Since its founding in 1997 by owner and CEO Kirk Ipock, Solid Rock Carriers Inc. has built an enviable reputation as a reliable, committed trucking company. Based out of La Grange, NC, with a team of more than 50, Solid Rock operates 28 trucks and specializes in transporting refrigerated goods throughout the southeastern states.
Incidents of fuel card fraud plagued the Solid Rock team, with card details being skimmed regularly and then used to rack up charges at locations their drivers had never visited. In one day, Solid Rock was alerted to more than $27,000 worth of fraudulent purchases from multiple incidents.
While Solid Rock was luckier than many carriers in that they were able to recoup funds lost to fraud, the time and effort lost while office staff tracked and disputed the charges was adding up quickly. When a card was compromised and canceled, the team had to issue fuel checks while they waited for a replacement card, further complicating the management of fuel expenses.
The team also had to rely on outdated checks and inconvenient calls for approval to pay unloading fees, with calls often coming in late at night or during busy times of the day, always ensuring disruption for the team. They needed a reliable, streamlined process for fuel and lumper payments that could help make operations easier.
Seeking an alternative to fuel cards and checks, the Solid Rock team researched Relay Payments and decided to do a 30-day trial for fuel payments. By the end of the trial period, they were ready to go all-in with the Relay solution for fuel and lumper payments, and proceeded to set up all Solid Rock drivers with Relay.
The only hesitation was around getting the fuel reports set up to match what the team had come to expect. Relay worked closely with Solid Rock Finance Director Tonya Tyson-Morrison to ensure all their needs were included: mileage, gallons, day of purchase, state of purchase, location, driver, and unit number. “I was strict in what I needed from the fuel report,” Tonya explains. “And everything is good!”
Making the switch to Relay for fuel payments eliminated the problem of fuel fraud for Solid Rock, not only saving the company time and money but also giving staff and drivers the confidence that their payment solution is reliable. Using Relay for lumper payments resulted in additional time savings, letting drivers quickly pay unloading fees and get back on the road. Plus, the solution eliminated the need for inconvenient after-hours calls for authorizations, making the process smoother for everyone involved.
Real-time visibility of fuel purchases and comprehensive reporting let Solid Rock manage fleet expenses with greater efficiency than before. Drivers find the solution easy to use and convenient, and Solid Rock’s experience with the Relay customer service team has given additional validation that they made the right choice switching to Relay.