Transports Douaud enhances driver safety with Samsara's AI-powered dashcams

“We presented Samsara AI Dash Cams as a tool for protection, not surveillance. And this positioning was understood immediately. Our drivers now know that in the event of an accident, the images can be used to establish the facts objectively and defend them if necessary.” Alexandre Chemin, Director, Transports Douaud

Standout Benefits

• 15% reduction in accident rates

• 1.5 l/100 km reduction in fuel consumption, translating into savings of several hundred thousand euros per year

• Continuous improvement in driving quality

Safety and eco-driving

A family business founded over 60 years ago, Transports Douaud now has more than 600 employees and a fleet of 500 vehicles to transport its customers' goods throughout France. Every day, its fleet travels the equivalent of three times around the Earth, or more than 40 million kilometres per year. In a context of digital transformation, energy transition, and constant improvement, the company wanted to structure its approach around two main objectives: the safety of its drivers and the development of eco-driving.

"The safety of our drivers is one of our top priorities. It is an essential human issue, but also a lever for overall performance. At the same time, we are fully aware of our environmental responsibility and the role our profession has to play. Reducing our carbon emissions is an integral part of our roadmap, and we are convinced that eco-driving must be encouraged in a spirit of continuous improvement," said Alexandre Chemin, Director of Transports Douaud.

AI Dash Cams and real-time geolocation

To address these challenges, Transports Douaud chose to place its trust in Samsara, deploying its smart onboard cameras and real-time geolocation solution across its entire fleet.

"A trial phase quickly convinced us of the quality and performance of Samsara's tools. While our previous geolocation tool provided us with data with a delay of about ten minutes, with Samsara the data is ultra-accurate and in real time. This completely changes the game for the management of our daily operations, but also for breakdowns, for example. The simplicity and speed of deployment are also important advantages: it's truly plug-and-play, taking less than ten minutes to equip a vehicle without having to call in an installer”, said Chemin.

Transports Douaud also ensured that the project won the support of drivers by accompanying its implementation with clear and transparent communication. “We presented the dash cams as a tool for protection, not surveillance. And this positioning was understood immediately. Our drivers now know that in the event of an accident, the images can be used to establish the facts objectively and to defend them if necessary”, said Chemin.

The results: lower accident rates, reduced consumption, and continuous improvement

Less than a year after implementation, the results are significant:

• 15% reduction in accidents

• A reduction in fuel consumption of 1.5 litres per 100 kilometres, thanks to the combined use of Samsara data and solutions with other company tools. This reduction in consumption translates into savings of several hundred thousand euros per year and a significant decrease in carbon emissions.

"The data from Samsara's solutions allows us to take a more factual and constructive approach with our teams. Thanks to this data, we have strengthened our eco-driving programme with individualised monitoring, accurate feedback and high-quality dialogue with drivers”, said Chemin. 

AI Dash Cams facilitate the analysis of driving behaviour, while geolocation optimises routes and improves operational efficiency.

“Real-time data is a real asset for our operations teams. It allows us to anticipate, react quickly and improve our level of service to customers. The interface is fluid and easy to use. It's a tool that immediately found its place in our organisation”, said Chemin.