Transportation Costing Group, providers of Profitability Management Tools and activity-based cost analysis for the transportation industry, has announced that Kingston, Ontario-based SLH Transport has implemented its Truckload Cost Information System (TL/CIS) and is benefiting from several specific features of the solution.
Ranked by equipment count, SLH Transport is among the top five Canadian truckload carriers. Founded in 1985 as a regional hauler, today the company provides a full range of transportation solutions across North America. Based at 15 strategically located terminals across Canada, SLH Transport’s 300 company-owned tractors and 4,000 trailers, as well as 450 owner-operators, offer truckload, logistics, intermodal, LTL and dedicated motor carrier services.
“In the past, we used spreadsheets to track and analyze cost data,” says Brent Fowler, SLH controller. “When we began looking for a better solution, we found it in the TL/CIS software from TCG. For an operation as unique as ours, we needed a supplier that was willing and able to provide extreme levels of data vetting support. TCG has done that for us without fail and continues to provide the superb support that we need.”
In place at SLH to handle dispatch, operations, accounting, finance, billing and other administrative functions is Innovative Computing Corp.’s Innovative Enterprise Software (IES). The interface between the IES enterprise management system and the TL/CIS cost analysis solution was co-developed by TCG and Innovative to accurately extract and transfer financial and operating data, and enable carriers like SLH to develop actual cost and profitability information and gain all of the advantages of accurate Profitability Management Tools.
“The excellent support we receive from TCG has included the IES interface, the development of a series of unique and important solutions, and a willingness and ability to address any integration, implementation and operational issues that have arisen quickly and effectively,” Fowler says. “The fact that everyone at TCG is involved and engaged in the process on our behalf is very impressive.”
The specialized and integrated solutions provided by TCG for SLH include:
“Our focus is really not any different than that of any other carrier,” Fowler says. “This is a low-margin business in a tight market, so we need to be able to fully understand and analyze our costs. Our old analysis tools won’t work in this environment. Without a solution like TL/CIS, it would be much more difficult to identify opportunities for improvement.”
“The TL/CIS solution we have provided SLH Transport is designed to give the carrier the ability to gain all of the advantages of having accurate and efficient Profitability Management Tools at its disposal,” says Ken Manning, president of Rockville, Md.-based TCG. “SLH will benefit from its use of these highly effective cost and profitability measurement tools, and we are very pleased to be able to meet their needs.”
