OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Jan. 17, 2013 – You may focus on driving while behind the wheel, but it is not always easy to ensure your employees are doing the same.
This issue has prompted 81 percent of employers to adopt written policies defining acceptable use of mobile phones while driving (Source: Aegis Mobility, FMCSA Survey 2012). But policies alone are not enough; companies need to proactively enforce their policies. Sprint [NYSE: S] and Aegis Mobility have teamed to offer the FleetSafer® distracted driving application to help businesses, commercial fleet owners and operators focus on driving.
FleetSafer is software for mobile devices that can help drivers avoid certain distractions. The software auto-activates once the vehicle is in motion, preventing texting, e-mailing and browsing, yet still enabling hands-free phone conversations. It also helps companies comply with the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) rules for interstate truck and bus drivers and mobile phone use.
IH Services, a Greenville, S.C.-based janitorial company, provides clean working environments for industrial, commercial, distribution, healthcare and institutional clients throughout the United States and has a long history of initiating innovative programs to reduce accidents in the workplace through its “Safety is Our #1 Priority” program.
“We currently use FleetSafer in more than 100 vehicles,” said Ryan Hendley - CEO, IH Services, Inc. “FleetSafer encourages our employees to use their cell phones in a responsible manner and helps our company reduce risk and manage liability. FleetSafer has been so successful that we intend to make it available to other companies, through our association with the National Service Alliance (NSA) and Sprint.”
Sprint has been a leading provider of fleet solutions for more than three decades, and has made this solution available in leading handsets and tablets, including BlackBerry® and Android™ smartphones and tablets. Aegis Mobility today announced they will make FleetSafer available to users of Kyocera feature phones with Sprint® Direct Connect® by the end of Q1. FleetSafer is part of Sprint’s portfolio of distracted driving solutions and resources available for businesses. To support customers' growing needs for data, Sprint is rolling out its Network Vision initiative, designed to provide faster data speeds, improved voice quality and easier connectivity. Sprint expects to be mostly complete with Network Vision by the end of 2013.
To learn more about Sprint’s Focus on Driving efforts and for information about the portfolio of distracted driving mobile applications and resources available from Sprint for businesses and consumers, visit www.sprint.com/drive.
“Distracted driving is a critical issue that Sprint is committed to helping combat,” said John Dupree, senior vice president of business sales - Sprint. “Technology can play a huge role in helping businesses reinforce policies, minimize risk and make it easy for their employees to focus on driving. We’re proud to team with Aegis Mobility to make FleetSafer more broadly available through our direct sales team and offer commercial drivers the tools they need to operate more effectively and efficiently and to avoid distracted driving.”
“Corporate interest in enterprise solutions to ensure responsible use of mobile phones while driving is growing,” said Paul Zimmerman, CEO - Aegis Mobility. “Distracted driving is an issue that cannot be ignored. Businesses are looking to reduce the potential risks associated with employee distracted driving and now Sprint can deliver a solution to help employers address this important issue.”
About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served nearly 56 million customers at the end of the third quarter of 2012 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. The American Customer Satisfaction Index rated Sprint No. 1 among all national carriers in customer satisfaction and most improved, across all 47 industries, during the last four years. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 3 in both its 2011 and 2012 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation’s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.
About Aegis Mobility
Aegis is the leading provider of patented enterprise technology to help commercial fleet operators promote safe and legal use of mobile devices while employees are driving on the job. FleetSafer, the company’s flagship software platform is supported by a unique multi-trigger context engine and enables policy management capabilities for a wide range of mobile devices.
Additional Resources
- See the infographic for statistics about distracted driving
- Learn more about FleetSafer, available through the Sprint direct sales channel
- Tips to help you focus on driving
- Sign the pledge to focus on driving at www.sprint.com/drive
- View the Sprint Drive First commercial
Media Contacts
Randy Spolter, Sprint
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703-592-8507
Matt Howard, Aegis
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703-362-9490