News

The digital transformation of the commercial transportation industry is setting the stage for further innovation that promises to unlock new levels of freight efficiency, technology executives said.

“If we look at trucking and logistics today, I fundamentally believe that we are at a crossroads,” Lior Ron, CEO of Uber Freight, said at an Oct. 23 educational session during American Trucking Associations’ online 2020 Management Conference & Exhibition.

Ron made the case that the ongoing digitization of global logistics and the freight economy is “equivalent in terms of potential” to the most important innovations that have redefined transportation throughout history — from the first roads constructed thousands of years ago to the invention of the steam engine and the rise of standardized shipping containers. Click here to read the article

Gulf Relay is proud to have been named one of the top employees for women in trucking in 2020. We’re committed to providing excellent work experience for every team member and are dedicated to making Gulf Relay a premier workplace for the world-class performers who make up our team. Click here to read the entire article at womenintrucking.org.

For more information or to inquire about open roles please visit gulfrelay.com/careers.

Gulf Relay is a warehouse, supply chain, and shipping carrier. They are a 225 tractor fleet with 130 of those tractors covered under OEM and extended warranty.

The Problem

Before implementing Cetaris, they were using Manager Plus Maintenance Software to manage maintenance and a manual process based on memory for handling warranty claims.

It was difficult to retroactively identify warranty reimbursement opportunities – capturing the correct data to attach to the claim was a challenge. So, they weren’t capturing all the warranty dollars owed to them. Plus, crediting those recaptured warranty dollars back to the asset for cost per mile reports was nearly impossible.

This was a manual process and nothing in the warranty workflow was automated. “The challenges were many as we relied on myself and our technicians,” says Marcus Myers, Senior Director of Maintenance, Gulf Relay, “If we remembered replacing a part then we would research a work order. This was possible with 64 trucks but very far from acceptable. Most of these challenges drove us to seek out a new software solution, and I must say we nailed it by selecting Cetaris.”

Before switching to Cetaris, their average warranty reimbursement was on average around $1,150.00 per month.

The Solution

Cetaris software helps Gulf Relay to continuously decrease overhead using multiple ROI areas, though the warranty module alone has been a powerful contributor. Their increase in warranty dollars recaptured alone has led to Gulf Relay gaining an annualized ROI of almost 153% on their Cetaris investment in just one year.

A year after implementing the Cetaris warranty module, warranty reimbursement has increased by 782%. They now receive about $9K/month between OEM and parts warranty. Breaking it down to the asset, they are now receiving $923.00 per year per warrantable tractor.

“We couldn’t be happier with choosing Cetaris”

The warranty solution allows them to track warrantable parts and labor, and flag work orders that are eligible for warranty reimbursements. The tool ensures that the complaint, cause, and correction is added to each claim which greatly increases the likelihood of a reimbursement.

And the Gulf Relay team aren’t finished yet. As they expand their use of Cetaris, they continue to increase ROI and are optimizing more of their maintenance process every day.

Gulf Relay is an example of the ideal Cetaris user: inquisitive, detail-oriented, hardworking, and dedicated to striving to maximize efficiencies at all levels of their maintenance operation.

When asked about Gulf Relay’s implementation, Marcus Myers told us, “We couldn’t be happier with choosing Cetaris”.

“I am thrilled to have Siemens Energy join us in Clinton. This is a new spin-off for Siemens, the third largest business in Germany. They will be offering an IPO in the future and I anticipate they will grow substantially in the coming years,” added Mayor Phil Fisher.

Sharing the warehouse facility with Mississippi based Gulf Relay connects Siemens directly to a Mississippi based logistics company allowing for rapid expansion of operations as the new company grows. Read the entire article

Scott Luton and Greg White welcome Scott Auslund onto Supply Chain Now Radio at eft’s Logistics CIO Forum, a Reuter’s Event in Austin, Texas. Listen to the episode at Supply Chain Now Radio

Last year, freight executives were having near-constant conversations about retaining drivers in a hot market. Driver retention issues are not limited to tight markets, though. The market has settled in 2019, but carriers still struggle to attract and keep qualified drivers. Listen to the episode at Freight Waves

You won’t mistake Gulf Relay’s trucks and trailers for any other company’s. Their graphics are simple and bold making them easily recognizable even at highway speeds. Their slogan, ‘Anchoring The Way,’ is catchy, makes sense and is easy to remember. Combined, the graphics, slogan, and choices of color and type font make Gulf Relay’s distinctive. They stand out from the crowd.” – David Hollis, Truckers News Editor. Read the article at CCJ

FreightWaves CEO Craig Fuller sits down with Scott Auslund from Gulf Relay. They talk about the growth and operations of this asset-based company out of Mississippi. Watch the video at FreightWaves YouTube