution

Increased emergency readiness and lower costs due to reliable, real-time data

Hope Gas deployed Asset Gateways (AGs) on natural gas tanks, trailers, and side-by-sides, alongside Vehicle Gateways (VGs) on their trucks. A rapid rollout of 670 devices across their fleet began in November, with the bulk of installations completed by February—just three months later. Through Samsara’s integrated platform, Hope Gas gained seamless FirstNet® connectivity to help ensure always-on wireless network access during critical situations. As their fleet grows, they continue to deploy Samsara devices on new equipment and vehicles, quickly securing high-value assets and ensuring real-time visibility. This successful, rapid deployment has established a scalable blueprint, with plans to expand their Samsara implementation to more than 300 additional assets across the other Hope Utilities subsidiaries in 2026.

Open Platform

Enhancing emergency readiness with FirstNet®

A cornerstone of Hope Gas’s improved operational readiness was the FirstNet Trusted™ certification on Samsara Vehicle Gateways, which enables Samsara VGs to operate on the FirstNet® network. This immediately bolstered emergency communication capabilities and ensured consistent connectivity, even across West Virginia's challenging rural and mountainous environments.

Asset Tracking

Protecting high-value assets and ensuring recovery

Samsara Asset Gateways' geofencing capabilities and real-time GPS tracking immediately delivered tangible ROI for Hope Gas. In one instance, Hope Gas was able to recover a stolen side-by-side valued at $40,000, a stark contrast to past unrecoverable thefts. Now, they can effectively monitor equipment across their service area, significantly bolstering asset security, preventing theft, and enhancing their ability to respond quickly to emergencies.

Fleet Telematics

Improving fuel efficiency, reducing costs, and increasing uptime

Samsara enabled Hope Gas to shift from a mileage-based to a data-driven maintenance strategy. Using real-time data from Samsara, the company now identifies and addresses engine stress from excessive idling and other diagnostic issues proactively. This new approach not only improves fuel efficiency but also prevents catastrophic failures, reducing downtime and repair costs. These improvements have resulted in a 20% decrease in excessive idling.

FirstNet®, FirstNet Trusted™ and the FirstNet logo are registered trademarks and service marks of the First Responder Network Authority.

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