What does it take to win the National Tank Truck Carriers’ top safety award an unprecedented seven times? Just a top-to-bottom, unwavering commitment to safety, according to Groendyke Transport’s Brian Gigoux, vice president of equipment and maintenance.
“Safety is a culture woven throughout our company at every level, with every employee, and we talk about it every day, every hour, every mile,” he said. “On your first day of employment, you’ll hear that safety is paramount – and it’s the number one thing we do. It’s a lot of hard work, but without a doubt, it’s our foundation.” And it’s a foundation that’s helped forge a strong and lasting partnership with Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems.
For nearly two decades, Enid, Oklahoma-based Groendyke has employed everadvancing levels of Bendix safety technologies, from brakes to stability systems to collision mitigation, across a growing number of its tractors and trailers. Groendyke’s 900-tractor fleet includes Kenworth Truck Company models equipped with Bendix’s flagship advanced driver assistance system, Wingman® Fusion™; Mack® Trucks and Peterbilt Motors Company models equipped with Bendix® Wingman® Advanced™ – A Collision Mitigation Technology; and Freightliner Trucks equipped with AutoVue® Lane Departure Warning. Fleetwide tractor specs also include the Bendix® ADB22X™ air disc brake on all positions, Bendix™ BlindSpotter® side object detection, and SmarTire® Tire Pressure Monitoring System by Bendix CVS. Groendyke also utilizes SafetyDirect® by Bendix CVS in its approach to fleet safety management.
“Once we saw the safety benefits these components provide, we never looked back,” Gigoux said. “Air disc brakes are here to stay, for instance. And we won’t buy a new tractor that doesn’t have a collision mitigation system on it, because that technology is one of the best things that’s come along to support our safety-first philosophy.”
Established in 1932, Groendyke is one of the largest tank truck carriers in the United States. It employs about 1,300 people, and operates more than 900 tractors and 1,440 trailers across North America. The company runs roughly 75 million miles annually, transporting more than 440,000 loads, mostly hauling bulk liquids including refined fuels, lube oils, asphalt, and specialty chemicals. This year, Groendyke earned the National Tank Truck Carriers’ top safety honor – the Heil Trophy – for the seventh time.
“It takes an impressive level of dedication to earn that award just once,” said Scott Burkhart, Bendix vice president – sales, marketing, and business development. “Becoming the first fleet to achieve the feat seven times reflects just how deeply Groendyke’s safety commitment runs, and we congratulate their entire team.
“While braking and safety technologies are just one part of a comprehensive and impactful fleet safety equation, Bendix is grateful and proud to partner with Groendyke and share their vision for safer trucks, drivers, and highways across North America.”
Advanced Safety Technology
Like fleets across North America, Groendyke’s trucks have included various Bendix wheel-end and air system components for many years – and the company continues to use Bendix air dryers fleetwide. According to Gigoux, it was around the year 2005 that Groendyke began adopting more advanced safety technology from Bendix, in the form of roll stability control systems. In 2009, they adopted the next step in stability, the Bendix® ESP® Electronic Stability Program full-stability system, which forms the foundation for the more advanced driver assistance technologies in the Bendix® Wingman® family.
“At the end of this calendar year, about 52 percent of our fleet will have collision mitigation systems, lane departure warning, and side object detection,” Gigoux said. “And we’re definitely seeing a positive impact. Just like we can absolutely quantify a reduction in rollovers compared to our days before stability technology, we can see that the collision mitigation systems have prevented a number of potential accidents.”
Bendix® Wingman® Advanced™ is a radar-based collision mitigation system that helps drivers mitigate rear-end collisions. This proven technology – with millions of on-road miles – delivers adaptive cruise control with braking, as well as autonomous emergency braking (AEB). GROENDYKE TRANSPORT: IN RELENTLESS PURSUIT OF GREATER SAFETY June 14, 2017/Page 3 -moreBecause it is built on Bendix® ESP® , Wingman Advanced can help drivers in collisions, potential rollovers, and loss-of-control situations.
Bendix® Wingman® Fusion™ includes more sensors and a forward-facing camera, enabling it to gather input through radar, video, and the vehicle’s brakes. Fusion’s camera is powered by the Mobileye System-on-Chip EyeQ processor with state-of-the-art vision algorithms. With video, radar, and sensors working together, and not just in parallel, Wingman Fusion combines and cross-checks information from multiple sources to deliver enhanced rearend collision mitigation, lane departure warning, alerts when speeding, and braking on stationary vehicles. Fusion also prioritizes alerts to help reduce driver distraction.
AutoVue® Lane Departure Warning (LDW) System from Bendix CVS is a vision-based system that detects when a commercial vehicle begins to drift toward an unintended lane change and alerts the driver. Bendix™ BlindSpotter® Side Object Detection System is a sideradar system designed to alert drivers to vehicles or objects in adjacent lanes.
Proper Training, Effective Coaching
No commercial vehicle safety technology replaces a skilled, alert driver exercising safe driving techniques and proactive, comprehensive driver training, of course: Responsibility for the safe operation of any vehicle remains with the driver at all times. Bendix safety technologies complement safe driving practices and are not intended to enable or encourage aggressive driving.
Both Bendix and Groendyke stress the necessity of proper training and effective coaching in achieving and maintaining a safe fleet.
“We have an in-house collision mitigation system training course that our drivers go through – so they can learn exactly what a technology like Wingman Advanced or Wingman Fusion can do and how it reacts to various situations,” Gigoux said. “And once they’re on the road, we continue using the systems as a coaching tool, using the information provided through SafetyDirect® . We know we have excellent drivers behind the wheels of our trucks: These systems assist them to become even better, and help prevent even a great driver from having a bad day. And the drivers developed an appreciation for that.”
SafetyDirect by Bendix CVS wirelessly and automatically transmits real-time driver performance data and event-based information – including video – to fleet offices for analysis via a user-friendly web portal. Using the data generated by on-board safety systems, Groendyke has enhanced its safety by addressing potential issues more quickly and accurately, from monitoring tire pressure and temperature to discussing events and alerts with drivers.
Five Years of Air Disc Brakes
Since 2012, Groendyke has equipped Bendix® ADB22X™ air disc brakes on all axles of its new tractors and trailers, and this year, the company placed its first order for the new trailerspecific Bendix® ADB22X™-LT air disc brake. Gigoux says the switch to air disc brakes has paid dividends both on the road and in the shop.
“Around the summer of 2011, we took a long look at our out-of-service compliance data on roadside inspections, where brake violations included things like brakes being out of adjustment, slack adjuster issues, and worn camshaft bushings,” he explained. “So we made the transition from a premium wide drum brake to air disc brakes not just for the stopping power, but for some of the other benefits, like the reduced maintenance and the added level of safety with reduced fading in mountainous terrains.
“One of the other things we’re enjoying is the commonality of the air disc brake parts, which means we’re just dealing with one part number that fits our steer, drive, and trailer brakes when it comes time for replacements.” Other upsides in the shop that Gigoux noted included pad life comparable to drum friction; longer rotor life when compared with brake drums; and a safer work environment, since technicians don’t have to handle drums, which can weigh around 120 lbs. “On the road, our drivers prefer the car-like feel of the disc brakes,” Gigoux added. “And when we put them in combination with technology like a Wingman® collision mitigation system, we really have a package that is providing a tremendous safety benefit to our fleet.”
