As one of the largest transport companies in the Maritimes, McConnell Transport has been in business for over 30 years and operates over 125 trucks. Specializing in refrigerated transportation, McConnell transports produce, as well as fresh and frozen food products throughout North America. By using the latest equipment and technology to improve vehicle safety, performance and operations, McConnell Transport is capable of hauling multiple products each requiring different temperatures during transport. For more info visit www.mcconnelltransport.com

Industry Background

The trucking industry operates under a number of different regulatory regimes that require a significant amount of paperwork to be maintained for six to seven years, and when you add the transport along the food supply chain even more regulations come to bear. From invoices and bill of ladings, import/export documentation, fuel/mileage logs, fleet maintenance records and numerous other operational items for every vehicle and every load carried, the volume of records generated and received is tremendous.

The Challenge

With over 300 banker boxes of records in the storage area, McConnell staff had run out of room to be able to retain the documents they legally are required to have copies of. With the boxes covered in dust and stacked several rows high, accessing a particular file would require constant shuffling of boxes to get to that needed box and then extensive time searching for that one file. As a result, office staff reluctantly would go to search for needed files, and oftentimes not locate the file due to misfiling. And with the legal requirement to have access to the records, all the boxes needed to stay on premises.

Typical Alternatives

With heavy boxes piling up on the floor, the alternative under consideration by McConnell were:

• To purchase expensive industrial strength rack storage systems that would enable boxes to be stacked in pairs up to the ceiling. However, accessing the boxes stored above eye level for the office staff would mean the use of ladders and a potential safety hazard for staff that may be required to lift and carry these 40 pound boxes up and down stairs.
• Hire and manage new staff to undertake the digitization operation immediately.