ViaSun improves Safety Scores by 28% with Samsara

ViaSun’s head-to-head testing proves Samsara is the clear choice

To ensure they chose the right long-term partner, Romero led a rigorous, side-by-side evaluation of Samsara and Motive—installing four cameras from each provider and even equipping one truck with both systems running simultaneously.

Almost immediately, Samsara stood out. “The Motive dashboard felt cluttered and confusing—it looked more like a video game than a safety tool,” Romero said. “Samsara was clean, intuitive, and easy to navigate. Everything I needed was right there on the left side of the screen. I didn’t have to dig through menus or type in searches.”

When it came to AI accuracy, the difference was unmistakable. “We ran a lot of tests of the AI dash cams,” said Romero. “Samsara detected things like seatbelts worn under the arm—subtle stuff that really matters. Motive, on the other hand, kept flagging false positives. We even tested it by printing a photo of a phone, and Motive thought it was real cell phone use. Samsara didn’t fall for it.”

Samsara’s customization and scalability also impressed the team. ViaSun was able to create 18 separate user groups with tailored access—supervisors could view all their drivers and routes, while individual drivers only saw their own data and scores. “That’s a big deal for us,” said Romero. “Drivers get transparency into their own performance, but managers still get the oversight they need. It’s a win-win.”

And when it came to support, the contrast between the two companies was clear. “Motive kept calling to pressure us for a decision,” Romero said. “Samsara reached out to ask how they could help. That’s when I knew they weren’t just selling—they were partnering.”

A transformation in safety culture driven by coaching and driver recognition

Since implementing Samsara, ViaSun has seen an immediate transformation in safety performance and culture. The biggest change: speed and accuracy of information.

“With Samsara, I can run a report in ten minutes,” Romero said. “Before, it could take me two hours and three different systems. Now everything’s in one place, accurate, and easy to access.”

The team also launched a driver recognition program using Samsara’s Safety Scores to encourage friendly competition and reward positive behavior. The results were dramatic: In just one month, ViaSun’s average safety score jumped from 76 to 97—a 28% improvement. Out of 98 drivers, 86 now maintain a perfect score of 100.

“Drivers are excited now,” said Romero. “They want to see their scores go up. They’re helping each other out, reminding each other to buckle up and stay focused. It’s become a point of pride.”

The impact extends beyond driver behavior. Group Coaching features have streamlined training sessions, and managers can now identify trends and address risks before incidents happen. “Samsara Group Coaching saves us so much time,” Romero said. “We can review multiple events at once, talk about what happened, and use it as a teaching moment. It’s made coaching faster and more positive.”

Samsara has also given ViaSun new confidence in protecting their fleet and defending against false claims. “The word ‘sue’ doesn’t scare me anymore,” said Romero. “Now we have hard evidence—video, data, GPS. We can prove what really happened.”

On the operations side, tool theft had been a recurring issue on ViaSun's busy job sites. With Samsara’s Asset Tag, the company now has peace of mind that their equipment can be located at any time. “We’d have tools go missing all the time,” said Romero. “A crew would move from one corner of a site to another, and by the time they came back, the chop saw or leaf blower would be gone. Now, with Asset Tag, our high-value tools are trackable. If something moves, we know about it instantly.” With Asset Tags now deployed on valuable equipment—including generators, compactors, backpack blowers, and chop saws—ViaSun has dramatically improved visibility and accountability across every job site.

“Samsara didn’t just give us a system—they gave us a partnership,” he said. “They listen, they innovate, and they care about helping us get better. That’s exactly the kind of company we want to grow with.”