PITT OHIO Reduces Accident Cost with Bendix Driver Assistance Technology

Spec’ing for Safety

Founded in 1979, the family-owned company employs 1,900 drivers. In addition to its 1,400 tractors, PITT OHIO operates 2,200 trailers.

The carrier specs Bendix® Wingman® Fusion™ – Bendix’s flagship driver assistance system – on its vehicles, as well as Bendix® ADB22X® air disc brakes with the Bendix® Splined Disc® rotor.

Bendix Wingman Fusion gathers input through radar, video, and a vehicle’s braking system, combining and cross-checking the data from sensors that are working together and not just in parallel. By creating a detailed and accurate picture from this information, Fusion delivers enhanced rear-end collision mitigation and adaptive cruise control, along with following distance alerts, stationary object alerts, lane departure warning, alerts when speeding, and braking on stationary vehicles – all while prioritizing alerts to help reduce driver distraction.

Event-based data – including video – can be wirelessly transmitted for driver coaching and analysis by fleet safety personnel.

Fusion is built on the foundational technology of the Bendix® ESP® Electronic Stability Program full-stability system. This enables it to help drivers avoid some additional crash situations, including rollovers, loss-of-control, and sideswipe crashes.

Bendix ADB22X air disc brakes provide shorter stopping distances and deliver greater reliability with more consistent stops, while also delivering ROI in the shop through longer friction life and quicker pad changes than drum brakes. In addition, air disc brakes virtually eliminate brake fade. This distinguishes them from drum brakes, which can fade during heavy stop-and-go traffic situations or during mountain descents – extending stopping distances as they heat up. The performance advantages of air disc brakes mean they provide better support to today’s advanced driver assistance systems.

The Training Advantage

PITT OHIO emphasizes the importance of training – for both drivers and technicians – in its safety program.

“Any time we roll out new technology, we want to make sure the drivers understand it very well,” Mercadante said, noting that Bendix’s in-depth training assistance – which includes driver training sessions and videos – is key in this education effort. “Also, every month, we share with each driver their safety numbers. We show them how the technology is helping them to avoid accidents – and helping us to be a safer fleet.”

For technician training, PITT OHIO also turns to Bendix, which continues to add training videos to the Bendix On-Line Brake School, upgrade its sell sheets, and advance its diagnostic software tool ACom® PRO™.

“We’re taking advantage of Bendix’s ongoing growth in that area to make sure our technicians are fully aware of the safety systems and understand how they operate,” Mercadante said. “Plus, Bendix is on-site. As one example, they conduct air disc brake technical sessions at all PITT OHIO shops.”

Partners in Safety

The carefully nurtured culture of safety at PITT OHIO is reflected in the safety awards the company wins consistently: The carrier has been named an American Trucking Associations’ (ATA) Safe Fleet Award Winner 19 times, and they’re a seven-time recipient of the ATA President’s Trophy. PITT OHIO has also earned more than three dozen honors from trucking associations in six states.

PITT OHIO and Bendix value the long-time, trusted safety partnership between the companies.

“What Bendix contributes – from the technology they engineer and parts they produce to the help they provide in training our drivers and technicians – is integral to our safety effort,” Mercadante said. “The dramatically reduced cost of rear-end accidents that we’re experiencing is a testament to the effective way we work together.”