UK Transport Awards 2021

14 | Transport Awards 2021 Feb21267 Best Nationwide Haulier Company 2021 & Award for Excellence in Construction Transport Services 2021 WS Transportation is well-established in the road haulage industry as a professional haulage and logistics company offering a multitude of transport solutions to construction and other industries. Having embraced technology in its operations since the firm’s incorporation, WS Transportation is now looking to lead through innovation, encouraging a step change in safety and efficiency of the haulage sector. Formed in April 2014 by father- and-son team, William and Edward Stobart, WS Transportation is a leading specialist in high and heavy haulage and logistics for the construction industry. William – who is a co- founder of another notable haulage company, Eddie Stobart Ltd – and Directors of WS Transportation, Nigel McMullan and Edward Stobart, are well-established in the haulage and logistics industry, and are utilising their vast expertise to innovate through WS Transportation and thereby lead a step change in safety and efficiency of the sector. WS Transportation provides a diverse, ever- growing selection of logistics services to clients across the UK, encompassing general ambient transport, flat bed transport, high & heavy machinery/building transport, bulk tanker transport, specialist lifting transport, as well as warehousing and contract logistics. Distinctive on the roads in its blue and white livery, WS Transportation’s state-of-the-art, modern fleet is instantly recognisable, carrying with it highly accredited status such as FORS Silver Status, which the team soon hopes to turn to Gold, as well as full CLOCS and Crossrail compliance and an inimitable reputation for excellence. As specialists in transport for the construction industry, WS Transportation possesses a broad clientele that includes many of the UK and Europe’s most well-renowned blue-chip brands and fellow UK SMEs. While the diversity of the firm’s client base requires tailored solutions that answer the unique demands of each customer, WS Transportation is consistent in the high standard of service it delivers, guaranteeing safety and efficiency in meeting their transport needs. Adaptability and knowledgeability are therefore central to WS Transportation’s operations, whether that be in swapping drivers and fleets into certain jobs so as to serve clients more effectively and efficiently, or offering comprehensive advice in response to queries they may have. The dedicated Customer Service department of WS Transportation is based at the firm’s Head Office in Runcorn, Cheshire and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to provide helpful, relevant information to drivers and customers whenever they need it. Technology In order to maintain WS Transportation’s commitment to superior customer service centred around tailored solutions, the customer service and driver team rely on the technology that has been invested in heavily since the firm’s incorporation. For instance, WS Transportation’s real time ETA boards that are driven by cutting- edge satellite tracking systems are easily accessible to clients via the Internet, making tracking goods and loads easy and enhancing the transportation experience for all. The other various technological innovations that the WS Transportation team has implemented since incorporation have been instrumental in increasing the service and efficiency of the firm’s industry leading operations. For example, the live tracking system that is available for customers to monitor the progress of their deliveries uses the same technology as in the firm’s bespoke internal IT planning and tracking systems. All WS Transportation vehicles are GPS tracked and linked to a unique, centralised planning and KPI system which is monitored every hour of the day and night, enabling the team to efficiently plan and rollout the fleet to deliver the best and most timely service. The primary benefits of this technology are its flexibility and seamless integration capabilities with a variety of electronic data platforms and functions, such as in-cab communications, smart apps that negate the need for paper-based systems, and the creation of advanced analytics. The analytics that are derived from job information and telematics data are used for a multitude of purposes, including the production of detailed KPI statistics for customers and the improvement of internal operational efficiencies. This enables the creation of strategies that consider causes for delays, for example, which are factored into solutions to improve service for clients, both in cost and time efficiency.