Case Study: KWRL Transportation Co-Op
Customer Company Size
Large Corporate
Region
- America
Country
- United States
Product
- Samsara VG33
- Samsara Dashboard
- Samsara Fleet Viewer
- Samsara Dispatch
Tech Stack
- GPS Monitoring
- Wireless Gateways
- Cloud Storage
- Real-Time Alerts
Implementation Scale
- Enterprise-wide Deployment
Impact Metrics
- Productivity Improvements
- Customer Satisfaction
Technology Category
- Sensors - GPS
- Analytics & Modeling - Real Time Analytics
- Functional Applications - Fleet Management Systems (FMS)
Applicable Industries
- Transportation
- Education
Applicable Functions
- Logistics & Transportation
- Facility Management
Use Cases
- Fleet Management
- Real-Time Location System (RTLS)
- Predictive Maintenance
- Remote Asset Management
Services
- System Integration
- Cloud Planning, Design & Implementation Services
- Training
About The Customer
KWRL Transportation Cooperative is a large-scale school bus fleet operation in Washington state, responsible for transporting 4,000 students daily across four rural school districts. The cooperative is the largest transportation group in Washington and is focused on ensuring the efficiency, safety, and compliance of its fleet. Shannon Barnett, the Director of KWRL Transportation Cooperative, oversees the operation of 100 school buses and drivers, ensuring they stay on schedule and on route. The cooperative is experiencing rapid growth, with one of the districts expected to increase its student population from 2,000 to 8,000 by 2025. Barnett is dedicated to making the jobs of his drivers easier and the operation more efficient, constantly seeking innovative solutions to improve fleet management and safety.
The Challenge
KWRL Transportation Cooperative, the largest school bus fleet in Washington state, faced significant challenges in managing its 100 buses and ensuring the safety and efficiency of its operations. The existing repeater-based GPS system was inadequate, providing updates every 10 minutes, which was insufficient for real-time monitoring. This lack of real-time visibility made it difficult for the team to keep buses on route and on time, leading to inefficiencies and potential safety risks. Additionally, the cooperative needed a solution that could handle the growing number of students and routes, as one of the districts was projected to grow from 2,000 to 8,000 students by 2025. The team also required accurate historical data to build smarter routes and plan for fleet expansion, as well as real-time alerts for engine fault codes to ensure timely maintenance and reduce downtime.
The Solution
KWRL Transportation Cooperative implemented Samsara's wireless fleet tracking platform to address its challenges. The cooperative deployed Samsara VG33 vehicle gateways across its fleet, which were easily installed by plugging them into the diagnostics ports and securing them under the dashboard of each bus. The VG33 gateways provided real-time fleet monitoring, allowing the team to see the exact location of each bus at any given moment. This visibility helped keep buses on route and on time, significantly improving operational efficiency. The system also included sensors to track stop paddle and emergency light activation, providing additional safety features. Samsara's platform offered real-time alerts for engine fault codes, enabling the team to quickly assess the severity of faults and make informed decisions about whether to continue operating the bus or send it for maintenance. The historical route data stored in the Samsara Cloud allowed Barnett to build smarter routes, plan for fleet expansion, and address any concerns from parents about bus schedules. The cooperative also utilized Samsara's Fleet Viewer to share real-time bus locations with parents, minimizing the time students spent waiting in cold weather. Overall, Samsara's solution provided KWRL with the tools needed to enhance safety, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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