Company overview
Sutco Transportation Services, a Sutherland Group Company has been servicing North America for over 25 years with their diversified fleet and logistics divisions.
- Residuals: Transporting wood residuals throughout Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest
- Flat Deck: Diversified fleet servicing Norther America
- Van Freight: Dedicated freight with heated trailers servicing Western Canada
- Log Hauling: Logging trucks servicing southern British Columbia and Pacific Northwest
- Heavy Haul: Transport of heavy equipment throughout North America
- Sales & Logistics / 3PL: F-service transportation brokerage
Benefits recap
Since adopting the ISAAC Solution, Sutco Transportation has seen several immediate benefits for its drivers and operations, including:
- End-to-end customized workflows for drivers
- Customized scorecards for developing a Driver Bonus Program
- More reliable communications, including in the mountains
Challenge
Seeking an integrated system & network, reliable even in the mountains
Sutco Transportation has always been careful in selecting technology providers, and only makes changes when necessary. And that was the exact situation Sutco faced not too long ago, recalls Daniel Zubot, director of fleet assets for Sutco Transportation, based in Salmo, B.C., Canada.
“A transition of this type is not something we take lightly,” Zubot says. “But we’d come to realize that we needed a telematics system that would allow full integration with our dispatch software and would be customizable to our existing operational workflows.”
Sutco also needed an updated system that was reliable in the mountainous Canadian West Coast via satellite, compared with its legacy system.
Solution benefits
ISAAC: A True Partner with Reliable Coverage
After carefully evaluating several telematics providers, Sutco opted to go with the ISAAC solution.
“ISAAC’s been a true partner right from the beginning,” Zubot says. “One of the first things I noticed when we transitioned is how much they helped us through that process. And since we’ve transitioned to ISAAC, we have been able to tailor our workflows in a way that increases efficiency in our operations, safety, payroll, training, and maintenance.”
Improved Driver Scorecards, Higher Pay
Zubot adds that using the ISAAC scorecards as a guide to quantify safety and performance, the fleet is developing a bonus system to reward its drivers.
“We’ve also customized this same scorecard to report idle fuel consumption, which has helped our bottom line,” Zubot says. “And with that coaching, we have been able to increase profits so that we can pay our drivers more, which in turn has helped us to recruit high‑quality drivers who want to stay with us long term.”
We’ve customized the scorecard to report idle fuel consumption, which has helped our bottom line. And with that coaching, we have been able to increase profits so that we can pay our drivers more, which in turn has helped us to recruit high‑quality drivers who want to stay with us long term.
Video Dash Cams Reduce Risk, Aids Training
Despite all these benefits, Zubot says his favorite feature may actually be the video dash cams. That’s because the fleet has reduced liability risks by retrieving footage of critical events.
“Drivers can review the incident with us and explain the chain of events. So, it helps protect both us and our drivers, when something unfortunate happens on the road,” says Zubot.
Video is a valuable training tool for Sutco, as it provides visual guidance when working with drivers to prevent additional critical events from taking place.
Results
Optimized Workflow, Happier Drivers
Before the switch to ISAAC, a frequent complaint was a lack of speed in communications with the Sutco office staff.
“In today’s age of smartphones people expect instant communication. And our drivers want the same performance. And ISAAC’s communication speeds are up to that task,” Zubot stresses.
Sutco has also customized its operations, based on feedback from drivers, to fully leverage the advantages of the ISAAC solution.
“We have adapted the flow of forms and activities in ISAAC to align with all aspects of our drivers’ day-to-day tasks,” Zubot explains. “It starts with their morning check-in and moves through their days to their final post-trip inspection. Everything in between matches how our supply chain flows, so it is very easy for our drivers to update their progress throughout their day.”
Zubot says the result has been a noticeable increase in driver happiness and retention because they appreciate ISAAC’s simple one-touch workflow system. From scanning documents to facilitating payroll, the entire fleet benefits from the ease of the system.
“That means they don’t have to focus on navigating complex and time-consuming operating systems. That gives them more time to stay on the road. And, if there’s an emergency, they tell me they have peace of mind because of ISAAC’s dependable satellite communication links ensure they’ll be able to contact the home office for help,” explains Zubot.
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