VW Brazil gamifies napping for truckers, turning sleep into cash

When taking a driver’s education course, new and prospective drivers are often warned never to get behind the wheel while tired. According to several studies, driving drowsy can be equally as dangerous as driving drunk. Going 18 hours without sleep is about the same as having blood-alcohol content of 0.05%. After 24 hours, that rises to 0.10%. So, if we wouldn’t want everyday people driving while drowsy, why do we expect truck drivers to? That’s the thought challenge that Volkswagen Trucks and Buses poses in its latest campaign created by AlmapBBDO with Brazilian rewards program Livelo. To make Brazil's roads safer, Volkswagen Trucks and Buses teamed up with Livelo to create an initiative to monitor truck drivers’ hours of rest along shipping routes nationwide and turn them into cash. In a launch video, the brand explored the biggest issue among truck drivers in Brazil currently—the need to drive long hours without rest to get paid. For many drivers, taking breaks can result in missed shipments and deliveries, docks in pay or further consequences of employment. The alternative, however, is to drive drowsy and possibly have an accident—causing the drivers to endanger themselves and others. The “Trucker Napp” campaigns invites freight truck carriers to sign up their drivers and use the app to monitor their sleep through smartwatches connected to a points-based system. The more hours (and the better sleep) a driver sleeps, the more rewards they earn with Livelo, which can even turn into cash into their back accounts. The campaign comes as 62% of freight in Brazil is transported by truck. Meanwhile, according to a study by the Brazilian Association of Traffic Medicine (ABRAMET), the Brazilian Academy of Neurology and the Regional Council of Medicine, 42% of traffic accidents in Brazil are related to sleep deprivation. Drowsiness and fatigue are the cause of 60% of accidents involving professional drivers. Ricardo Alouche, VP of sales, marketing, and post-sale service at Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus (Trucks and Buses), said the program is designed to encourage a healthier and more responsible routine on the country’s highways. “The idea behind this project was to benefit and support partners and clients who make a living off shipping, and thus help make the roads safer for everyone,” said Alouche. “From here on out, we'll be dedicated to getting even more companies engaged with the program on all fronts.” Still in early stages, the first phase of the campaign will focus on a single client in Brazil, Carsten Serviços e Transportes, one of the country's largest shipping firms and a VW client. After a three-month evaluation period, the app will be adjusted so it can scale up, allowing more interested parties to participate. Interested carriers can sign up at www.truckernapp.com.br.

VW Brazil gamifies napping for truckers, turning sleep into cash

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