Scott Rea
February 28, 2024
JMS Transportation's partnership with AvatarFleet has boosted recruiting, compliance, and operational efficiency. JMS overcame the small business hurdles of its staff wearing too many hats and completely outsourced its driver recruiting, hiring, and compliance management to AvatarFleet.
With a fleet size hovering around 30-35 drivers, JMS Transportation was experiencing the classic symptoms of a growing company.
Wearing many hats was the norm, with team members juggling multiple roles from operations to safety, recruiting to retention. Amidst this hustle, discrepancies in policies, procedures, and driver files began to emerge.
"I came in, in the operational side, trying to revamp our dispatch, and our operational items, then jumped over into safety, started beefing up our recruiting and retention type items. And what happened was we, in doing that, looking through policies and procedures and driver files and things, we kept finding a lot of discrepancies."
It was a pivotal moment when JMS discovered AvatarFleet, initially seeking assistance with compliance but quickly realizing the potential for much more.
AvatarFleet wasn't just a solution; it was a revolution. With AvatarFleet's comprehensive services, JMS Transportation was able to streamline their compliance processes, ensuring every driver file was up to par. But the true game-changer was AvatarFleet's impact on JMS's recruiting efforts. The once overwhelming task of managing recruitment single-handedly evolved into a well-oiled machine, powered by AvatarFleet's expertise.
The hesitancy of outsourcing critical tasks like recruiting and compliance management is a common thread among fleets of JMS's size. Yet, the partnership with AvatarFleet shattered these reservations, proving to be a cost-effective extension of JMS's own team.
"AvatarFleet acts like part of my group and you show true interest in being a part of this company - just like an extension of my team. They made sure I was engaged, and made sure that they had the right people listening to my troubles to find a resolution."
The ability to offload tasks without losing sight or control was liberating. Every document, every compliance requirement was handled with precision, allowing JMS to focus on broader operational improvements and safety initiatives.
With the administrative burden lifted, JMS Transportation's leadership could dive deeper into areas that directly impact safety and efficiency.
The transition of onboarding processes to AvatarFleet meant that drivers could hit the ground running, saving valuable time and resources. More importantly, JMS could enhance its Hazmat training, moving beyond the classroom to incorporate video training and reduce orientation time.
"I've been able to focus more on their additional training requirements for us being a Hazmat hauler. I'm spending less classroom time than I did before, getting drivers through orientation quicker, which is a big cost savings, and it helps the driver retention and recruiting.
The question of DOT audits, once a source of anxiety, now brings confidence. AvatarFleet's meticulous approach to compliance means JMS is always audit-ready, freeing up bandwidth to concentrate on daily operational safety and efficiency. This peace of mind is invaluable, ensuring JMS not only meets but exceeds regulatory standards.
"I feel a lot more confident than if we were audited internally that I would have all the documents I need to have for the DOT."
If there's one cornerstone to the success of this partnership, it's AvatarFleet's unmatched customer service. The personal attention, the flexibility, and the genuine care for JMS's success have made AvatarFleet more than just a vendor; they're a part of the team.
"I still have access to everything in A-Suite. I can still see it, I can pull it up and look at individual files. I still have a lot of control over it. But I have my own recruiting, hiring and compliance team. It's just like having my own staff sitting down the hall."
As JMS Transportation reflects on its journey with AvatarFleet, the road ahead looks promising. The challenges of yesterday have become the achievements of today, setting the stage for even greater success tomorrow. For fleets navigating the complexities of the transportation industry, JMS's story with AvatarFleet stands as a testament to the power of partnership, but more importantly, how software can enable fleets of any size to focus on making true change with the time saved from operational efficiencies.
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