Aim Transportation Named Innovator of the Year
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Aim Transportation Solutions was named the 2024 Commercial Carrier Journal Innovator of the Year for its Road Rescue feature on its official mobile app, Aim Navigator.
The state-of-the-art app streamlines and enhances the way customer drivers request roadside service and how Aim’s Road Rescue team manages and responds to those in need of service. It is available on both iOS and Android platforms and allows a driver to submit the request, which gives Aim’s Road Rescue department the driver’s information, location and details. A driver will then be able to drop into a text conversation with an Aim Road Rescue agent on the app.
Recognizing that the driver may not speak English as a primary language, the app has two-way translation technology. It also caters to younger drivers who prefer texting over making a phone call.
Aim received the award, which recognizes commercial transportation companies that demonstrate exceptional innovation, efficiency and impact, earlier this month at the 20th annual CCJ Innovators Summit in Key Largo, Florida. The three-day event brings together current and past innovators for networking, presentations and the exchange of ideas.
“Receiving CCJ’s 2024 Innovator of the Year award is an incredible honor because it underscores our team’s, our organization’s and my commitment to pushing boundaries and finding new, inventive ways to leverage technology to better serve our customers and the industry,” said John Reed, chief information officer and vice president of information technology at Aim. “As the list of competition in contention for this award shows, there are a lot of big-name fleets doing incredible things, and us edging them out to earn this award just shows the exceptional level of talent, drive and commitment we have from the individuals who make up our amazing team, and I couldn’t be prouder of them.”
Others honored by the CCJ throughout 2023 included Ryder, FirstFleet, Solar Transport, Walmart, ArcBest, Brakebrush Transportation, FedEx, Budd Van Lines, Averitt, DHL and Garner Trucking.
Besides Reed, those creating the technology for the app included Dan Kellgren, Aim’s vice president of software development, and a team of developers, project managers and quality assurance professionals.
“This was a true team development effort. From our model designs, specs and technology research and partnerships to our front end, back-end, mobile and security layers, all aspects of our development talent were engaged in making this innovation a success,” Kellgren said. “When we can develop products that have a positive impact on our employees’ jobs, both out on the road and in the office, we know what we’re doing is a good thing. And that only happens when everyone comes together and cares greatly about what they’re contributing to a project.”
Aim was also recognized by the CCJ program in the past. In 2010 and 2013, the company was named one of the monthly spotlight qualifiers for the Innovator of the Year award. The first award was for an Electronic Driver Vehicle Condition Report that helps streamline pre- and post-trip inspections, and the other was for a system that tracks training effectiveness.
“We recognized long ago that technology was rapidly reshaping our industry, and rather than be at the mercy of it, we leveraged it as one of Aim’s key differentiators,” said Scott Fleming, Aim president. “I firmly believe the value we deliver to our customers through embracing and developing new technological innovations is one of the main advantages of the Aim brand, and it’s evident in the size and scope of our company and this extraordinary accolade CCJ has honored us with.”
Aim has more than 100 locations and operations and services more than 11,000 vehicles annually, as far west as Utah and east as upstate New York.
Pictured at top: From left are Pamella De Leon, CCJ senior editor; John Reed, Aim chief information officer and vice president of information technology; Dan Kellgren, Aim vice president of software development; and Angel Coker, CCJ senior editor. (Commercial Carrier Journal)
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
