Business Rural North Winter 2021

| 67 Robertson Isuzu are proud to support Ray Coles Transport 56 Railway Rd, Palmerston North 06 355 5062 www.robertsonisuzu.co.nz We are proud to support the team at Ray Coles Transport RURAL SERVICES » Ray Coles Transport New tech makes transport management easier Ray Coles Transport has grown steadily over the years to a fleet of 12 trucks, a mixture of tipper trucks and livestock units. Kelly Deeks A s a locally owned, family business with the personal touch, Mangaweka-based transport firm Ray Coles Transport has the edge in the Wanganui region when it comes to transporting wool, fertiliser, metal, livestock, and bailage all throughout New Zealand. Established in 1980 by Ray Coles with one truck, Ray Coles Transport has grown steadily with hard yakka over the years to a fleet of 12 trucks, a mixture of tipper trucks and livestock units, most of them 440 horsepower Isuzus, and four owner drivers with their own trucks. Ray’s son Mark took over the reins as director in 2001. His brother Barry is one of the owner driv- ers, as is his cousin, and Barry’s two sons. With about 3000 customers on the books, the schedule can be hectic at times. Winter is nor- mally quieter, this season so far has been steady. Amounts of hay, bailage, and fertiliser carted will always depend on the weather. Fertiliser cartage has been tough to manage this season, with the national shortage of truck drivers, and a shortage of trucks and other staff resulting in delays getting fertiliser trucked to stores for Ray Coles Transport to pick up. “There is normally a lot of fert to be carted but this year there is no product,” Mark says. “We’re running out of time now before it gets too wet.” Ray Coles Transport delivers to meat processors in Taranaki, Hawke’s Bay, Rangitikei, and Manawatu. The slaughter season for lamb starts in November until July, and cattle comes on in about March and finishes around May. Every year is different, and Mark says this season live- stock transport has been steady. Doing a good job, being on time, and cultivating client relationships has kept customers coming back to Ray Coles Transport, some of them for 40 years. “We’ve still got customers that dad had, and we’re now working for the next generation as it comes through.” A recent addition to Ray Coles Transport is set to make the job easier for drivers, dispatch, and administration alike. Transport management software MyTrucking is being installed after being recommended by practically every truck driver known to Ray Coles Transport. “Everyone seems to be using it and everyone raves about it,” Mark says. “Guys who used to own trucks have said they would probably still have them if MyTruck- ing had been available. Everything here has been handwritten for 40 years. Trying to do paperwork while you’re driving is very hard.” Some of the programme’s benefits include re- ducing time, with job information flowing from the office to the driver, the customer, and the invoice in real time, removing errors, improving communi- cation, and making invoicing easy. The MyTrucking driver app works with iPhones, iPads, Android phones, and tablets. It works even when out of network range, and will auto-sync once connectiv- ity is re-established. It captures times, weights, images, proof of delivery, and GPS co-ordinates, and any changes are immediately referred to dispatchers. “A lot of our clients have four or five different properties, so with MyTrucking our drivers know exactly where to go, and our administrators know exactly where everyone has been. We’re looking forward to job management becoming a lot easier on the whole team.”