Trans+Plus Systems Corp., a provider of transportation dispatch and operations management software technology, recently announced that new customer Alberta-based Ferus Trust is successfully using Trans+Plus Fleet Manager Professional software to manage a fleet of specialized tankers for transportation of cryogenic fluids to customers in the oil and gas industry.
Ferus Trust specializes in the production, transport and storage of liquid carbon dioxide (CO2) and liquid nitrogen (N2). Their services include the recovery and liquefaction of raw CO2 and N2, product storage, transportation and marketing.
Ferus’ transportation division relies on software technology to efficiently manage their trucking operation and help them safely transport and deliver cryogenic fluids via their fleet of specialized tanker trucks. Ferus says it previously had been using a recognized transportation management software system, but that it made their business process cumbersome and inflexible. Due to the increasing demands of the energy sector’s ever-changing rules and compliancy regulations, coupled with the need for making business decisions on the fly, Ferus knew that they had to make a change.
Ferus started shopping for a new transportation management software application. While evaluating each candidate, it became clear that each one would require some amount of customization. In order to facilitate a successful implementation of the new software application, Ferus also would need a dedicated consulting team as well as a group of software programmers at their disposal to customize the application to suit their specific needs.
“Due to the nature of our business, we required flexibility in organizing a trip efficiently and spontaneously in our dispatch process,” says Peggy Yeh, business analyst at Ferus. “The basic functionality in Fleet Manager Professional provided the necessary flexibility that we required. We also liked the scalability of the system. It would allow us to extend the system to meet our requirements as our business grows.”
The consulting and development team at Trans+Plus Systems worked extensively with Ferus, providing daily interaction prior to customization, as well as during and after the project implementation. After a few months of using the Fleet Manager Professional software, Ferus says it was pleased with the results.
“Fleet Manager Professional has enabled Ferus to bill for work in days as opposed to the weeks it used to take,” says Corey Szott, vice president of marketing and sales at Ferus. “As Ferus bills on an hourly basis, the collection of real-time satellite data has resulted in huge operational advantages. In fact, since implementing the software from Trans+Plus, we’ve seen a huge reduction in both the average age and balances of outstanding receivables.”
“Trans+Plus Systems Corp. have been instrumental in helping Ferus achieve these operational efficiencies,” Szott says. “In addition to the reduction of the billing cycle time, Ferus’ order disputes have been reduced by approximately 90 percent. This is because customers appreciate the level of order detail Ferus can now rapidly provide.”
According to Trans+Plus, Fleet Manager Professional also helps Ferus manage, maintain and track their assets from origin to destination, including directly to individual well sites; helps simplify logistics and transport costs; and addresses the need for the simplification of the driver payroll process by using detailed time tracking during specific activity types. Most importantly, it helps Ferus improve the efficiency, reliability and safety of delivering product to its customers, the company says.
