Initiative will improve road safety for mobile mechanics and roadside assistance providers servicing commercial vehicles across the nation
By NATSO Foundation
Alexandria, Va.—The NATSO Foundation, the education, research, and public outreach arm of NATSO, Inc., has announced a partnership with HAAS Alert, an innovator behind the digital alerting service and connected vehicle platform, Safety Cloud.
Together, the organizations aim to significantly enhance the safety of roadside service technicians who support and repair commercial vehicles when they need to be serviced along the Interstate Highway System. The NATSO Foundation and HAAS Alert are making this announcement during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual Operation Safe Driver Week.
Safety Cloud currently is deployed across numerous public safety fleets and tow services. The V2X (vehicle-to-everything) platform broadcasts real-time alerts from equipped service vehicles to approaching automobile drivers through in-dash infotainment systems and navigation apps. These notifications encourage drivers to slow down and move over, and they arrive up to 30 seconds prior to the driver approaching an incident. This advanced warning technology has been found to decrease collision risk by up to 90 percent.
“NATSO and the NATSO Foundation are excited to partner with HAAS Alert on this important safety initiative,” said Lisa Mullings, NATSO Foundation President. “HAAS Alert’s commitment to making roads safer with real-time digital alerts can drastically improve the working conditions for our mobile mechanics and road assist service providers. By reminding drivers to comply with Move Over laws, we can significantly decrease risk, making highways safer for all.”
Cory Hohs, Chief Executive Officer of HAAS Alert, said, “This collaboration with the NATSO Foundation signifies a significant step toward our collective commitment to road safety. The Foundation’s longstanding dedication to the truck stop and travel center community aligns with our mission to protect roadside workers across the nation. By integrating Safety Cloud with roadside assistance services for commercial vehicles, we’re enabling safer roads.”
The NATSO Foundation’s partnership with HAAS Alert is part of a multi-pronged initiative designed to help keep roadside service technicians safe and to address critical safety issues for truck repair providers. NATSO’s member locations have more than 800 repair shops and almost always are the first call that commercial truck drivers make when their trucks need to be serviced out on the road.
By joining forces with the NATSO Foundation, HAAS Alert will offer roadside service technicians nationwide the tools, technology and solutions to improve safety. With the integration of Safety Cloud, service fleets can equip themselves with this life-saving technology, offering enhanced protection while performing roadside assistance.