G&M Direct saves £5.2m after technology transforms fleet operations

G&M Direct Hire has streamlined its fleet operations and improved driver safety – saving £5.2 million – after adopting telematics and dashcam technology from Samsara.

The company, which specialises in Public Carriage Office (PCO) vehicles used by private hire and ride-hailing firms, provides its car hire services to 4,000 customers.

However, rising insurance costs, an increasing threat of vehicle theft, and plans to transition to an electric fleet meant the company needed a different approach to managing its operations.

By implementing Samsara’s Connected Operations platform, G&M Direct Hire now has a holistic, real-time view over its entire fleet.

Ghaffar Esmailzadeh, director at G&M Direct Hire, explained: “We needed a better understanding of what was happening with our drivers out on the road, how they were driving, where the risks were, and how we could protect them and our vehicles.

“Without real-time data, it was difficult to stay ahead of issues or manage maintenance proactively.

“Thanks to Samsara, we can now see everything as it happens, and it’s made a huge difference.

“Being able to respond quickly to incidents, improve driving behaviour, and lower accident-related costs has helped us save millions and made our fleet much safer.”

Samsara’s AI dash cams and GPS tracking technology have enabled the company to achieve significant cost savings, with a £1.8m reduction in accident-related costs, resulting from 21% fewer accidents within 12 months, and £3m savings through the recovery of 55 stolen vehicles.

There was also an additional £400,000 savings through the prevention of more than 940,000 excess miles and a 50% reduction in case settlement times, cutting resolution time by two months per case.

G&M Direct Hire is also leveraging Samsara to guide its fleet electrification. The data gathered through its daily operations is helping to identify optimal candidates for early EV adoption based on route patterns and usage requirements.

Philip van der Wilt, SVP and GM EMEA at Samsara, said: “G&M Direct Hire plays a vital role in supporting professional drivers, and we’re pleased to help them do that.

“With real-time visibility and AI-powered insights, they’ve built a safer, more efficient fleet and laid strong foundations for their transition to electric vehicles.

“By working with innovative companies like G&M Direct Hire, we’re helping to create safer and more sustainable transport for the future.”

Read more from Fleet News on why you need to take fleet safety seriously.