Trimble applauded the latest recipients of its Ovation Awards, which were presented September 16 during the 2019 in.sight user conference + expo in Houston TX. The awards recognize customers that have best leveraged technology through innovations in integration, custom-tailored applications, process implementation, training methods and more.
“The theme of the 2019 in.sight user conference is the ‘Power of Together’ and this year’s Ovation Award recipients embody that spirit, with each winner relying on Trimble technology to improve key aspects of their transportation business,” said James Langley, senior vice-president of Trimble’s Transportation Sector. “These innovative users have also been instrumental in providing valuable feedback that allows us to expand our platforms and improve our solutions—enabling Trimble to create a better experience for each and every one of our users.”
Alicia Jarosh, divisional vice-president, customer experience for Trimble Transportation, added: “The customers recognized this year have achieved remarkable performance improvements across their entire organization. This year’s Ovation Award recipients represent a diverse group of organizations who have leveraged technology to make more informed decisions, improve safety and maximize efficiencies.”
Winners in the following seven categories include:
- Analytics Achievers—Best in Data Utilization: Southeastern Freight Lines
When Southeastern Freight Lines migrated its fleet of 3,000 vehicles to electronic logging devices (ELDs), resource utilization became an important metric to measure in order to ensure a smooth transition. Working closely with Trimble, Southeastern Freight Lines shared its data with the Trimble team on a daily basis and implemented weekly conference calls to review data and analytics, helping to streamline Southeastern Freight Lines’ transition as well as train everyone involved—from drivers to the shop and dispatchers to leadership.
- Automation All-Stars—Best in Improving Overall Efficiencies: Leonards Express
Leonards Express, a reefer and dry freight hauler, sought to leverage existing and new technology to help automate manual tasks in the front and back office. With Trimble technology, Leonards Express can preserve data integrity within the order lifecycle, while improving visibility into the true cost of doing business by capturing all operational activity. Leonards Express credits Trimble solutions with helping them move forward with their strategic growth plan, including providing senior management with a better understanding of costs versus revenue, increased data integrity for better business intelligence driving more actionable items, and keeping users focused on value-added versus manual tasks.
- Masters of Uptime—Best in Keeping Assets Up and Running: Kreilkamp Trucking
To automate matching loads with drivers and real-time load tracking, Kreilkamp Trucking (reefer and dry freight) implemented Trimble application programming interfaces (APIs), including GPS location, available hours, drive time remaining to delivery, live traffic conditions and other personal factors tied to the customers and employees. The data and analytics provide the ability to generate more accurate predictions of when a driver will arrive and, if the driver is going to arrive late, Kreilkamp can switch the load and remain on time. If the driver is going to arrive early, Kreilkamp checks with the customer for an earlier delivery appointment or passes the load on to a driver who will arrive with less time waiting for an unload. The results enabled better customer relationships, increased driver retention and boosted revenue from improved utilization.
- ROI MVP—Best Return on Investment: Four Seasons Family of Companies
The Four Seasons Family of Companies includes four separate organizations including produce hauling and warehousing, each with their own unique transportation needs. The strategic decision to implement integrated Trimble solutions allowed them to realize benefits that were previously out of reach, including centralizing internal transportation planning, automating processes, improving analytics and business visibility, maintaining fleet assets, efficiently performing fleet execution and differentiation to customers by using state-of-the-art technologies. In 2019 alone, the organization is on pace to achieve more than $1.4 million in benefits, including additional revenue gains for its brokerage division, labor savings from process automation, improved business analytics, and the development of new revenue generating business opportunities for the organization.
- Rookies of the Year—Best Up and Comer: Dieseltech Truck Repair
Dieseltech, which provides comprehensive truck and trailer repair services, needed a solution to keep pace with their business. Many existing processes were manual, including a punch clock, calculating labor fees, determining profit margins and handwriting parts lists and work orders. This led to unbilled jobs and lost revenue, along with negative inventory variances. After adopting TMT Service Center, Dieseltech has seen a wholesale shift in how they do business. From improving their bottom line through better inventory management and reduction in paperwork processing, to empowering them to provide a comprehensive solution to fleet maintenance and repair for fleets of all sizes, Dieseltech’s implementation of TMT Service Center allows them to enhance their customers’ experience and help them to better manage their equipment.
- Safety Superteam—Best in Advancing Safety: Fortune Transportation
Through the implementation of multiple Trimble solutions, Fortune Transportation, a reefer fleet, has achieved tangible results in improving the safety of its entire operations. With Trimble in-cab solutions, Video Intelligence, TMS and Asset Maintenance products, Fortune can more easily share data across its organization to ensure the optimal performance of its drivers, vehicles and equipment to improve safety, reduce breakdowns and make the road better for everyone with whom they share the road.
- Platform Powerhouse—Best Example of a Trimble Transportation Power User: Crestwood Transportation
From 2016 to 2018, tank truck carrier Crestwood Transportation underwent a transformation to adapt to challenges caused by weakened demand and downward price pressure resulting from declining crude oil prices as global supply exceeded demand. Business processes were re-engineered and multiple integrated Trimble solutions were implemented and leveraged to improve efficiencies and increase profitability. Cost savings are on track to reach nearly $1 million as a result of reductions in fuel costs, cellular costs, software costs and others through the use of Crestwood’s holistic use of multiple integrated Trimble solutions.
