Food banks across the country continue to experience strong demand as many families face ongoing food insecurity and economic pressures. As the demand for food assistance continues to rise, many organizations are focused on securing donations, recruiting volunteers, and expanding community outreach.

However, one critical piece of the operation often receives less attention: transportation.

From collecting donations and moving inventory between facilites to delivering food directly to partner agencies and communities, transportation plays a vital role in a food bank’s ability to fulfill its mission. When food bank fleets run smoothly, food reaches those who need it most. When they don’t, the ripple effects extend far beyond transportation.

A delayed or missed pickup can mean donated food never makes it into the supply chain. Vehicle breakdowns can disrupt delivery schedules, leaving partner agencies waiting on essential supplies. Inefficient routes can increase fuel costs and reduce the number of stops a food bank can make in a day. Over time, these operational challenges can limit an organization’s ability to recover donations, serve more families, and maximize the impact of every dollar invested in its mission.

For food banks operating with limited budgets and growing demand, transportation isn’t simply a logistical function – it’s a critical link between food donations and the communities that depend on them.

While transportation may not always be top of mind, many food banks face hidden operational challenges that can impact efficiency, costs, and service levels.

Here are some of the most common transportation challenges that food banks can encounter today.

1. Limited Visibility Into Daily Operations

Many food banks operate with a small fleet of vehicles and lead teams that are responsible for managing pickups, deliveries, and warehouse logistics.

Without clear visibility into vehicle activity throughout the day, it can be difficult to answer important questions:

• Are vehicles being utilized efficiently?
• Have all scheduled pickups been completed?
• Are routes taking longer than expected?
• Where are vehicles located at any given time?

As operations grow, relying solely on phone calls, spreadsheets, or manual updates can make it challenging to maintain situational awareness across the entire transportation network – no matter how big or small the operation may be.

Greater operational visibility allows food banks to make informed decisions, identify inefficiencies and risks, and better support drivers in the field.

2. Missed Donation Pickup Opportunities

Food banks often coordinate pickups from grocery stores, restaurants, farms, distributors, and community organizations. When a pickup is delayed, missed, or rescheduled, food may be wasted, donor relationships can be strained, and opportunities to serve additional families may be lost.

Every donation matters.

Transportation bottlenecks are not always caused by a lack of vehicles. In many cases, they stem from scheduling conflicts, route inefficiencies, communication challenges, or limited visibility into available resources.

As food banks continue to expand their networks of donors and partners, maintaining efficient pickup operations becomes increasingly important.

3. Rising Fuel and Operations Costs

Like every organization that operates vehicles, food banks, must manage rising transportation expenses.

Fuel costs, maintenance expenses, insurance premiums, and vehicle replacement costs can place pressure on already limited budgets. Because food banks are committed to maximizing the impact of every dollar donated, operational efficiency becomes increasingly important.

Small improvements in route planning, vehicle utilization, and maintenance scheduling can help organizations stretch limited resources further while also continuing to meet growing community needs.

4. Vehicle Downtime Can Disrupt the Mission

When one of your vehicles is unexpectedly unavailable or inoperable, the impact can extend far beyond the repair bill. A single breakdown can lead to:

• Missed donation pickups
• Delayed deliveries
• Scheduling challenges
• Increased labor costs
• Reduced service capacity

For organizations operating with a limited number of vehicles, downtime can quickly affect daily operations.

Proactively managing fleet health and understanding how vehiles are being used can help food banks minimize disruptions and maintain reliable service.

5. Managing Volunteer and Part-Time Drivers

Many food banks rely on volunteers, part-time staff, or seasonal personnel to support transportation operations. While these individuals play a critical role in the organization’s success, managing a diverse driver population can create unique challenges. Organizations may need to monitor:

• Driver availability
• Route completion
• Safe driving
• Vehicle usage
• License monitoring
• Communication across multiple locations

As transportation programs grow, maintaining consistency and accountability becomes increasingly important to ensure safe and efficient operations.

6. Expanding Demand without Expanding Resources

Perhaps the greatest challenge facing food banks today is serving more people without significantly increasing staff, vehicles, or operating budgets.

Food insecurity remains a concern in many communities, and organizations are often asked to do more with the same resources they have today.

To meet this challenge, many food banks are evaluating ways to improve efficiency across their operations. Transportation is often one of the most impactful areas for improvement because it directly affects donation recovery, distribution capacity, and overall service levels.

Even small operational gains can help organizations extend their reach and serve more families.

Looking Ahead     

Food banks perform an essential service in communities across the country. As demand continues to grow, transportation operations will play an increasingly important role in helping organizations maximize their impact.

By understanding the hidden challenges that exist withing fleet and transportation operations, food banks can identify opportunities to improve visibility, streamline routes, maximize vehicle utilization, and make the most of limited resources, all while staying focused on what matters most: serving their communities.

That’s why Solera partners with organizations like Feeding America to help food banks improve transportation operations through greater fleet visibility, optimized routing, vehicle utilization insights, and tools that help keep volunteer and staff drivers safe. By reducing transportation inefficiencies and improving day-to-day operations, food banks can spend less time managing vehicles and more time advancing their mission.

Because at the end of the day, transportation isn’t just about moving vehicles.

It’s about moving meals to the people who need them the most.

The post The Hidden Transportation Challenges Facing Food Banks appeared first on Solera Fleet Solutions.

Beyond Lagging Indicators 

The industry has long relied on insurance premiums and loss ratios to gauge safety success. The problem? These are lagging indicators. By the time they move, the damage is already done. Proactive safety focuses on behavior improvement as a leading indicator. This shift allows fleets to identify risk trends before they become a claim or a Department of Transportation (DOT) inspection.  

Predicting the Unpredictable 

Data shows that specific behaviors are high-signal predictors of future losses:  

• Phone Distraction: Increases crash likelihood by ~240%.  

• Hard Braking: Correlates to ~100%+ higher expected losses.  

• Chronic Speeding: Predicts a ~70%+ higher loss expectancy.  

Safest fleets don’t react to one-off events; they look for patterns in frequency, duration, and change over time.  

The Defensive Power of Documentation 

A common misconception is that data creates liability. In truth, ignoring known risk is the primary driver of legal exposure. When telematics is used to document context, like weather or traffic, and the corresponding coaching intervention, it serves as a “Duty of Care” shield for the business and its drivers.  

The Solera Advantage  

Solera Fleet Solutions leverages its deep legacy and over 6 Petabytes of accumulated data to build sophisticated algorithms that transform raw information into a competitive edge. By converting data from both compliance and video systems into actionable insights, Solera helps fleets optimize maintenance and coach drivers with precision. This proactive approach lowers downtime and ups overall productivity, all while keeping drivers satisfied and making the roads safer for everyone. 

Learn how to make turn data into actionable insights: Download the eBook 

The post The Shift to Proactive Safety: Why Leading Indicators are the Future of Fleet ROI  appeared first on Solera Fleet Solutions.

WESTLAKE, Texas — May 20, 2026 — Solera, the global leader in vehicle lifecycle management and fleet safety solutions, today announced the launch of SmartDrive® Pedestrian Collision Warning, a new AI‑powered driver assistance capability designed to help fleets identify pedestrian risk and support safer driver response in complex operating environments.

 SmartDrive Pedestrian Collision Warning extends Solera’s video‑based safety platforms by helping detect pedestrians early, while also providing insights that support driver awareness, coaching, and continuous safety improvement.

“Solera’s new Pedestrian Collision Warning functionality builds on SmartDrive’s long standing track record of innovation that combines AI visibility and video technology to alert drivers to potential risk sooner, while also providing safety teams with better insight that supports proactive coaching that can lead to safer outcomes” said Jeff Griswold, Vice President of Product Management. “Warning drivers of pedestrians dangerously in the vehicle’s path can reduce the amount of time it takes drivers to recognize and react.”

Enhancing Awareness with AI‑Powered Video Safety

SmartDrive Pedestrian Collision Warning uses advanced computer vision, sensors, and vehicle data to identify pedestrians ahead of the vehicle and evaluate potential risks based on proximity and speed. When risk is identified, events are captured within the SmartDrive platform, where they can be reviewed and used to support targeted driver coaching and enhance ongoing safety training.

Fully integrated into the SmartDrive video‑based safety ecosystem, Pedestrian Collision Warning works alongside existing AI‑powered capabilities in the cutting-edge SR5 to allow fleets to extend the value of their current SmartDrive investment without adding hardware.

Designed for Real‑World Fleet Operations

Pedestrian Collision Warning is particularly useful for fleets operating in pedestrian‑dense environments, including:

• Urban delivery and service routes
• Distribution centers and yards
• Mixed traffic and low‑speed zones

By providing earlier awareness and actionable video based coaching insights, the capability protects drivers while simultaneously reducing risk and safeguarding communities.

Part of the SmartDrive® Video‑Based Safety Platform

Pedestrian Collision Warning is the latest addition to the SmartDrive product line on the Solera Fleet Platform, bringing together AI‑powered video, vehicle data, and SmartDrive’s expert human review process to help fleets improve driver performance, reduce high‑severity risk, and operate more safely and efficiently.

To learn more about SmartDrive Pedestrian Collision Warning, visit SmartDrive® Pedestrian Collision Warning – Solera Fleet Solutions

About Solera

Solera is a global leader in vehicle lifecycle management software, data, and services. Operating in more than 120 countries and serving over 280,000 customers, Solera provides the digital infrastructure that powers critical operations across the automotive ecosystem, serving manufacturers, dealerships, insurers, repairers, recyclers, parts and fleet operators worldwide.

At its core, Solera is built on a proprietary automotive data foundation and a cloud-based AI infrastructure designed to operate at industry scale. By embedding intelligence directly into workflows and continuously innovating across its platform, Solera enables customers to move faster, reduce complexity, and deliver better outcomes. By serving the full vehicle lifecycle, Solera creates unique synergies across its network, helping customers unlock greater value, improve performance, and succeed in an increasingly complex and connected industry.  Solera is home to many leading brands in the automotive and vehicle ecosystem, including Identifix, Audatex, DealerSocket, Omnitracs, LoJack, Spireon, eDriving, cap hpi, Autodata, and others.

For more information, visit www.solera.com

The post Solera Extends AI-Visibility with Introduction of SmartDrive® Pedestrian Collision Warning appeared first on Solera Fleet Solutions.

As fleet operations become more complex and exposure increases, no one team can manage safety alone. The fleets seeing the strongest results are those that break down silos, align incentives, and treat safety as a collaborative effort rather than a standalone program.

Why Safety Works Better as an Ecosystem

Fleet safety managers remain at the center of any successful program, but today they are supported by more insight, context, and partnership than ever before. Telematics and video provide visibility into everyday driving behavior, enabling fleets to understand where risk is emerging rather than reacting only after incidents occur.

When safety data is shared and interpreted within an ecosystem, fleets gain benefits that extend well beyond compliance:

• Earlier identification of risk, before it becomes a crash or a claim
• Fewer preventable collisions and reduced claim severity
• Lower downtime and disruption across vehicles and operations
• Stronger driver engagement and retention, driven by fairness and transparency
• Greater confidence in safety decisions, backed by consistent insight

This connected approach allows fleets to move from isolated data points to a clearer, shared understanding of risk. This builds an ecosystem that enables better decisions across the organization.

Aligning Fleets, Technology, and Insurance Around Prevention

The most effective safety programs no longer treat insurers as downstream stakeholders who only appear after a loss. Instead, they align fleets, solution providers, and insurers around prevention, not punishment.

When telematics and video data are contextual, consistent, and responsibly applied, they become a common language across the ecosystem. Fleets demonstrate accountability; technology providers surface meaningful insight, and insurers gain confidence in how risk is being managed, not just how often claims occur.

This alignment strengthens trust on all sides. Drivers feel supported rather than surveilled. Safety leaders gain clearer direction. Insurers see disciplined, proactive risk management. The result is a safety program that delivers stronger outcomes and a competitive advantage that compounds over time.

Learn More: Proactive Telematics—Safer Fleets Win on Cost, Claims, and Culture

Join Solera Fleet Solutions and Nirvana Insurance on Wednesday, April 29, 2026 (1:00–2:00 PM CT) for a live webinar exploring how leading fleets are using telematics and video as part of a connected safety ecosystem, and why collaboration is becoming the foundation of modern fleet safety.

Register Here to learn how fleets, technology partners, and insurers can work together to reduce risk, protect drivers, and create stronger safety outcomes before incidents happen.

The post What the Safest Fleets Have in Common: A Connected Safety Ecosystem appeared first on Solera Fleet Solutions.

The holiday rush puts incredible stress on the entire supply chain. With the increase in demand comes capacity constraints and a heightened threat of theft. Your fleet’s trailers can be your biggest asset or your greatest risk.

During this time, trailer utilization surges, and asset shortages become common. Losing track of a critical trailer or shipment can trigger massive delays disrupting the delivery chain and preventing drivers from finishing their runs on time.

That’s where cargo intelligence sensors from Solera Fleet Solutions come in. Solera provides the end-to-end visibility and confidence needed to master asset management, ensuring your most critical assets are always located, protected, and ready to roll.

By giving fleet managers and drivers instant, real-time asset intelligence, Solera helps you keep the supply chain moving and ensures everyone, including the assets themselves, is accounted for and arrive home for the holidays.

1. The Challenge of Surging Asset Demand

The sheer volume of holiday freight means every trailer, chassis, and piece of equipment is essential to completing the job. When you don’t have complete visibility into your yard or network:

• Utilization Drops: Valuable time is wasted searching for idle or underutilized assets in a vast lot.
• Security Risks Rise: High-value holiday cargo is more vulnerable to theft or unauthorized use.
• Driver Delays: Drivers cannot quickly hook up the right trailer with the right cargo, adding frustrating delays to their already tight schedules.

2. Complete, Real-Time Asset Tracking

The first step to efficiency is knowing exactly where your equipment is. Solera Asset Tracking and Management solution transforms asset management from a manual guessing game into an instant, data-driven operation.

• Location Certainty: Get real-time, pinpoint GPS location data for every trailer, chassis, and critical non-powered asset, whether it’s parked in a massive yard or moving across the country.
• Status at a Glance: Know if an asset is loaded, empty, connected to a tractor, or idling. This intelligence allows fleet managers to optimize usage, instantly deploying the assets needed most.
• Confidently Hook Up: Drivers, who are already under time pressure, can confidently find the correct trailer quickly, reducing yard time and enabling them to start their journey home sooner.

3. Cargo Intelligence and Security

During the holidays, the cargo is often just as valuable as the asset itself. Solera’s Asset Intelligence censors provide an advanced layer of cargo security and intelligence right inside the trailer.

• Instant Cargo Visibility: Solera’s internal cargo intelligence sensors provide instant notification of whether the trailer is empty, partially full, or at capacity. This prevents drivers from hauling empty trailers and ensures load capacity is maximized.
• Temperature Monitoring & Security: For temperature-sensitive holiday goods, continuous monitoring protects the shipment. Moreover, door sensors and advanced security features guard against theft, protecting high-value gifts and essential inventory.
• Mitigate Loss: By knowing the precise location and security status of the cargo, fleets can dramatically mitigate the risk of loss, ensuring that the precious holiday cargo makes it to its final destination.

4. Solera: The End-to-End Asset Ecosystem

Solera’s integrated solutions ensure that whether you are focused on Video Safety, Last-Mile Delivery, or Asset Tracking, your entire operation is connected and optimized. Protecting your critical assets with Solera’s cargo intelligence censors is the foundation that allows your drivers to operate safely and efficiently.

When the right asset is in the right place at the right time, the entire network runs smoother.

This Holiday Season, Protect Your Assets and Your Bottom Line

Solera empowers fleets to navigate the busiest season with confidence, ensuring the work gets done, customers are satisfied, and your assets, including your people, make it home for the holidays.

If you’re looking to gain complete, real-time visibility and protect your most critical assets the whole year through, now is the perfect moment to see how Solera’s Asset Tracking solutions can help.

Open the Gift of Asset Visibility → Book a Solera Asset Tracking & Management Demo

The post Home For the Holidays – Asset Tracking & Management appeared first on Solera Fleet Solutions.