Carriers looking toward the future are prioritizing technology infrastructure upgrades and advancing their day-to-day operations. As the supply chain continues to rapidly evolve and processes become increasingly automated, those streamlining their workflows and reducing inefficiencies are the ones keeping up with customer expectations and the lightning pace of innovation.
Across the industry, we’re seeing a surge of fleets upgrading their Transportation Management Systems (TMS), like those offered by Trimble or other providers, to more efficiently connect and align existing software and internal systems. Many fleet management teams have similar goals of strengthening internal communication and workflow among back-office staff, drivers and customers to confirm live visibility of deliveries, driver location, vehicle condition, arrival times and other important details.
The explosion of AI-enabled software to automate route optimization, predictive maintenance, driver safety, warehouse management and reporting capabilities is modernizing the transportation sector and saving companies significant time and resources. A 2024 survey of transportation leaders by Deloitte found nearly all (99%) respondents believe technology will transform the industry, with 71% expecting it to take three or more years to see the impact.
Leaning Into the Transformation
Technology providers, including Trimble, have been helping freight companies revamp their technology infrastructure for several years. Often overwhelmed by time-consuming, antiquated manual processes or frustrated by tools that aren’t syncing properly to provide connections and insights needed for true operational efficiency, many of our customers start or come to us discouraged.
An example is Evans Distribution Systems, a longtime leading 3PL based in Michigan, that was struggling with business management and optimization of its 125 trucks that operate around the clock.
Due to evolving customer requests and organic growth, Evans’ leadership team sought a flexible and customizable fleet management solution that could be adapted for their specific lines of work and solve rising challenges, such as a lack of day-to-day visibility into project statuses and limited reporting capabilities.
Recognizing the need to better manage their operations from the ground up, Evans implemented Trimble’s TMW.Suite TMS to connect to their existing internal systems as a single hub.
Realizing the Results
Today, the Evans team has smarter workflows and stronger communication channels. Leveraging data at their fingertips, fleet managers and warehouse supervisors can simultaneously pull up to 85 filtered customer reports when needed. The time savings from automating their workflows has enabled the team to reallocate two dispatchers to other parts of the business.
“With this new process, we’re not just saving time today; we’re laying the groundwork for even more impactful solutions moving forward,” said Tony Trocki, vice president of Transportation at Evans Distribution Systems. “By streamlining communication and rapidly acting on feedback, we’re creating a stronger foundation that lets us implement new innovations faster and more effectively. Now that we’ve taken this step, we’re excited about what’s next.”
Nurturing Data Access and Reporting
Access to clean data and insightful analytics can breathe new life into fleet management. This was the case for Iowa-based Tucker Freight Lines, which had become overly reliant on manual processes for its full-service, mid-service, DOT business lines and vehicle maintenance and inventory tracking.
With the Tucker fleet ranging from 250-500 trucks at any given time, keeping their trucks and trailers on the road and on time is of utmost importance. However, dated and slow processes, plus inaccurate data that caused untracked and improperly closed maintenance work orders, became a burden for all departments.
After bringing the right people to the table and undergoing a full integration of both Trimble TMW.Suite TMS and TMT Fleet Maintenance, Tucker has transformed its digital footprint, which has elevated its operations and rebuilt confidence in their customer service experience.
Managing Maintenance Matters
“We wanted to get to a place where reports could be relied upon for accurate information to run our shop using TMT software,” said Charles Martin, chief information officer for Tucker Freight Lines. “It was critical that we were able to integrate Trimble solutions directly into our tech stack and workflows so we could maximize our investment and efficiency.”
Tucker’s maintenance division worked closely with Trimble to implement TMT Fleet Maintenance and fully integrate it with TMW.Suite TMS. Together, the teams created a project plan with a six-month timeline that included step-by-step milestones to address key pain points, such as data accuracy, system configuration, and hands-on demos and training sessions.
As a part of this implementation, team members manually verified and updated data for more than 1,500 pieces of equipment and corrected meter readings on more than 300 power units. Through detailed checks and persistence, they identified gaps, streamlined processes and connected disparate systems. The collaborative effort set a clear path to utilize Tucker’s operations and maximize the software’s potential.
Currently, the Tucker team is experiencing clear day-to-day advantages. Since all vehicles and equipment are now utilizing TMW.Suite TMS and TMT Fleet Maintenance, they’ve been able to successfully manage maintenance tickets, automate invoicing for drivers and improve their project management skills. Furthermore, Tucker has replaced all manual inputs of maintenance tracking to a digital system, saving the company over 20 hours per week.
Successful Solutions Backed by Strategic Partnerships
When taking the leap on a new innovative technology solution, whether from Trimble or another TMS provider, fleets are also investing in the support team behind the integrations, training sessions, help line and strategic roadmap for future solution enhancements.
Trocki from Evans has credited Trimble’s ability to seamlessly integrate and customize options across their company’s platforms, allowing them to significantly improve their customer relations and outlook for the future.
In working with both the Tucker and Evans teams, it’s evident that lasting partnerships are the true backbone of any successful software solution and technology upgrade for the long haul.
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