Now that 2020 is officially behind us, companies are assessing what strategies they want to employ for this new year and determining their highest priorities for the coming months. Those companies with less available staff or downtime are looking at where they can improve efficiencies or potentially outsource specific fleet needs – and that certainly includes compliance services.
But what type of partner should companies look for when it comes to solving their
fleets’ regulatory compliance needs?
We recently spoke with both Ryan Wilson, Director of Compliance Services at ACERTUS, and Lynn Harrison, ACERTUS’ Senior Manager of Compliance Services, to learn more about some of the challenges companies with fleets are facing and how the expertise of a compliance provider like ACERTUS can help them achieve more of their specific business goals in 2021.
ACERTUS: What should businesses like FMCs, carriers, power grid companies and others with fleets be focused on when it comes to the new year and solving their compliance needs?
Lynn Harrison: Many companies have been impacted by downsizing, layoffs, tightened budgets and more due to COVID-19 and the challenges from this past year. So, we’re seeing that in many cases, specific employees or teams at these companies who previously handled compliance concerns are now focused on many other tasks and have less time to oversee fleet compliance.
Ryan Wilson: Another concern is that we’re seeing delays in the time that compliance services get processed when it comes to local DMVs and service sites. Those delays have carried over into this new year, but it helps companies move more quickly and be more efficient when they work with compliance experts who have knowledge, working partnerships and existing infrastructure to keep orders moving.
LH: Yes, that’s a great point. That’s one of the biggest pain points we’ve been facing – the DMV closures and delays. Fortunately, with our team at ACERTUS, we have runners to help transport documents and get them processed more quickly, which really helps. And our already existent relationships with so many DMV locations across the country often allow us to push compliance items along, despite any potential delays or roadblocks.
ACERTUS: Are there any changes to specific compliance requirements that have started as of 2021? Or that will be coming down the pipeline soon?
LH: Well, as more and more companies move over to alternative fuel vehicles, there will be changes when it comes to IFTA (International Fuel Tax Agreement) reporting.
While IRP (International Registration Plan) compliance services won’t be impacted, a lot of states have very different regulations and requirements for these new alternative fuel vehicles, particularly with regard to CNG (compressed natural gas). Fortunately, our team at ACERTUS is quickly becoming expert on these matters and can help companies navigate these requirements moving forward.
ACERTUS: Can technology play a significant role in helping companies tackle their compliance needs? And, if so, what type of technology can be employed here?
RW: Yes! Technology can give clients much more visibility into the process and allow it to be more of a self-service program with a one-stop shop for all compliance orders. ACERTUS has such technology, where instead of customers being forced to send random emails to multiple individuals, they can go directly to an online portal to send requests, make changes, find relevant documentation, get status updates and more. Overall, this allows for much more usability and efficiency.
ACERTUS: When looking at different compliance providers to potentially partner with, what qualities should companies be looking for? What factors are most crucial?
RW: It’s absolutely crucial that a compliance provider has years of experience under its belt. ACERTUS not only brings such experience to the table, but it also has strong working relationships with DMVs in many different states across the country. We also have both physical and digital capabilities, which allows us to be compatible with states that allow for digital processing of documents.
LH: I agree with Ryan, and I’d also like to point out the importance of being very responsive to customers. ACERTUS deeply values this, which is why every customer has just one go-to account person for all their needs. Whether they need help with IFTA, IRP, DOT (Department of Transportation) services or even with items like vehicle inspections or audit assistance, we are knowledgeable and can manage all these tasks for their respective businesses.
Learn more about ACERTUS’ compliance services, as well as its full range fleet-management solutions and vehicle logistics options, at https://acertusdelivers.com. To connect with one of our team members or receive a quick pricing quote, contact us here or call us at this phone number: 855-ACERTUS (855-923-2655).
