Harlow's Bus Service

Until 2015, Harlow’s Bus Service had been managing their DOT records on paper. After going through an audit, Neal Prichard, Transportation Manager, knew it was time for a better DOT recordkeeping system. “During our last DOT audit, all our files were kept completely on paper. We had to set up two 8-foot tables full of our paper logs. Trying to sort them all out was horrible,” Prichard recalls. “We only had 14 vehicles and we had an auditor here for 7 days. I thought they’d never leave!”

In 2017, Harlow’s Bus Service transitioned their files to the Encompass back office. A few years later, they were selected for another audit. “With Encompass, we sailed through that audit better than we ever have before,” Prichard said. “All the required information was documented and we knocked out our audit in just a few hours. We’re just a small company, but it’s nice to know that we’re covered with Encompass.”

The Encompass centralized electronic recordkeeping system has been an asset for the Harlow management team. “Before Encompass, our files were in pretty rough shape. There was no rhyme or reason as to how they were organized,” said Darrell Theurer, Assistant Transportation Manager. “In Encompass, I know exactly where to go to find something. Everything is quick and easy to find.”

Remote access to all their DOT files has been a big advantage for Theurer. “Everything that was in our paper driver files is accessible in Encompass. We’re able to access files in the office and on the road,” said Theurer. And in case of a roadside inspection, Harlow’s drivers will be ready. “All our DOT files are readily accessible in Encompass for an officer to look at,” said Theurer.

Not only has the Encompass back office made DOT recordkeeping easier for Theurer, but it’s also freed up his busy schedule. “Encompass saves me about 9 hours per week that I used to spend on paperwork. It’s cut down on 90% of my DOT recordkeeping workload. That’s 90% of my time that I can spend doing other things!” said Theurer.

The company needed an ELD solution to help them comply with the 2017 U. S. ELD mandate. Having worked with J. J. Keller before, Prichard decided to evaluate Encompass® with ELogs. “We considered J. J. Keller to be the premiere company when it comes to keeping track of the FMCSA regulations. When we were looking for an ELD provider, we figured that Encompass would be a good option. Our drivers don’t even want to use paper logs anymore!”

Theurer agrees that Encompass® with ELogs has been a driver-friendly solution for their fleet. “Our drivers have the Encompass app installed on their tablets and smartphones. They like how the system works. They just log in and go.”

“The Encompass system and the J. J. Keller staff are easy to work with. If a change needs to be made, it’s made quickly,” said Theurer. “Customer service says everything about a company, and with J. J. Keller, someone is always there to answer the phone.”

The company’s drivers have also benefited from J. J. Keller’s support team, Prichard added. “Our drivers are able to call in 24/7, and their questions are quickly resolved. J. J. Keller doesn’t quit until things are taken care of.”