DEPARTMENT: Transportation & Capital Improvements
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Mike Frisbie, P.E.
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT: San Antonio Safest Driver Contest USAA Sponsorship Agreement
SUMMARY:
An ordinance authorizing the execution of a Funding Agreement with the United States Automobile Association (USAA) accepting $49,500.00 for the primary sponsorship of the San Antonio Safest Driver Contest, a citywide campaign to educate and encourage drivers on safe driving behaviors as part of Vision Zero.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Cambridge Mobile Telematics (CMT) has developed the award-winning Safest Driver application that is a complete mobile telematics solution for extracting actionable insights on driving behaviors. The application uses mobile phone sensors to measure driving behaviors to include acceleration, braking, cornering, speeding, and phone distraction. The application analyzes the data collected and then provides drivers with tools to analyze their driving in order to achieve real behavioral change through immediate and ongoing feedback.
The driving behavior data collected and tracked by the Safest Driver application will ultimately determine the safest driver through a contest. Users can invite friends to compete for top rankings. Competitions can be amongst user’s own contacts or on a citywide scale.
The feedback and gamification in the application engages users and leads to improvements in driving behavior. CMT has shown users see an average reduction of 35% in phone distraction, 20% in hard braking, and 20% in at-risk speeding within 30 days of using the application.
Upon the completion of the contest, the following important data will be provided to the City:
• Challenging road segments based on driver behavior
• Beginning and end location of users’ trips
• Travel time analysis for comparison of travel time delays throughout the day
• Trip modes used include driver, passenger, bike, or bus
• Roadway usage by transportation mode
In October 2016, CMT partnered with the City of Boston Mayor’s Office, Vision Zero, and Arbella Insurance Foundation to create the world’s first safe-driving mobile app developed in a public-private partnership. Employed through the use of the mobile app, Boston launched a 90-day contest. At the completion of the 90-day contest, the City of Boson obtained the following data and reductions in unsafe driver behaviors:
• Over 3 million miles logged including 19,000 bike miles
• Reduction in phone use while driving by 47%, harsh braking by 37%, and speeding by 35% for the most active users
The capture and evaluation of driver behavior data and immediate and ongoing feedback to users, continues to be a tangible way to educate and encourage Boston’s driving community and inform transportation agencies for effective transportation planning. In addition, CMT recently completed a similar contest with the City of Seattle and similar reductions in unsafe driver behaviors were observed.
In support of the San Antonio’s Vision Zero initiative, CMT’s Safest Driver Contest will utilize two of Vision Zero’s essential elements (5 “E”s) for a safe transportation system; education and encouragement. By accurately measuring driving quality and providing driver feedback, the Safest Driver Contest will bring awareness to roadway safety and potentially make San Antonio drivers better through friendly competition resulting in safer roadways.
An unlimited number of people can use the mobile application benefitting our San Antonio transportation system by:
• Reducing unsafe driver behaviors through feedback and tips
• Encouraging safe driver behaviors through incentives and competition
• Providing valuable travel information to the City
In December 2017, Transportation & Capital Improvements (TCI) briefed the City Council Transportation Committee and received positive feedback to contract with CMT to develop the contest mobile application. With the execution of the contract in February 2018, CMT has started to build and develop the application. It will be available in the Google Play and Apple’s App Store in May 2018. Based on research from the American Automobile Association’s (AAA) Foundation for Traffic Safety crash rates resulting in death are highest from May (Memorial Day) through September (Labor Day) what is also known as “100 Deadliest Days of Summer.” The desired launch date of the contest is in June 2018 to coincide with the “100 Deadliest Days of Summer” which spans from May through September.
ISSUE:
This ordinance authorizes the execution of a Funding Agreement with the United States Automobile Association (USAA) accepting $49,500.00 for the primary sponsorship of the San Antonio Safest Driver Contest, a citywide campaign to educate and encourage drivers on safe driving behaviors as part of Vision Zero.
Since the December 2017 City Council Transportation Committee briefing, TCI has actively sought sponsorship opportunities to cover both the mobile application development and operation costs as well as contest prizes. This ordinance authorizes the execution of a Funding Agreement between the City of San Antonio and USAA providing funding in the amount of $49,500.00 to the City of San Antonio to serve as the primary contest sponsor. The funding will cover the contracted costs with CMT for mobile application development and data reporting costs. In addition, USAA will provide contestant prizes which are being finalized and will include cash payment. USAA also will assist the City of San Antonio with the marketing and contest promotion.
ALTERNATIVES:
City Council could choose not to authorize this Funding Agreement with USAA. However, this would result in the City missing a funding opportunity in support of the San Antonio’s Vision Zero initiative.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ordinance authorizes the execution of a Funding Agreement with USAA providing funding in the amount of $49,500.00 to the City of San Antonio to serve as the primary sponsor for the San Antonio Safest Driver Contest. The funding will cover the contracted costs with CMT for mobile application and data reporting. In addition, USAA will provide contest prizes which are being finalized but will include cash payment. The City will not incur any costs as a result of this ordinance.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of this ordinance authorizing the execution of a Funding Agreement between the City of San Antonio and USAA providing funding in the amount of $49,500.00 to the City of San Antonio to serve as the primary contest sponsor. The funding will cover the contracted costs with CMT for mobile application development and data reporting. In addition, USAA will provide contest prizes which are being finalized and will include cash payment.