CHALLENGE
Mastering a market defined by distance and complexity
As one of Australia’s leading carriers, RFT faced unique geographical challenges, specialised equipment demands, and some of the highest service standards in the industry. They needed a strategic technology partner that could go beyond solving typical carrier issues — one capable of delivering high-quality data and real-time visibility across a vast, multi-leg operational network.
Australian operations are complex. Our trips have multiple legs with changes of resources and drivers along the way. It's not a single truck operation with a single driver for the week. It can be multiple drivers, multiple trucks, multiple legs, so the solutions we use need to be customised to understand that.
Darren Wood General Manager of Business Development, Technology & Innovation Ron Finemore Transport
PHYSICAL CHALLENGES When distance dictates design
90% of the Australian population resides in the south-east corner of the continent. The sheer scale of Australia’s Eastern Seaboard and the complexity of its road network mean RFT must constantly seek new ways to maximise efficiency. Meeting these demands requires creative solutions for fleet management and navigation — needs that standard off-the-shelf software often can’t meet.
Vast distances and unique routes: RFT transports goods over long distances, often navigating highly complex routes that pass through many different jurisdictions and challenging terrain.
Vehicle complexity and compliance: RFT operates specialised ‘B-Double’ truck configurations — single units pulling two trailers — that are heavy, fuel-intensive and require special permits due to their extended length, sometimes exceeding 85 feet.
Granular location needs: The team needed to move beyond basic latitude and longitude data, implementing custom, hyper-precise polygonal geofences and a system to define ‘parent / child’ locations— such as individual dock doors or loading / unloading areas within a single facility.
Vast distances and unique routes: RFT transports goods over long distances, often navigating highly complex routes that pass through many different jurisdictions and challenging terrain.
Vehicle complexity and compliance: RFT operates specialised ‘B-Double’ truck configurations — single units pulling two trailers — that are heavy, fuel-intensive and require special permits due to their extended length, sometimes exceeding 85 feet.
Granular location needs: The team needed to move beyond basic latitude and longitude data, implementing custom, hyper-precise polygonal geofences and a system to define ‘parent / child’ locations— such as individual dock doors or loading / unloading areas within a single facility.
OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES Integrating systems for control
As a family-run business focused on long-term, accountable investment, RFT wanted to move beyond fragmented systems and inconsistent data. Their goal was to create a unified ecosystem that could handle their complex operational processes and support their pillars of customer service, driver safety and asset efficiency.
Fragmented technology: The previous technology environment lacked a single source of truth, making it difficult to collect and use clean master data for planning and execution across all business units.
Real-time ETA communication: The need for rapid communication was paramount, especially during multi-leg changeovers. RFT required the ability to provide accurate estimated times of arrival (ETAs) to customers, often many times on a single consignment so that the customer can plan their labour and resources to handle the delivery.
Informed decision-making: The operations team needed instant visibility into exceptions — what was not running to plan — to help dispatchers and drivers make informed decisions to course-correct and get schedules back on track.
Fragmented technology: The previous technology environment lacked a single source of truth, making it difficult to collect and use clean master data for planning and execution across all business units.
Real-time ETA communication: The need for rapid communication was paramount, especially during multi-leg changeovers. RFT required the ability to provide accurate estimated times of arrival (ETAs) to customers, often many times on a single consignment so that the customer can plan their labour and resources to handle the delivery.
Informed decision-making: The operations team needed instant visibility into exceptions — what was not running to plan — to help dispatchers and drivers make informed decisions to course-correct and get schedules back on track.
We’re a family business, so every decision we make is in the interest of delivery reliability and cost effective service, providing a return to the shareholders but above all delivering the services we provide in the safest possible manner. Whatever we invest in needs to pay back to the business and ultimately the customer. It’s all about delivering productivity, which ultimately gives our customers the best value for their money.
Darren Wood General Manager of Business Development, Technology & Innovation Ron Finemore Transport
OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES Integrating systems for control
As a family-run business focused on long-term, accountable investment, RFT wanted to move beyond fragmented systems and inconsistent data. Their goal was to create a unified ecosystem that could handle their complex operational processes and support their pillars of customer service, driver safety and asset efficiency.
A 99.7% on-time benchmark: RFT operates to consistently meet a service level agreement (SLA) requiring a minimum of 99.7% on-time pickup and delivery across the majority of its customers. This often is tied to a two-hour window and/or a predetermined and agreed set of assumptions about service levels.
Complex changeovers and scheduling: Due to long routes and strict regulations around driver hours, many trips required a relay model, where multiple drivers and vehicles were assigned to a single journey. This created the need for instant, automated visibility into the precise moment assets met for real-time transfer.
Proactive communication: To maintain strong customer relations, RFT wanted a system that let them alert customers to issues, before the customer had to call and report a problem.
A 99.7% on-time benchmark: RFT operates to consistently meet a service level agreement (SLA) requiring a minimum of 99.7% on-time pickup and delivery across the majority of its customers. This often is tied to a two-hour window and/or a predetermined and agreed set of assumptions about service levels.
Complex changeovers and scheduling: Due to long routes and strict regulations around driver hours, many trips required a relay model, where multiple drivers and vehicles were assigned to a single journey. This created the need for instant, automated visibility into the precise moment assets met for real-time transfer.
Proactive communication: To maintain strong customer relations, RFT wanted a system that let them alert customers to issues, before the customer had to call and report a problem.
‘Our customers expect an exceptionally high level of service for on-time pickup and on-time delivery. One of our customers has a benchmark minimum of 99.7% every day. We achieve that, but only through having good systems, reliable and meaningful information, and solid processes to support it.‘
– Darren Wood, General Manager of Business Development, Technology & Innovation, Ron Finemore Transport
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