
Operator Hits Industry Hot Topic Buttons
2019 LCT video education series: Nick Kokas suggests embracing legal TNC operators and pursuing mobility transportation options.
![]() |
![]() |
In explaining the importance of paper scanners, Robert Turner likes to tell an old story:
A West Virginia manufacturing company in 2001 was sued by an employee injured on the job. To defend its case, the company needed a document from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) certifying that its manufacturing processes fully complied with OSHA rules. Company officials tore their offices apart, but couldn’t find the document. They lost their case and paid several millions of dollars to the injured employee. Years later, after the statute of limitations had run out, employees were swapping out furniture in an office when they found the document that had been stuck between a desk and a wall. It was the smoking gun that could have saved them millions in the lawsuit.
Turner, the Dallas-based business development manager for Fujitsu Computer Products of America, said the extreme anecdote highlights the importance of digitizing paper documents. It not only saves space, time and trees, but an archived digital document that is readily accessible can make a major difference in critical situations.
Fujitsu, the world’s largest maker of scanners, is pursuing the U.S. chauffeured transportation market. Turner brought the company’s first industry display to the LCT Leadership Summit in Miami Beach Sept. 10-12. Fujitsu offers two major lines of scanners, the entry level ScanSnap brand and the more advanced, enterprise version fi brand. The ScanSnaps cost about $195 to $495 each, depending on the exact model, and the fi series ranges from $1,195 to $25,000 for extensive enterprise versions.
Fleet-intensive businesses, such as chauffeured transportation and charter bus services, tend to be rife with paperwork and files, Turner said. “It makes sense for Fujitsu to partner [with companies] and come up with best practices and show how paper documents can be turned into electronic ones for filing and for business processes. We find that most companies benefit from scanning as it streamlines business processes, and gets rid of the mountains of paper they deal with on a daily basis. Scanning allows them to store critical business documents so that they are safeguarded.”
During the next few months, Turner plans to visit chauffeured transportation companies and see the types and volumes of documents they use daily to determine the best scanning, digitizing and imaging procedures suited to operators.
![]() |
SIDEBAR: Company Saves Space And Sanity
Autoluxe Transportation Services of Weehawken, N.J., a 17-vehicle operation serving the New York metro area, has seen its back office run better since it began testing the Fujitsu scanners in July. “You eliminate all the paperwork,” owner Neil Collins said. “I got stuff arranged in boxes. We can start scanning and get rid of it.”
President Bob Collins, Neil’s brother, who runs the offices, said the scanners are solving the problem of running out of space. The offices are located just outside of the Lincoln Tunnel.
“The idea was to streamline through e-filing,” Bob Collins said. “With bank deposits, instead of making a photo copy, stamping it, and putting it in a cabinet, we scan it in and it states the bank and date. It goes into a [digital] file for that month.” Ditto for credit card receipts. “It’s been a Godsend.”
Over time, Autoluxe will save money and time on faxing, filing, and paperwork, not to mention freeing up square footage for more productive uses. All scanned documents are backed up on multiple computers, discs, and drives. “It’s just a matter of letting go of the concept that everything has to go into a file folder and file cabinet,” Bob Collins said. “Space is valuable. Square footage costs. I’d rather be able to use less space for hard storage and put another assistant or dispatcher there.”
For More Info
Robert Turner
Fujitsu Computer Products of America Inc.
(940) 464-0746 I [email protected] I us.fujitsu.com/fcpa
Related Topics: cost efficiencies, Fujitsu, home offices, New Operator, office equipment, operations, scanners
2019 LCT video education series: Nick Kokas suggests embracing legal TNC operators and pursuing mobility transportation options.
Nick Kokas of Brentwood's Distinguished Executive Transportation outlines a future the industry should embrace.
Two company owners and a vendor dish on the digital tools to help industry members run more efficient operations.
B2B Feature: With a need to balance life, work and sleep, learn some options for keeping your customers happy 24/7.
Companies with high frequency travelers see a growing need for a single place to book.
While implementing artificial intelligence in your business may keep service costs down, there's no substitute for really caring about your clients.
You’ll need to grasp this photo-focused social media platform if you want to develop a younger client base.
The app based transportation company caters to business customers in 300 cities in 60 countries.
The New Jersey-based company wants to compete in the growing TNC market.
MAY LCT: The Operator of the Year Class of 2019 proves how luxury transportation operations can succeed in this market.
LCT and the luxury ground transportation industry anticipate new sources for revenue and networking.
They would inform a system to slow vehicles and safely park them on the side of the road if they detected driver incapacitation.
MARCH LCT: Depending on the kinds of clients you deal with, being able to access the Internet on their mobile devices could be vital — and increase your revenue.
Participating operators can share and receive pricing info any time in real time.
The integration allows users to book services in more than 1,000 cities worldwide alongside other transportation choices.
The world's No. 1 online marketplace and trader for professional chauffeured and chartered vehicles, including all types of motorcoaches, buses, vans, stretch limousines, sedans, SUVs, exotics, and classics. New and used vehicles are available from sellers across the nation.
The best online networker to find quality affiliates worldwide and market your company.
Click on any state to see the latest industry news and events in that region.
Get the latest news and most popular articles from LCT delivered straight to your inbox.
Current newsletters: