Background
Location: W. Bridgewater, MA
Fleet Size: 700 Vehicles
Industry: Telecommunications
How do you effectively manage a fleet of vehicles and promote safe driving behaviors in a company that’s expanding rapidly? This was the exact situation Kevin Henry, Director of Fleet at Centerline Communications, found himself in when he joined the company four years ago. At that time, there were approximately 125 vehicles to track and manage. Today, the Centerline fleet is approaching 700 vehicles – and growing.
Henry, along with Fleet Assistant Evan Roy, keeps pace with all the change by combining their ingenuity with the hands-on support of Enterprise Fleet Management and telematics from the innovative Geotab platform.
THE CHALLENGE
If managing a fleet during times of stability is challenging, then a fleet experiencing five times growth over a few years is downright daunting. Add in vehicle shortages during a pandemic and it starts to feel impossible.
“There were about two years where I wasn’t able to order directly from Ford,” says Henry. “It was a problem when the business was expanding so rapidly.”
Henry was also dissatisfied with the telematics platform in play when he joined Centerline. “We were using another solution when I came on board, but I really didn’t like the program,” says Henry. “Not only was it expensive, it also just wasn’t a good fit for us. I wanted to make a switch.”
An effective telematics system relies on critical data from vehicles. Henry also noticed that plug-in devices were being removed from vehicles or weren’t being used as efficiently as they could be. With the rapid growth of the company, Henry needed a more effective and reliable option.
THE SOLUTION: A deviceless telematics solution and company-wide accountability
Centerline turned to the Enterprise Fleet Management team to ensure their fleet was able to grow at the pace of business and they had the management tools to integrate acquired fleets easily. Over the last few years, Centerline had acquired 10 companies and had plans to acquire more.
“With every acquisition, I get every vehicle into Enterprise Fleet Management, pull out their telematics and GPS devices, and buy out their existing provider contracts, no matter how much time is left owing,” Henry says. “I want every vehicle living in one portal.”
During the pandemic, the team at Enterprise Fleet Management utilized the strength of their global network to acquire vehicles that Centerline were struggling to obtain on their own. Enterprise Fleet Management suggested a deviceless telematics solution for their telematics needs. With Geotab built in, Ford vehicles made the most sense to get the fleet additions rapidly deployed into the field. The deviceless telematics solution from Geotab also ensured consistent and reliable data.
Enterprise Fleet Management’s client portal also gives Henry and team excellent visibility into their fleet’s data, helping them proactively manage all aspects of their fleet. The portal integrates seamlessly with Centerline’s chosen telematics platform, powered by Geotab, which allows Henry to easily pull vehicle mileage into his Enterprise Fleet Management dashboard for a more complete picture.
“We rely on the team from Enterprise Fleet Management,” says Henry. “They’ve always done a great job. Without their support, I’d need to hire 10 people to do the work.”
Enterprise Fleet Management continues to be a critical partner for Centerline, helping source and acquire vehicles, assisting with outfitting of aftermarket parts and graphics, delivery, and arranging for pick-up of end-of-service Centerline vehicles.
