News & Press Releases - Relay Payments

Elite Express modernizes payments by adopting Relay Payments

Written by Relay | February 06, 2024

Elite has saved hundreds of thousands of dollars by relying on the comprehensive digital payment network

ATLANTA – Feb. 6th, 2024 – Relay Payments, the fintech company modernizing payments for the trucking and logistics industries, has proudly worked with Elite Express since 2021, enabling the carrier to completely transform its payment processes. With a fleet of 200+ trucks providing Load-to-Deliver Volume LTL services, Elite relies on Relay’s payment network to manage all over-the-road expenses. By harnessing Relay’s technology, the carrier has saved hundreds of thousands of dollars while improving the experiences of its drivers and accounting teams.

“Using Relay’s products these last few years has made a significant impact on our operations and our bottom line,” said Elite’s Chief Financial Officer David Crowther. “We began using Relay’s digital payments for lumper fees. We now use their solutions to pay for all our diesel fuel and over-the-road transactions.”

With hundreds of vehicles delivering shipments across the 48 continental states, Elite was particularly vulnerable to the rise in fuel fraud caused by card skimming. On top of revenue losses, each instance of fraud resulted in operational quagmires for Elite’s team as they tried to recoup funds, reissue cards, and reassure drivers.

Elite’s focus on temperature-controlled shipments and other specialized deliveries added another dimension to the difficulty of managing fraud, as delays could damage more than just its reputation. They needed a reliable, efficient, and transparent way to manage fuel payments across its fleet that would help them live up to their promise of being the most dependable service for their customers.

“With Relay’s digital fuel payments, we’ve completely eliminated fraud,” added Crowther. “We get receipts electronically right away, drivers get back on the road quicker, and our accounting team avoids the nightmare of haggling through fraud cases.”

“Our work with Elite Express demonstrates how modernizing payments can make a sizable impact,” said Relay co-founder and CEO Ryan Droege. “There are problems that have plagued trucking for decades, and solving these issues instantly results in greater efficiencies and opportunities for revenue, not to mention a lot less frustration for the people who drive our economy. We appreciate Elite’s long-term relationship with us, and we’re excited to see our products positively affecting their business.”

Relay introduced its modern digital payment solution in 2019. Fleets rapidly adopted the platform, foregoing archaic payment methods like cash, checks, and fleet cards, gaining increased hours of service and supply chain efficiencies. Relay’s payment network has continued to expand, allowing fleets to make fast and secure fuel, lumper, parking, scales, and other over-the-road payments across the country. Relay is trusted by 350,000+ drivers, 90,000+ carriers, and over 1,500 truckstops.

For more information about Relay Payments, visit relaypayments.com. For more information about Elite Express, visit shipeliteexpress.com.

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About Relay Payments

Relay Payments is building a modern digital payment network to revolutionize the trucking and logistics industries. Trusted by more than 350,000 drivers, 90,000 carriers and 1,500 truckstops nationwide, Relay has brought efficiency and automation to an industry historically reliant on cash, checks and cards. Relay has joined forces with industry leaders like Pilot Company, AMBEST, Schneider, Coyote Logistics, Lineage Logistics, and others to provide secure, reliable over-the-road transactions. Founded in 2019, the Atlanta-based fintech includes more than 150 team members and has won awards for product innovation, customer service, and organizational culture. For more information about Relay, visit relaypayments.com.

About Elite Express

Elite Express is a national asset-based employee driver carrier providing LTL, TL, hazmat and temperature controlled shipments across the continental US since 1999, with our “Load to Deliver” model. For more information about Elite Express, visit shipeliteexpress.com.