With Samsara, Hövels saves up to 25.000 euros in accident-related costs and improves safety on the road

Key Benefits

• 20,000–25,000 euros saved in  accident-related costs: Thanks to dash cams, Hövels was able to conclusively resolve several claims and avoid costs that would otherwise have been borne by the company.

• Streamlined claims handling: Video recordings enable a complete reconstruction of incidents and reduce time-consuming investigations. Video recordings ensure full visibility into events, cutting down the time required for formal investigations.

• Greater safety for drivers: Dash cams provide drivers with support in the event of complaints and disputes and enhance their sense of safety in their daily work.

• Improved negotiating position with insurance companies: The transparent data provides a solid foundation for discussions about better insurance terms.

Unparalleled travel comfort meets maximum safety: To not only ensure passengers reach their destinations safely, but above all to create the best possible working conditions for drivers, Hövels GmbH & Co. KG, a family-owned carrier in Tacherting, Bavaria, has integrated Samsara technology into its fleet since 2025. The results extend far beyond enhanced safety, driving measurable gains in organisational efficiency and long-term sustainability.

With a legacy spanning over 90 years, Hövels has been the trusted provider of safe, reliable transportation for individuals and groups across Trostberg, the Traunstein district, and beyond. In addition to regular scheduled service, the company—which remains family-owned to this day—also offers club trips and group tours to attractive destinations in Bavaria, other regions of Germany, and throughout Europe. 

Hövels’ bus fleet currently comprises around 95 vehicles of various sizes. All Hövels buses are modern and equipped with the latest technology. Hövels’ most valuable asset, however, is its dedicated drivers, who use their experience, friendliness, and expertise to attend to the needs of all passengers.

To further enhance the safety of its own staff as well as that of its passengers, Hövels has been relying on Samsara’s dash cams and cloud-based platform since 2025. The connected devices not only record accidents, driving maneuvers, or safety-related incidents; above all, they offer the ability to access the data in real time from anywhere. 

Safety and traceability as top priority

Knocked-off side mirrors, rear-end collisions, dents, or scratches—wherever vehicles are on the move, some damage is bound to happen. Before Samsara dash cams were deployed, it was often difficult for drivers to provide a complete account of exactly how incidents occurred in detail. The ability to better track these incidents was therefore central to the decision to adopt Samsara’s telematics solution. The results are now quite impressive, according to Sascha Üblacker von Hövels: “Since we started using Samsara’s solution, we’ve saved between 20,000 and 25,000 euros in accident-related damages that we would have had to cover ourselves without the dash cam footage. And that’s not all: We’re currently in talks with our insurance provider—here, too, we expect to secure more favorable terms thanks to the use of dash cams.”

Another challenge for many drivers: complaints from passengers about canceled or delayed trips, or incidents that occur on the buses themselves. Whereas in the past it was often one person’s word against another’s, and investigating such incidents could be extremely time-consuming, Hövels employees can now rely on video recordings that allow for immediate analysis. “Thanks to the video recordings, our drivers feel much safer today than they did before the solution was introduced. The dash cams now serve as a kind of guardian angel for the drivers,” says Sascha Üblacker. For the bus company itself, they are part of a networked telematics and safety platform that makes its own fleet safer, more efficient, and easier to manage, and represents a key component of its own innovation and future viability. 

Smooth collaboration from the very beginning

The decision to go with Samsara’s solution came about through a direct recommendation—and the collaboration went smoothly from the very start. “It wasn’t just the personal rapport with our contact person that clicked right away. The straightforward and simple implementation of the solution by our own mechanics and an external partner also won us over across the board. And the excellent adherence to deadlines was a definite plus,” said Üblacker. 

Within about nine months, the nearly 100 devices—which cover both interior and exterior recording—were installed in all existing vehicles and were gradually put into service.  

The dash cams are part of a cloud-based platform. The recorded video clips and data are typically uploaded within a few minutes and are available via a central dashboard. This allows not only the drivers themselves, but also fleet managers and dispatchers at headquarters to monitor what is happening inside and around the buses. This is not only useful in the event of an accident, but also plays a crucial role in driver training and the improvement of safety protocols.

The Driver app for streamlined workflows and less paperwork

Looking ahead, topics such as efficiency and sustainability will also come into sharper focus. Hövels is currently utilising about 15 to 20 percent of the solution’s full capabilities and plans to gradually roll it out to additional areas. Driving behavior, fuel consumption, and vehicle idle times: all of these areas can be monitored and analysed through Connected Operations. Appropriate measures not only lead to lower emissions but also to a reduction in operating costs. 

The next step for Hövels will be the launch of the Samsara Driver app, a mobile application for iOS and Android that enables professional drivers to manage their daily workflows digitally and efficiently. For drivers, this means, among other things, more efficient workflows thanks to real-time information and digital schedules, as well as greater safety and clarity in the event of accidents, since incidents or malfunctions can be reported directly through the app. All necessary information is centralised in one place, which not only significantly reduces administrative burdens but also enhances satisfaction and safety in day-to-day work.

A Strong Partnership for the Future

Especially in rural areas, it is long-established companies like Hövels that are making an essential contribution to the transition to sustainable transportation. By partnering with Samsara, Hövels has taken an important step toward greater safety, efficiency, and sustainability. “The safety of our drivers and passengers wasn’t the only decisive factor in adopting this technology. We now also have a digital tool at our disposal that makes a real difference in easing the daily workload: the Driver App helps our drivers complete their daily tasks and ensure they comply with regulations,” said Üblacker. “We have been continuously evolving as a company for over 90 years. With Samsara, we now have a strong partner at our side who complements our experience and passion for our business with cutting-edge technology.”