How Truck Rail Handling Became a Regional Powerhouse

with Transload Automation by ATS.

Customer Success
Partner
Comprehensive Strategy

Comprehensive Strategy

We built a comprehensive strategy to enable TRH to 15x its business in 10 years with no additional man power or hires.

Partner Cog Dark-1

10x Accuracy

We helped virtually erase human and data-entry error with the implementation of ATS' proprietary transload automation software approach.

Ecosystem 2

Automation Ecosystem

Every transload operation benefits from the expansion of the automation ecosystem. You are always on the cutting edge of transload automation.

Partner

Business Partner

Through our partner-led approach, we provide tailored implementation, white glove service, and custom solutions to suit your business needs.

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Overview

How the partnership began

Truck Rail Handling (TRH) is a premier rail transfer and bulk truck delivering provider. They operate in the West Coast with over 100 years of collective transport and storage management expertise.

Background

TRH approached us with their fleet of bulk trucking equipment and years of experience. They had built strong relationships with their clients and were known for quickly responding to their needs.

They transported everything from food products to different types of liquid chemicals. With a wide range of customers, they wanted to keep anticipating what their clients needed and deliver high-quality service as they grew.

However, they were having trouble with outdated paper systems and different accounting and operations tools. They needed a more organized solution to help them expand their business smoothly.

ATS Innovation

ATS began working with TRH in 2008 to improve their original homegrown software. This partnership quickly led to better operations and set the stage for more software upgrades.

By 2011, we rolled out RIMS, our special database-driven software for transloading. This change greatly improved operations by reducing paperwork by 30% and completely eliminating double data entry. This saved TRH between 40 to 80 hours of manual work each week.

Over our 15 years of working together, TRH has experienced a 37% increase in overall efficiency.

ATS Comprehensive Solutions

A timeline view of improvements, enhancements, and completely new software integrations to keep up with the growing demand of TRH's transloading operations.

ATS + TRH TIMELINE-2

 

Challenges

Business growth, not enough man power

As Truck-Rail's business grew, they had a hard time keeping up with the increased demand. Their automation systems were inefficient, and their separate business systems weren’t meeting their needs.

Truck Rail in the Yard
01

Growing Demand

TRH's growing demand from their customers for increased volume plus reporting requirements and compliance requirements from shippers and the government, TRH was in need of a system that could handle all of that in a systemized automated fashion.

02

Siloed Systems

They were sick and tired of using separate systems that they had to manage separately - bringing headaches and constant error review by management. Managing their large and growing transload systems with spreadsheets and paper was no longer an option. They needed automation and paperless solutions as soon as possible.

03

Fractured Reporting

The government and shippers were cracking down on regulations and compliance that TRH desperately needed to comply with to stay in business and keep growing. They needed streamlined reporting with no error exposure with custom options for each customer.

ATS delivered on all of this and more

Truck Rail Yard

THE ATS DIFFERENCE

Cutting edge solutions

“When they required integrations like Navision and Navistrans quickly and efficiently, we provided it, no questions asked. When they needed mobile inspections functionality expediently, we designed and implemented it from the ground up, training them in the system in just a matter of months.

There is no feat too small, nothing we can say no to. What they want, we create.”

- Frank Marafino, CEO at ATS

Solutions

Comprehensive Automation Strategy

We devised a comprehensive automation strategy to meet their evolving business needs. Everything from inventory visibility and reporting to shipper specific invoicing and meticulous integration increased their efficiencies and optimized their operations.

Real Time Inventory Visibility 

  • Proprietary data driven technology
  • Provide reports that show inventory balances
  • Duration to completion of work
  • Workflow tracking
  • Accurate invoicing generated in a matter of minutes on-demand 24/7

Shipper Specific Invoicing 

  • Ability to set invoices based on your demand of how and when
  • One time entry
  • Completely automated
  • "Set it and Forget it" Model

Accurate Integration

  • Eliminate double data entry
  • Accurate coding automatically set to your general ledger
  • Automating all integrations you like such as warehouse scanners, EDI imports, EDI transmissions, and more
  • Integrations with diverse supply chain management software as the business grows

Results

118% increase in customer satisfaction over the longevity of our partnership

A 99% increase in software accuracy, 74% Decrease in costly user error, 118% increase in customer satisfaction

Once implemented, ATS' replacement of the homegrown software led to an immediate upturn in operations efficiencies overall. Over the years, our business partnership has enabled TRH to continuously improve and uplevel their service and business operations. Each time a transload automation solution was implemented, their operations improved and error reduced with no need for costly hiring.

Through implementing our software solutions, upgrades, and custom delivery as a partner, we were and are able to continuously help TRH deliver on their promise: “Our extraordinarily low turnover results in our staff making up one of the single most experienced and qualified teams of owner /operator drivers in the industry-period. Providing service from and to plant sites, rail cars, silos...and almost any type of container you may have; we are able to function as a one-stop solution for our clientele." - Source, Truck Rail Handling

EDITABLE ASSETS - TEEvent

Total system accuracy increase

A 14% uptick observed in system accuracy once RIMS replaced legacy homegrown software. 99% automated system accuracy since then.

The results and impact shown in 12 months has been reproduced year over year creating consistent results over 15 years of service.

Optimizing their systems into one comprehensive automation solution has not only lead to the results seen here but consistent regional growth in all of TRH’s many offerings to countless shippers of all kinds.

In our continued partnership, TRH is projected for at least 3x growth in service and efficiencies in the coming years.

% Increase in data entry accuracy

A steady decrease in user error with use of system and integrations installed to ease utilization. Custom system training included.

The results and impact shown in 12 months has been reproduced year over year creating consistent results over 15 years of service.

Optimizing their systems into one comprehensive automation solution has not only lead to the results seen here but consistent regional growth in all of TRH’s many offerings to countless shippers of all kinds.

In our continued partnership, TRH is projected for at least 3x growth in service and efficiencies in the coming years.

Customer satisfaction and delight

A consistent rise in customer satisfaction as errors reduced, invoicing turnaround increased, and reporting accuracy streamlined.

The results and impact shown in 12 months has been reproduced year over year creating consistent results over 15 years of service.

Optimizing their systems into one comprehensive automation solution has not only lead to the results seen here but consistent regional growth in all of TRH’s many offerings to countless shippers of all kinds.

In our continued partnership, TRH is projected for at least 3x growth in service and efficiencies in the coming years.

Stressed Before Worker

Before ATS, System Functionality was 24%. Paperwork was abundant, manual labor requirements were high, and billing errors were common. 

After Software Delighted Workers

After the implementation of ATS, staff workload lightened significantly. TRH was able to do more with less while providing customers with far better service, timely inventory data, and accurate invoices on billing cycles specific to each shipper's custom requests. Raising the system functionality to 95%.

Partner Highlight

The power of a targeted, comprehensive automation strategy

Truck-Rail Handling is celebrating a 15 year partnership with ATS.

Together we have changed the automation landscape for the transloading industry. We have implemented fully accessible inventory reporting free from siloed systems as well as creating efficient integrations with accounting available to anyone who partners with ATS. This ecosystem allows for consistent and cutting edge technologies implemented on a regular basis to benefit the whole.

'Without ATS, TRH would Have difficulty meeting our information system needs for our highly-detailed, specific business. TRH looks forward to a continued partnership with ATS to meet our future growth opportunities.'

Joe JacksonCFO, Truck-Rail Handling

"With investment into the Transportation and Lane Management system for the online web application, our TRH & ATS Partnership is positioned for the long-haul. If you get a chance to partner with ATS, take it."

Lee SchornoCEO, Truck-Rail Handling

"Their customer service is above and beyond and their commitment to their partners is unmatched.”

Amy DelfinoManager, Truck-Rail Handling

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Take the next step

Inspired by TRH’s success story? Get in touch with us to start your journey toward outstanding results.

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