In this final installment of public fleet golden nuggets that were shared by Keith Kerman at the Somerset stop of the Fleet Forward Tour, we will be discussing Intelligent Speed Assist (ISA) and Executive Order 39.

Intelligent Speed Assist

Intelligent Speed Assist is a new “dynamic telematics style speed governor” that will adjust your limit to the speed limit of your location. 

“Tech Intelligent Speed Assist is essentially your modern speed governor, but it's not a speed governor at you know. It's speed governor, wherever you are, and as you change, wherever you are, the speed that is governed has changed,” Kerman said during his session. 

Additionally, this speed governor uses acceleration control as opposed to artificial braking. Drivers will be able to accelerate only a few miles over the limit, after which the system will gently reduce acceleration to prevent the driver from going over again. 

Kerman also understands that driving is an active process, and there may be instances where you need to go faster than the speed limit when it is safer to keep up with the flow of traffic. Because of this, they allow a buffer of 11 miles over the limit.

There is also a release button if a driver needs to accelerate quickly for any reason. 

The Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) is the largest adopter of ISA, with 700 units operating fully on ISA. The Department published a report in October of 2024 in partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation. 

They have done nearly 5.5 million miles of study on ISA.

Moreover, the implementation of ISA also saw an increase in fuel efficiency by 6%.

Executive Order 39

“Executive Order 39 (EO 39) is meant to try and push for high vision trucks to address visual impairment for truck operators”, explained Kerman as he continued with his session. 

Conventionally designed trucks cause pedestrian deaths because the drivers simply cannot see the pedestrian in the way. 

He stressed the safety risks of the current conventional truck design, as he recalled a tragic accident that happened when an NYC tow truck killed a child because of the low visibility in the truck.

If passed, EO 39 would mandate the purchase of high vision trucks going forward or the equipping of vehicles with surround cameras, aiming to reduce pedestrian deaths caused by low visibility. 

The legislation would bind contractors to the same requirement.