Evaluation of an In-vehicle Monitoring System Among an Oil and Gas Well Servicing Fleet

A pilot study of an in-vehicle monitoring system (IVMS) was conducted among a fleet of oil and gas well servicing vehicles. Data collected from the fleet were handled anonymously across 21 IVMS-instrumented light vehicle pickup trucks. Data were also collected on a sample of four participating drivers, one manager and three site workers, whose vehicles were instrumented with an IVMS and a miniature data acquisition system (MiniDAS). Among the 21 IVMS-instrumented trucks, there was a 60% reduction in speeding events and a 50% reduction in aggressive driving events. Questionnaires on the IVMS showed that drivers remained neutral to positive after the study was completed and rated the functionality of the IVMS positively. Analysis of the driving patterns of the four participants with MiniDAS-equipped vehicles showed long hours (average daily on-duty and commute time of 15.4 hours for the three site workers) and significant driving time on unimproved roads, which offer their own sets of hazards distinct from highway driving.