8:00am: Breakfast and Registration

8:30am - 8:45am: Welcome and Introductions

• Speaker: James Blain, PAX Training

• Description: Introductions and logistics, program objectives, schedule review. and overview of the claims-prevention and claims-management roadmap

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8:45am - 9:45am: Where Claims Begin: Trends, Causes, and the Total Cost of Risk

• Speaker: Shankar Yoganathan, MOTER.ai

• Description: Common accident and incident trends and the difference between preventable and non-preventable losses.

  • Direct and indirect claim costs, including vehicle repair, lost revenue, internal handling time, replacement drivers, and operational disruption

  • The cost of uncertainty, the time value of money, and the impact of accidents and injuries

  • The cost and value of current loss-control measures

  • Calculating loss costs and identifying patterns by driver, vehicle, route, shift, service type, or other operational factor

  • Estimating future losses from current claim frequency, severity, and trends

  • How loss reduction affects profitability, operational control, and financing options

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9:45am - 10:45am: Policies, Procedures, Contractual Requirements, & Legal Exposure

• Speaker: Chris Lamb, JMRubino Consultants

• Description: The relationship between written policies, actual practices, training, supervision, and negligence claims

  • How outdated, unrealistic, copied, generic, or inconsistently enforced policies create liability

  • Appropriate and inappropriate uses of artificial intelligence when drafting policies and procedures

  • Creating policies that reflect real operations and can be consistently followed and enforced

  • Documenting policy distribution, training, acknowledgments, coaching, discipline, and corrective action

  • Formal risk-management programs with annual operational goals tied to loss prevention

  • Vehicle maintenance, inspection, securement, and safety policies as operational controls and evidence after a claim

  • Reviewing and updating policies after incidents, operational changes, and regulatory changes

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10:45am - 11:45am: Telematics, Defensive Driving, and Coaching

• Speaker: Curt Andrews, iDrive

• Description: Understanding the role of telematics in claims prevention and fleet risk management

  • Identifying the data that matters most: speeding, harsh braking, rapid acceleration, cornering, collision events, and distracted driving

  • Understanding what telematics can accurately measure, where false positives occur, and why context matters

  • Using telematics data to identify high-risk drivers, vehicles, routes, and operational patterns

  • Evaluating real-time alerts, automated reporting, driver scorecards, and fleet risk dashboards

  • Understanding how telematics data can support accident investigations, claims defense, and insurance discussions

  • Comparing implementation costs, ongoing expenses, and potential reductions in claims and operating costs

  • Measuring return on investment and determining whether telematics is actually reducing fleet risk

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11:45am - 12:30pm: Lunch/Break

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12:30pm - 1:45pm: Risk Management Roundtable

• Moderator: James Blain, PAX Training

• Description: Claims-handling issues operators and risk partners are encountering

  • Common and emerging claim causes

  • Policies or control measures that work in practice—and those that do not

  • Driver accountability, training, incentives, and coaching challenges

  • Telematics strengths, limitations, and unintended consequences

  • Passenger assistance and securement challenges

  • Insurance, deductible, retention, and renewal concerns

  • Questions and real-world scenarios submitted by attendees

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1:45pm - 2:45pm: Insurance Renewal, Risk Financing, and Retained Losses

• Moderator: James Blain, PAX Training

• Panelists: Joseph Madiedo, Professional Insurance Center, Inc.; Stephen Friedberg, Research Underwriters; Marc Crawford, S.W.A.N. Insurance

• Description: Preparing for renewal is a year-round process

  • What underwriters evaluate and how operators can demonstrate effective control over risk

  • Loss runs, claim narratives, open-claim status, reserves, and evidence of improvement after a loss

  • The cost of current loss-control measures and the cost of uncertainty

  • Estimating future losses

  • First-dollar coverage versus deductibles or retained limits

  • Excess coverage versus self-insurance

  • Financing retained losses through cash flow versus reserves

  • How greater operational control may create more insurance and financing options

  • Common renewal mistakes that weaken an organization’s position

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2:45pm - 3:00pm: Afternoon Break

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3:00pm - 4:00pm: From the Scene Through the Claim: Accident Response, Investigation, and Claims Management

• Speakers: Jorge Delahoz & Dan Ford, Mears Transportation

• Description: Protecting passengers, drivers, and the public immediately after an accident or incident

  • Securing the scene, obtaining medical assistance, and escalating serious events

  • What drivers and employees should and should not say

  • Collecting photographs, video, witness information, statements, and vehicle information

  • Preserving dash-camera, surveillance, telematics, maintenance, inspection, securement, training, scheduling, and communication records

  • Timely reporting to management, brokers, carriers, claims administrators, attorneys, and other required parties

  • Internal investigations and separating fact gathering from blame or discipline

  • In-house claims management, assignment of responsibility, open-claim monitoring, and responding to information requests

  • Understanding reserves, settlement, litigation, and operational considerations

  • Post-incident review, corrective action, and closing the loop to prevent recurrence

  • Final summary, key takeaways, and adjournment

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4:00pm - 5:00pm: Passenger Assistance, Mobility-Device Securement, and Injury Prevention

• Speaker: Jim Cermak, Driverge Vehicle Innovations

• Description: Correct mobility device and occupant securement

  • Common securement errors, shortcuts, and equipment misuse

  • Passenger assistance, loading, unloading, lift, and ramp risks

  • Driver responsibilities before vehicle movement

  • Correct handling of passengers refusing proper securement or requesting to be secured in devices not designed for vehicle securement

  • Passenger communication, dignity, and safety during securement

  • Equipment inspection, maintenance, and documentation

  • How security or assistance failures become injury, negligence, and claims issues

  • Immediate response and documentation following a securement-related incident

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• 5:00pm: Summary/Course Closing/Adjournment