The Tandet Group, along with one of its drivers, have earned with 2025 ISAAC Awards.
ISAAC Instruments announced the 2025 winners of the ISAAC Client Recognition Awards at the ISAAC HORIZON Conference in Charlotte, N.C.
“For the fourth consecutive year, the Awards have recognized fleets with outstanding performance in safety and compliance, as well as driver happiness,” ISAAC said. “This year’s edition, sponsored by Optimal Dynamics, included two new categories: one for fleets excelling in eco-efficiency and another for drivers with exemplary performance behind the wheel.”
The awards were open to all fleet clients whose ISAAC platform deployment was completed no later than June 1, 2024.
Driver of the Year Award
This year’s Driver of the Year Award went to Joseph Bayards of Tandet Group.
“Drivers are at the heart of fleet performance, and ISAAC is happy to highlight their contribution to fleet success and road safety,” ISAAC said.
Bayards has been a professional driver for nearly 40 years and has worked with Tandet Group for the past 36 years without any accidents.
“This means a lot to me,” Bayards said. “Back when I began my career, paper logs didn’t even exist — things have changed dramatically since then! I was always a safe driver, but with the ISAAC Coach it’s easier. It’s user-friendly, and I’m glad I learned how to use it to my advantage.”
Corey Cox Tandet’s senior vice president of innovation said the company’s goal is to have the “best-performing, safest drivers on the road.”
“I would think that Joe Bayards is an excellent example of this process in practice,” Cox said. “Joe has been driving with an incredible ISAAC Coach score of 100% for over 2 years.”
Eco-Efficiency Award
Tandet Group is the first-time winner of ISAAC’s Eco-efficiency award for demonstrating exceptional eco-responsible practices using their ISAAC platform. Eco-efficient driving is proven to enhance safety and reduce accidents.
“Our goal has been and continues to be: have the best-performing, safest drivers on the road,” Cox said. “Our efforts are magnified by every individual in our organization. Being recognized in this way is a validation of these efforts and an example of the dedication of our drivers. There were a lot of “fist-pumps” when our teams got the news of the award.”
Safety & Compliance Improvement Award – Fleet of up to 100 Trucks
This award honors carriers using their ISAAC platform to enhance safety and improve compliance throughout their fleet. The 2025 winner is Trans-Frt McNamara.
Karine Goyette, executive vice president at C.A.T., the parent company of Trans-Frt McNamara, attributes the achievement to the dedication of the entire team—from drivers to dispatchers, operations and maintenance staff.
“Every day, they dedicate themselves to each other and the company,” Goyette said. “Their strong work ethics and ‘we can always do better’ approach have earned them this award. Showing us that it has been noticed just confirms that this award won’t be our last!”
The company’s safety department has fostered a culture of transparency and continuous improvement, where drivers now ask for their numbers and ask questions. This proactive mindset reflects the spirit of the award and the values that drive Trans-Frt McNamara forward.
Safety & Compliance Improvement Award – Fleet of Over 100 Trucks
This year’s award goes to Challenger Motor Freight.
Upon receiving the Safety and Compliance Award for fleets of over 100 trucks, Nick Sampogna, safety manager at Challenger Motor Freight, stressed that safety isn’t just a policy for their organization. Every decision they make, from dispatch to training to how they interact with their drivers, is grounded in the belief that no delivery is worth more than a life.
“Winning an award like this is always a powerful reminder that when you lead with care and conviction, you protect what truly matters, our people,” Sampogna said. “Not long ago, we stopped a driver for having an expired permit during our routine gate check. Although initially frustrated, he came back and thanked our safety team for catching it later that day after being pulled in for an inspection. It’s not always easy to do the right thing, but it means everything when your drivers know you’re on their side. ISAAC’s tools have been a major part of how we manage safety, from critical event alerts to wheel re-torque monitoring, live HOS tracking, and now AI video pilot programs that help us identify high-risk trends across the fleet.”
Driver Happiness Award
This year’s award goes to Rio Valley Biofuel Transport.
If driver happiness comes as a surprise to some as an awards category, Jed Smith, president of RVB Transport, is quite clear about the merits of ensuring the well-being of those behind the wheel.
“This achievement feels really good,” Smith said. “After so much hard work, it’s incredibly rewarding to see improvement in our workflow, driver retention, and overall morale. I remember the day I knew we’d made the right choice by switching to ISAAC. One of our newer drivers, Eddy—who had come from a big carrier—walked up to my truck and thanked me, saying how much he loved our E-log system. Overall, our drivers have reported fewer paperwork headaches that used to affect their bonuses, and greater peace of mind with the visibility of their daily trip flow and site-specific delivery details.”
Partnering with Fleets to Drive Performance
ISAAC is committed to helping its clients perform through technological innovation and leverage every possible feature that optimizes operations and facilitates activities for both drivers and office staff.
“The Awards are a highlight for our entire team at our user conference,” said Jacques DeLarochelliere, ISAAC’s CEO, co-founder. “The accomplishments that Award nominees share with us in the process are concrete proof that our platform helps them drive results and positively impacts the day-to-day of their team. And that makes us happy.”
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
