Azuga, a cloud-based GPS fleet-tracking system, has launched an awards program recognizing fleet managers and drivers who practice safety.

Company officials say the quarterly program will help fleet managers increase overall ROI and, ultimately increase safety in the communities where they live and work.

The ranking is calculated by a weighted average of speeding, hard braking, harsh acceleration and idling events, each of which consider the magnitude, duration and frequency along with a spatio-temporal index that factors in the conditions under which these events occurred.

“Our awards program is only one aspect of our expansion into social telematics, an initiative that is combining driver visibility, gamification, employer funded rewards, social sharing and Azuga-funded awards to bring a refreshing new approach to fleet telematics in 2015,” said Ananth Rani, co-founder of Azuga. “With social telematics we are, yet again, at the forefront of industry trends and innovations that will continue to help customers receive effortless ROI from their GPS fleet tracking implementations.”

Dr. Ashwin Sabapathy, head of data sciences at Azuga, says the company's research has helped encourage fleet drivers to improve safety and ROI.

“The data science research team at Azuga is one of the only research centers to combine experts from transportation, big data and insurance to find new ways to quantify driver behavior and its relationship to fuel efficiency” he said. “With this unique data set and algorithms, Azuga has been able to produce a fair driver score that motivates drivers towards better behavior through gamification which in turn improves fleet MPG, reduces carbon footprint and delivers natural ROI.”

The top drivers from the first quarter of 2015 include: Paul Sabourin, AA Transport Co.; Javier Contreras, Aaron's, Inc.; Duke Zukowski, Bath Fitter; Jerry Bellows, AA Transportation Co.; Will Allen, A Tech Service; Dee Dye, Patco Electrical Services Inc.; and Fleet Drivers, C & L Refrigeration Corp.

Utilizing the same algorithm, Azuga Fleet is also recognizing the top fleet managers of the first quarter of 2015 for their exceptional leadership and mentorship to their fleet of drivers: Patty Middleton, California United Mechanical; Laurie Royal, MNS Engineers Inc.; Ron Ernenwein, AA Transportation Co.; Mike Goellner, Total Environmental Concepts; Randy Jones, R.E. Robertson Plumbing; Cam Bedry, Bath Fitter Fleet Management at Chapman Waterproofing Co.; and Fleet Management at Patco Electrical Services, Inc.