{"id":4448,"date":"2020-02-17T12:23:47","date_gmt":"2020-02-17T11:23:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/en.advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/?p=4448"},"modified":"2020-02-17T12:23:47","modified_gmt":"2020-02-17T11:23:47","slug":"4448","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/2020\/02\/17\/4448\/","title":{"rendered":"Fleet Finds Ways to Say ‘Yes’ to Customer Needs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fleet Finds Ways to Say ‘Yes’ to Customer Needs<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Midwest has diversified by hauling overweight as well as specialized bulk-oil intermodal containers. The fleet also offers a yard-spotting service.<\/p>\n

Editor’s note: This is part two of a four-part series looking at how fleets are seeking to diversify their businesses and reach new customers in a time of technological and commercial\u00a0disruption.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

When a trucking company can trace its roots back to the owner\u2019s grandfather delivering ice with a horse-drawn wagon, diversification is in its DNA. \u201cThat\u2019s how it started, 80 years ago in Chicago,\u201d says Robert Cunningham, president and owner of successor firm Midwest Cargo Systems. \u201cNext, it was delivering heating oil. Then it was hauling LTL freight and eventually piggyback \u2018rail vans,\u2019 before containers came along.\u201d<\/p>\n

Today, the Hodgkins, Illinois-based company\u2019s business is drawn from a roughly 50\/50 mix of intermodal drayage and dedicated regional carriage. That mix includes a range of specialized services, such as hauling overweight as well as specialized bulk-oil intermodal containers, and a separately offered yard-spotting service.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do a lot of intermodal work, and our equipment is set up to be flexible,\u201d says Brandon Denoyer, vice president. \u201cOur 60 drayage day cab tractors carry \u2018overweight\u2019 lights for when they are needed and are spec\u2019d with lightweight tri-axles to haul overweight containers without requiring a permit. Shippers are advised to what weight they can load the containers overseas. We feel we\u2019re ahead of the game with this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Transporting the bulk oil shipped in from overseas requires hauling special containers engineered with a \u201cbag\u201d inside to hold the oil. Cunningham says the fleet began the bulk-oil work recently and advises that \u201cit has challenges. The bag containers can be awkward to haul; the oil moves inside the bag.\u00a0 But offering this service is a natural progression for us, and our drivers are certified for this work.\u201d<\/p>\n

All of Midwest\u2019s 80 drivers are company employees, which Denoyer notes is unusual when it comes to drayage. \u201cBut because they are company drivers, we have better control of the operation. We pay them a good wage, and because we have a very consistent customer base, communication with drivers is very good.\u201d<\/p>\n

Denoyer says the fleet\u2019s spotting service is \u201cnot real unique, but it\u2019s part of the total package. We can provide our seven spotter tractors and CDL drivers on site to make the customer\u2019s life easier.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re always looking to expand into areas where we can provide our high levels of service,\u201d he continues. \u201cRight now, for example, we\u2019re looking at a new piece of business that will lead to adding 35 reefer trailers to our [over-the-road] fleet of 230 vans.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cunningham sees the fleet\u2019s approach as \u201cfinding niches. We see the problems our customers have, especially the new ones. Customers have needs and most of the time, we can be creative and hands-on with our solutions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Denoyer says Midwest aims to \u201crecognize where we can fill a need for our existing customers. We then gather as much information as possible to tailor our services to them and see where we can be more creative and effective.\u201d<\/p>\n

He says that while the fleet is always looking to grow, expansion \u201cnever [comes] at the cost of jeopardizing our service level.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOur motto is \u2018No is our last possible answer,\u2019\u201d Cunningham says. \u201cIf a customer has a need, no matter the difficulty, we are determined to find a way to solve their issue.\u201d He adds that many of Midwest\u2019s growth opportunities have come from customers saying, \u201cWe have this problem; can you help?\u201d<\/p>\n

by David Cullen<\/a><\/p>\n

Source: https:\/\/www.truckinginfo.com<\/a><\/p>\n

FLEET MANAGEMENT AUDIT<\/h3>\n

Fleet management is the use of a set of vehicles in order to provide services to a third-party, or to perform a task for our organization, in the most efficient and productive manner with a determined level of service and cost.<\/p>\n

Fleet management activities are shown in the following graph 1:<\/p>\n

\"fleet<\/p>\n

Graph 1: fleet management activities<\/p>\n

The proposal audit analyses and assesses all fleet management activities shown in the graph 1, and its main goals are:<\/p>\n