Matching large fleet volumes with repair services across the AITX network
When you talk to members of the QTS team — Wylie DuBose (Director Fleet Management Services) and Andrew Lengua (Manager Fleet Services) — one thing comes across loud and clear – QTS handles a lot of moving parts, figuratively and literally.
QTS is a pioneering, leader in railcar fleet management, administration, procurement, and auditing. It partners with the biggest names in freight shipping across industries including acids, alcohols, chemicals, foods, paper, petroleum products, plastics and more. Over 40 customer-strong, big and small, the QTS fleet team manages over 42,000 railcars. This means maintenance and repair is vital to keeping their fleet healthy and cars on track.
Every customer, every commodity, every railcar type presents its own set of needs and expertise.
It takes a lot of communication and knowledge-sharing for the QTS fleet services team to match the right car with the right repair plan on the designated route, at the right price. But, all its customers will tell you, the men and women at QTS have their system down like clockwork. No detail is unimportant, and that’s why both Wylie and Andrew see communication as their most sacred tool for their team, customers, and partners.
Wylie has been working with ATIX for over 25 years. Some of his AITX contacts have come and gone — while many AITX loyalists have been there the whole time. For him, it’s the responsiveness that makes the difference. He knows the team will always be well-trained, with deep commodities-expertise, and ready to jump at hard-to-solve issues, especially with tank cars.
Andrew is newer to working up-and-down the AITX repair network but has embraced the nuts-and-bolts and people-and-process of the daily operations. He can delve into the details like a grizzled sportscaster reciting the starting lineup of his favorite team. Andrew can review plant-by-plant, person-by-person where to send which cars and who will guarantee superior customer-care. It is like he has a game-plan ready for whatever defense is thrown at him.
“Marshall and Ashley are the perfect team to get you in-and-out in Tennille, GA.”
“Brookhaven is the best spot for quick-and-easy tank re-qualifications.”
“North Kansas City is our reliable match for one of our major agriculture customers based on their equipment and products. Ask for Corey.”
“In the South, Ryan at Gonzales leads the fastest mobile repair team in the business. Call at 8am, done by 4pm – but don’t count-out Point Comfort or LaPorte.”
“All our Canadian customers go through Sarnia.”
“And, the team at Bude, Mississippi is by far the best shop in the country – if I could send every car to Bude, I would. They seem to handle it all.”
Andrew’s chief recommendation was for more AITX facilities up-and-down the East Coast… and some geographic locations around the Midwest… and come to think of it, throughout the entire West.
We want more AITX expertise anywhere we can get it.
Don’t worry, Andrew. We are working on it.
The reason the AITX and QTS relationship thrives is that no fleet coordinator or repair facility manager has all the answers. There is no one-size fits all solution. Both sides need to be comfortable with every interaction to ask a lot of questions, assume nothing, and over-communicate each step of the way. While cars and commodities change, trust and reliability continues to be at the core of this partnership.