compinfo.asp
| Land Span, Inc. Company Information | Sat 7/4 8:18 EST |
compinfo.asp
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Land Span is a premium service provider of irregular-route full-truckload transportation. The company deals primarily in medium to long lengths of haul serving the JIT needs of its customers.
Land Span, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Watkins Associated Industries (WAI), a privately owned holding company whose diversified interests include transportation, real estate, construction, citrus, insurance, and food processing.
Land Span was founded in 1932 and incorporated in 1981. Other WAI transportation affiliates include Highway Transport and Sunco Carriers.
Land Span's driver recruiting and training facility is found at the corporate offices in Lakeland, FL. Sales offices are located in FL, CA, and NJ.
The Operations Department maintains centralized control of driver operations on a 24-hour basis. This department is also located in Lakeland, FL and is accessible 7 days a week.
Land Span, Inc. has focused on markets and industry segments where highly reliable on-time service is the primary decision criteria for carrier selection. These industry groups include textile and clothing manufacturers, electronics firms, personal care products, chemical companies, pharmaceuticals, and retail chains. We serve the "Just In Time " needs of many of our customers with both team and single driver operations.
Our company has a long history of measuring many aspects of its business and striving for improvement. In 1992 the first steps were taken to formalize this process through an educational program directed at senior and mid-level management. The initial objective was to expose the management team to the concepts developed by Deming and other practitioners in this field. At the same time, the group was introduced to the techniques of statistical process control.
Since then the process has been expanded to include front-line supervision. Techniques for self-measurement have been adopted at the "factory floor" level and problem solving through cross-functional task groups has become part of the way that Land Span, Inc. does business.
Land Span holds the highest safety rating issued by the Department of Transportation. By their definition this implies that "... a motor carrier has in place and functioning adequate safety management controls to meet the safety and fitness standard prescribed in Sec. 385". This rating, designated Satisfactory in Sec. 385.3, appears as the first (1) classification in the regulations.
The safety management begins before a driver is allowed behind the wheel. Land Span, Inc.'s hiring policy requires safety criterion over and above the minimum standards prescribed by the federal regulations. All new drivers must attend a three-day orientation program that addresses defensive driving techniques, hours of service specifications, hazardous materials regulations, and personal safety skills. Ongoing training is provided for both driving and management personnel to ensure that the requirements imposed by changing regulations are met.
Once employed, drivers are subject to annual and periodic reviews to ensure all federal regulations are met. At each review, assessments are made concerning both performance and compliance - with necessary corrective action taken.
The overall safety program is guided by a policy manual that is available for review by Land Span, Inc.'s customers at their request.
Satellite Tracking and Communications
Satellite tracking and communications systems provide customers with instant information and Land Span with constant shipment control.
Instant communications facilitate immediate changes in customer requirements, including appointment schedules, reconsignments, expedite requests, and stop-off or pick-up additions. Door-to-door shipment tracking enables Land Span to detect potential problems and eliminate errors such as equipment failures, driver errors, and excess miles.
As previously noted, many aspects of Land Span Inc.'s business have been the subjects of continuous measurement and improvement. None is more critically examined than transit time performance. Our Business Plan has established a target of 99% aggregate on-time service for both pick up and delivery. Service is measured for all shipments handled and this data is reported in several ways that allow for examination of individual accounts, dispatch territories, and drivers. Current period as well as year-to-date service tracking is performed.
With the introduction of SPC techniques, C-charts and Pareto diagrams are being employed to identify opportunities for improvement.
This analysis has facilitated the identification of problem areas and suggested solutions with long term impacts. (Note that the information from the graph above affects our capital investment planning as well as the daily operational adjustments necessary to reach our target.)
Similar use of SPC techniques is being made in numerous areas throughout the company including equipment maintenance, driver turnover, and claims analysis.
Land Span, Inc. maintains a fleet of late model Freightliner Columbia tractors. The equipment has an average age of 1 year with no unit older than 2 years. Equipment acquisition and maintenance policies are driven by our concern for service and cost control.
Reliable power equipment is one of the keys to consistent service. As the previous graph depicts, Land Span, Inc. experiences virtually no failures due to equipment breakdown. This reliability is built into the equipment through the process of component specifications and insured by a comprehensive preventative maintenance program.
The preventative maintenance process at our company is controlled by an automated system that is integrated with our on-line freight operations system. Policy decisions are entered as service requirements for each component.
Record keeping and exception reporting are by-products of this process. Changes to equipment specifications are prompted by the information gathered throughout the vehicle's life. These improvements have helped to reduce equipment operating costs.
Billing at Land Span, Inc. is generated by an online system. The majority of rates are applied by an auto-rate system. Invoicing occurs upon delivery of the shipments, unless specific customer requirements exist for attachments.
Typically, requests for proof of delivery, received by telephone or in writing, are answered within 24 hours of receipt. Statistically, less than 1% of all requests received responses outside of that time frame.
All Land Span, Inc. customers with internet access and a landspan.com login ID can view proof of delivery online!
Policies and procedures are communicated to the drivers through three primary mediums. The first one, referenced earlier, is the driver orientation program that indoctrinates the new employee into the Land Span culture. Instruction covers various topics necessary for the driver's successful transition into our organization.
The second means of communicating policy and procedure is the Land Span Driver's Manual. This document is a handbook that is issued to each new employee. It is a reference on a wide range of matters that affect the driver's job.
Another effective media is the company’s newsletter, "The Dispatcher", that is published and distributed every four weeks.
Finally, Land Span’s satellite communications system is used to communicate changing conditions to all drivers in a timely fashion.
Statistics for the previous year show that Land Span, Inc. experienced a claims ratio of less than one-tenth of one percent from all causes. Losses due to damage represent an extremely small part of our company's costs.
Claims Settlement Policy and Procedure
Land Span, Inc.'s claims settlement policy provides that all claims will be acknowledged within 30 days of receipt and settled within 60 days. As a practical matter, due to the very low level of claims filed with us, acknowledgments are typically returned within 5 days and settlements concluded within 30 days.
Land Span, Inc. maintains insurance in amounts that exceed the minimum requirements of AGCC. Copies of our certificates of insurance are supplied to each customer upon request. If you have Adobe Acrobat reader installed on your PC, you can click here to view the certificate.
Land Span, Inc. offers full EDI services using TDCC-ANSI x.12 transaction sets. In addition, security restricted access to our on-line freight system is provided for dedicated fleet customers to facilitate order placement and equipment status reporting.
Customized communications options are available to our customers.
Land Span, Inc. maintains a fleet of 53' high-cube, dry-van trailers. Equipment specifications are as follows:
53' x 102" x 110" Van Trailers - up to 4098 cubic feet
Land Span, Inc. holds ICC certificates to engage in both common and contract motor carrier operations between points in the United States. It also has authority to operate in the Province of Ontario.
| ON-LINE SHIPMENT
TRACKING Since June 1, 1998 all LandSpan customers have the capability to view detailed information about their shipments. To signup for this free service, please contact your Land Span Sales Account Manager. |