An Industry Leader in Fresh Fruit Goes Bananas for PTI’s Port Delivery Services
Strengthening Port Deliveries for Southeastern Produce Supplier
A leading supplier of fresh fruit and vegetables in the southeast needed a stronger solution to move more loads from the port of Tampa to its customers’ distribution centers. The company needed a carrier partner with an abundance of TWIC®-certified drivers and the network to keep their fresh fruit business moving.
That’s when the organization asked PTI to take on a larger slice of their port deliveries.
The problem arose when the business outgrew the provider
Even with its own ships and containers, this leader in the fresh fruit industry relied on carrier relationships to get its products out of port and into distribution. They used a small local carrier to manage transportation from the Port of Tampa to distribution points across Florida.
However, when the business in Florida grew rapidly, and the incumbent carrier couldn’t keep up with the increased volume, the fresh fruit company struggled to keep products moving quickly enough to meet demand. They needed a carrier that could grow with them and continue to efficiently make the out-and-back runs.
The company’s growth was at risk because the incumbent was already at maximum capacity. If a driver couldn’t make the run, the incumbent carrier didn’t have a contingency plan. This underscored the need for a carrier that could handle the business at hand, adapt to new growth, and overcome any potential service interruptions.
PTI takes the squeeze off the fruit company’s ability to grow
The PTI solution was simple. They tapped into their vast network to find both drivers and the capacity needed to move the fresh fruit from the port to distribution centers across Florida. The fruit company owned the refrigerated containers, the port supplied the chassis, and PTI came to the rescue with an ample supply of power units and TWIC®-certified drivers.
PTI is committed to supporting the rapid growth of the port business. As they delivered the first loads, PTI continued training drivers and increasing their population with TWIC® certification. With increased driver availability and the growing number of PTI- owned power units, they were positioned to handle the increase in container volume.
PTI knocked its port delivery metrics out of the water
On-Time Delivery
Increase in Containers Moved
Increase in Acceptance
PTI delivered much more than a simple capacity solution. By growing as fast as the fruit business expanded, it helped open up new markets and gave the company a new competitive advantage in a difficult sector.
The biggest indication of PTI’s success is being invited to deepen its relationship with an industry leader. PTI started moving half of the fruit company’s containers out of the Port of Tampa. In a few short months, PTI was asked to manage all of the company’s container moves at that port. In addition, PTI has been asked to find solutions for ports in Texas and Louisiana.