Have you ever noticed an error in a violation you received? If so, turn to DataQs.

DataQs allows users to track and petition a review of federal and state data issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that’s believed to be inaccurate or incomplete. The ability to remove erroneous violations or petition an exception to the rule can greatly improve your CSA scores in the long run.

Mark Barlar, director of DOT regulatory compliance at Reliance Partners, joined FreightWaves’ WHAT THE TRUCK?!? to highlight DataQs, the system used to challenge errors in crash reports and inspection violations.

Barlar, an expert in logbook forensic reconstruction, has carried out DOT inspections for law enforcement since 1999, serving as a Wisconsin State Patrol master inspector before retiring in 2020. He has seen many DataQs requests come across his desk, giving him authority to approve or deny each appeal.

The CSA point scale ranges from zero to 10 based on the severity of the offense. Speeding 15 miles per hour over the speed limit, for instance, is a 10-point charge.

“If you get a ticket for going 15 or more over, but when you go to court, they change it to, say, a parking violation, you could DataQ it that and your point value will go down to one, which is a 90% decrease,” Barlar explained.

Barlar said turning to DataQs in this case can change the CSA point value from whatever was charged down to one.

When the original charge on the DataQ is changed to a different charge or the citation is dismissed with no court costs, this is called an adjudicated citation and a DataQ can be done. The point value for a change of charge is 1 and the point value for a dismissal is zero.

The same process applies to FMCSA-recordable crashes if there’s sufficient evidence to prove the crash doesn’t meet the definition of an accident or is listed in the FMCSA Crash Preventability Determination Program if the driver wasn’t at fault.

“Say a driver is sitting at a traffic light and somebody runs into his back end, the motor carrier can run a DataQ to have the point value for that removed through the Crash Preventability Determination Program,” Barlar said.

However, not every violation is eligible for petition. Only accidents in which the truck is arguably not at fault or when an accident can be proven to be unpreventable will be considered for review. The same goes for driver violations — a seat belt violation is indisputable.

“My favorite is always, ‘I know my driver was speeding, but we fired him. Please remove the violation.’ Well, that is not a valid reason to remove a violation that was listed on an inspection report,” Barlar said.

He reiterated that the DataQs process only applies to errors made by the officer. This includes instances in which the officer enforces the wrong regulation, uses the wrong coding for it or if there’s an exception to the rule that the officer wasn’t aware of.

“Once you have an understanding of what can be DataQ’d — the DataQ process and the anatomy of a DataQ — you become much more successful at them,” Barlar said.

The post Challenging crash, inspection reports with DataQs appeared first on Commercial Transportation & Trucking Insurance - Reliance Partners.

Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Chattanooga, TN, Reliance is the fastest organically growing commercial insurance broker in the United States with nearly $500 million in gross written premiums. The Company specializes exclusively in commercial transportation risk management solutions, a unique differentiator within the highly fragmented insurance brokerage industry. Through its deep domain expertise, customer-centric sales approach and innovative technology, Reliance provides access to a full suite of insurance solutions to over 8,000 truck fleets and freight brokerage customers across the United States.

Reliance boasts an incredibly diverse employee base with over 25 nationalities represented and 30 languages spoken, allowing the Company to better serve an increasingly diverse network of transportation customers. Reliance strives to cultivate an entrepreneurial culture that values ambition and drive, providing employees with the tools necessary to succeed and challenge the status quo in the transportation insurance marketplace.

“We chose Carousel because of their partnership approach, our alignment on strategy for growth, and their ability to help us achieve our goal of reaching $1+ billion in premiums in the next 3 years,” said Andrew Ladebauche, CEO of Reliance. Chad Eichelberger, President of Reliance, added, “Our company is at an inflection point, and after getting to know Carousel over the past two years, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with them for both financial support as well as strategic guidance. Their experience fits perfectly with our strategy, where we are today as a company, and where we want to take Reliance over the next decade.”

“We were drawn to this partnership due to the strength of the team, their unparalleled track record of organic growth, differentiated sales strategy, and customer-centric focus. Reliance is the leading domain expert in transportation risk management in the U.S., and is uniquely positioned within a very large and fragmented market. We are thrilled to partner with management and help the Company accelerate and achieve its growth objectives,” said Al Welch, Partner at Carousel Capital. “The opportunity with Reliance and management intersects so well with our past experience in insurance services, insurtech, and transportation,” added Jason Schmidly, Managing Partner at Carousel Capital. “This partnership represents our continued belief in an underlying theme in insurance services – technological innovation drives efficiency and facilitates a better experience for all stakeholders.”

“We are beyond proud of the Reliance team and what they have accomplished over the course of our partnership and are excited to continue as investors to support the business,” said Lamp Post Group Co-Founder Ted Alling.

The partnership was funded with equity from Carousel Capital’s sixth fund. Senior debt financing was provided by Apogem Capital. K&L Gates served as legal advisor to Carousel and Bradley served as legal advisor to Reliance.

About Reliance Partners

Reliance Partners is a high-growth commercial insurance agency in the United States and a top tier provider of a wide range of insurance products and risk management services for the transportation and logistics industry. For more than 10 years, Reliance has been providing solutions for safeguarding the supply chain networks that drive the American economy forward.

About Carousel Capital

Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Carousel Capital is a private investment firm that invests in companies located in the Southeastern United States. Carousel’s investor base includes institutional investors and an elite group of more than 100 current and former CEOs with deep connections in the region. Since its inception in 1996, Carousel has invested in 49 companies primarily in three targeted growth sectors: business services; consumer services; and healthcare services.

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Today’s risk-averse transportation landscape inhibits profit maximization for many companies eager to gain an advantage. It only makes sense that shipping a high-value commodity would bring in more revenue, but the risks involved often scare away carriers and brokers from hauling these loads in places around the Mexican border, creating problems for all stakeholders in these regions.

Trucks overwhelmingly transport the majority of high-value commodities such as electronics, motorized vehicles, pharmaceuticals, gasoline and machinery; 47.6% of North American trans-border truck freight comprises computers and parts, electrical machinery, and vehicles and parts, making this estimated $29.1 billion worth of high-valued commodities a prime target for theft.

In addition to the threat of hijackings and other violent crime, gaps in insurance coverage have also deterred many logistics providers from tendering these loads. But the tides are turning in the favor of carriers and cargo owners.

Mark Vickers, executive vice president of international logistics at Reliance Partners, has recognized a trend in brokers and motor carriers winning new, higher-margin business on high-value domestic and cross-border freight. He attributes this uptick in confidence to Reliance Partners’ all-encompassing insurance solutions.

“Over the past three years, Borderless Coverage powered by Reliance Partners’ freight broker and motor carrier clients have been yearning for an insurance solution that will allow them to continue offering competitive pricing while providing them all-risk insurance on higher-margin, high-value domestic and cross-border freight that they want the ability to move,” Vickers said. “The clear reason behind these requests are due to the higher-margin opportunities for brokers and carriers.”

A be-all-end-all solution for such commodities sounds too good to be true, but Borderless Coverage’s shipper’s interest program is just that.

Both domestic and international high-value shipments are great candidates for shipper’s interest cargo insurance, as coverage is broad and can be used for all commodities, even the most expensive shipments.

This relatively inexpensive coverage, which can be obtained on a per-load, project or annual basis, provides an unparalleled level of flexibility for the transportation industry, handling claims in both the U.S. and Mexico.

Typical insurance solutions in the Mexican marketplace pale in comparison to Reliance Partners’ solutions, as policyholders only pay up to $1,000 in deductibles compared to the $20,000 that many are subject to. In addition, limits are set at $1 million per shipment but can be raised up to $10 million with additional underwriting. Shipper’s interest also allows for shipments to be multimodal and for cargo involving several carriers to be transloaded at the border.

It goes without saying that there are safety concerns involved in hauling south of the border, but many are unaware of the other risks involved in cross-border commerce. Vickers told FreightWaves in a previous article that shippers are often under the impression that a carrier’s $100,000 cargo insurance policy extends across the border and that carriers will also be liable under Mexican law for lost or damaged cargo, but this often isn’t the case. What’s more, Mexico requires carriers to be liable for just 7 cents for every pound transported.

Shipper’s interest transfers all risk from the cargo owner to the insurance company, unlike traditional third-party insurance that leaves transportation providers on the hook for any damages or losses incurred. This first-party coverage minimizes coverage gaps and guarantees cargo owners will be reimbursed for in-transit losses.

“It’s a true domestic and international cargo insurance product that brokers and carriers are now utilizing to win the highest-margin freight and strengthen ties with their current client base,” Vickers said.

The post Brokers and carriers pursue higher margins on domestic and cross-border freight appeared first on Commercial Transportation & Trucking Insurance - Reliance Partners.

Developing a safety culture isn’t easy, but establishing one sure does make your job a lot easier down the road.

Reliance Partners Director of Safety Robert Kaferle continues the conversation from his previous article, Safety check: No carrier thinks it’s ‘unsafe’, further explaining the importance of proactive safety amid a high-risk environment.

Kaferle and fellow Director of Safety Brian Runnels are part of Reliance Partners’ risk services team, which works closely with motor carriers to identify potential gaps in regulation compliance and offers strategic guidance for corrective action. Both Kaferle and Runnels have a combined 70 years of trucking experience, with both holding CDLs and CDS certifications. Having been behind the wheel as well as safety department heads, the two are familiar with struggles and safety needs of motor carriers large and small.

“Being proactive takes more work than being reactive, but doing so gives you way more benefits than what reactive measures deliver,” Kaferle said. “At Reliance Partners, we operate on a proactive-versus-reactive consulting model. Most people wait until they have a problem before seeking help, but by then it’s often too late to mitigate the issues at hand.”

Undervaluing safety can easily lead to a dangerous game of catch-up, by which doing the bare minimum to avoid or correct violation leaves carriers unable to foresee potential risks. But safety shouldn’t be viewed as an arduous checklist to follow.

“I’ve seen carriers have a couple of months with good results only to have things drop like a rock,” Kaferle said. “Most of the time it’s because they don’t have a solid safety program in place. What they’re doing is reacting to an increase in violations instead of continually training and addressing those issues before they arise.”

Unlike mock audits, which are reactionary in nature and are intended to find violations only, safety consulting aims to gauge a company’s management style and overall safety culture, ultimately addressing issues before coming to fruition.

Kaferle recommends having somebody review your operations who has no dog in the fight, explaining that a third-party consultant with your insurance carrier or retail agent can detail what you’re doing right and wrong. “You want somebody to not only tell you what your deficiencies are but give you solid ideas on how to fix them,” he said.

“You should bring somebody in every year just to see if there’s anything that you should be doing differently,” Kaferle said, adding that consultants are also useful in recommending new technologies in the marketplace that could greatly benefit the carrier’s operations.

Kaferle noted that motor carriers often make safety determinations based on their CSA scores, but he warns that these numbers don’t always depict a carrier’s safety accurately. For instance, low scores may not mean a carrier is currently safe. Conversely, a motor carrier may be straight as an arrow despite possessing high scores from violations occurring many months ago.

Regardless, safety shouldn’t be viewed in terms of metrics but rather a work style. Kaferle suggests an effective and easy way to establish a culture of safety is to disseminate learning resources to drivers and managers within your organization, sharing videos, white papers and safety bulletins from the FMCSA, insurance carriers or other industry experts. Safety meetings and conferences should also be scheduled routinely.

But safety cultures cannot flourish if ramifications aren’t also clearly established. Safety management and discipline must be administered from a top-down approach, Kaferle said, adding that progessive disciplinary actions should correlate with the severity of the violation. Routinely acting in accordance with policy guidelines helps dispel ambiguity from decision-making.

Remember to communicate why proactive safety is important with your drivers. The bottom line is that unsafe driving comes with a heavy price — damages incurred to vehicles and persons involved can be astronomical, resulting in major insurance increases.

“Insurance is a transference of risk from the carrier to the insurance company, and the amount of risk that they’re going to take on determines the premium,” Kaferle said. “The riskier the carrier, the bigger the premium; so the less risky you can make yourself as a carrier, the more impact that you’re going to have on reducing your premium.”

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Freight brokers don’t haul freight, but they do play a crucial role in moving it. Moreover, they can find themselves on the hook for in-transit liabilities if they’re not careful. Those considering a career as a broker should not only know the ins and outs of freight, but should also know how to protect themselves from the risks associated with brokering loads.

When it comes to risk mitigation, due diligence of the carriers you broker to is just as important to having the right insurance policies.

“Brokers can be held liable for claims for damage and lost cargo, but also for liabilities such as wrongful death and personal injuries,” said Micah Keith, Reliance Partners’ senior director of sales. “It’s best to have yourself protected.”

Getting started

Upon completing the legal work needed to establish your business in addition to applying for broker authority with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), new brokers should focus on obtaining a surety bond per the BMC-84 program.

Up to its limits, the bond serves as a payment guarantee to motor carriers and shippers should a broker not comply with its contractual obligations. Keith notes that once the $75,000 limit bond is in place, the broker will have an active listing in the FMCSA’s Safety and Fitness Electronic Records (SAFER) database.

Insurance basics

Now it’s time to consider your insurance options. It’s not a matter of if you need coverage, but how much.

Freight brokers have a couple of auto liability coverages to choose from, including contingent auto liability, truck broker liability or third-party liability insurance. The standard minimum coverage is $1 million.

Contingent auto liability is designed to cover the liability of a freight broker from an auto liability claim on a contingent basis. Reliance Partners states that primary coverage is represented by the motor carrier’s insurance while contingent auto liability picks up a valid claim within the scope of the policy that a motor carrier’s policy doesn’t cover or in case a motor carrier’s insurer becomes insolvent or in some cases fails to cover a valid claim.

Limits of $1 million-$10 million are typical before an excess market is needed for additional limits depending on the insurer.

As a broader form of coverage, truck broker liability insurance or third-party liability is designed to cover bodily injury in addition to property damage resulting from the freight broker’s operations as a transportation property broker. This insurance is specifically for the brokerage if they are found to have been liable. It is not intended to cover the shipper or be considered excess coverage over the motor carrier. Liabilities stemming from the actions of a motor carrier or shipper are not covered.

Coverage normally ranges from $1 million-$10 million before additional limits are needed from an excess market.

Don’t forget that brokered cargo will need insurance, too.

A contingent cargo policy protects the broker on a contingent basis for cargo loss or damages. It’s important for brokers to double-check what’s covered on each contingent cargo form, as it’s common for motor carriers to deny claims based on exclusions in their own policy. It is also important to draw a distinction between contingent and primary cargo insurance. If a broker is assuming liability for cargo loss or damage, then it may be necessary to look at different options.

There are many types of cargo forms and listed exclusions. Reliance Partners lists “follow form” policies as one to watch out for. If a motor carrier has a policy exclusion in place, then technically so does the broker in many instances.

Keith recommends buying at least $100,000 in contingent cargo coverage, as that’s the standard minimum.

Manage risks proactively through carrier vetting

Operating with the added protection of insurance provides some peace of mind for the risk-averse broker, but policies are only a reactive measure. Proactive risk mitigation requires a bit of homework on behalf of the broker, especially when deciding which carriers to work with.

“Plaintiff attorneys are attacking as many policies as they can. If they find a way in court to prove that a broker shouldn’t have done business with a carrier, then lawyers will go after the brokerage as well,” Keith said. “You should be vetting carriers thoroughly by scanning their SAFER records as well as the Central Analysis Bureau [CAB] for bad alerts and accident history.”

Ronald Ramsey, Reliance Partners’ Chief Commercial Officer, encourages brokers to use reputable carriers, have a carrier-vetting system in place and stick with it. While there isn’t a standard game plan, Ramsey urges brokers to develop their own effective strategies and understand the risks that are uninsurable.

Some brokers look at CSA BASICs scores; some take into consideration how long the carrier has been in operation,” Ramsey said. “Many brokers won’t use a carrier unless they’ve been active for at least a year while other brokers require only three months … . There’s no uniform or universal rule after that. You just need to have a standardized process in place and stick to it.”

“Freight brokers can become liable under three scenarios. Those include negligent hiring/negligent entrustment, vicarious liability or by assuming liability in a contract. It is important to remember that contractual liability is generally not considered a covered loss in a scenario where a broker agrees to indemnify and hold a shipper harmless,” Ramsey said.

Shawn McLeod, vice president of logistics at Axle Logistics, recommends utilizing carrier-monitoring and risk management services such as Carrier411 and RMIS when selecting carriers to do business with.

“You’ve got to research who’s hauling your freight,” McLeod said. “It’s best to have a couple of good tools on hand to show a holistic view of the carrier. You’ll need to not only know if the carrier still has an authority that’s active, but also if their insurance covers exactly what you need to in terms of cost for the shipment.”

RMIS, or Registry Monitoring Insurance Services, provides transportation brokerages with automated carrier onboarding and compliance monitoring. Its carrier database monitors nearly 98% of all active carriers in North America.

“I also tell my team to review each carrier’s out-of-service percentage,” McLeod said. “If it’s at 20% or less, that’s usually OK. However, I’m not willing to take a gamble on my customers if the percentage is at 25% for one reason or another.”

McLeod also recommends using RMIS to monitor carrier safety ratings to determine whether they’re rated satisfactory, conditional or nonrated. Carrier safety ratings can also be easily accessed by visiting FMCSA’s Safety Measurement System (SMS) website.

However, new motor carriers are granted trucking authority constantly, resulting in a large percentage of trucking companies listed without a safety rating.

Joshua Hoyle, GlobalTranz manager of contracts and carrier compliance, explains: “FMCSA simply doesn’t have the manpower to audit every carrier routinely … . Do you want to use carriers with conditional ratings? If so, are you going to do anything extra — are you going to use them only if they show you what they’re doing to improve the areas of deficiency that the Department of Transportation discovered?

“You also have to determine what you’re going to do with the unrated carriers — all the ones with no safety ratings,” Hoyle continued. “Are you going to use them, or are you going to do anything additional to ensure that that company is reasonably safe?”

It’s one thing for the motor carrier to slip up, but what about the broker?

Freight broker errors and omissions (E&O) insurance addresses liability related to freight broker negligence. This doesn’t mean that it directly insures against bodily injury or damages to cargo and property. Rather, E&O responds up to the limits of a policy for the freight broker’s negligence or errors and omissions involved in conducting business, such as providing wrong information to a carrier that, in turn, results in a claim on a shipment.

“A lot of people new to an industry, as well as veterans, can make mistakes,” Keith said. “I would suggest brokers carry at least $100,000 in coverage getting started, but they can go up to $1 million for most policies to meet contract requirements.”

Other things to consider

Those new to freight should also consider other lines of insurance, including general liability, shipper’s interest, workers’ compensation and cyber liability coverage, among others.

Keith encourages aspiring freight brokers to lean on their insurance provider for advice on what’s needed to enter the industry. He urges them not to shy away from questions they may have, but instead to be inquisitive about the different ways a broker could be held liable in certain situations.

“There seems to be a lot of interest in starting a freight brokerage in the last year or two,” Keith said. “I’d say that it’s a good time to get into the brokerage world if you do it the right way. The insurance costs aren’t too bad at the moment compared to what you can make.”

The post Beyond insurance, carrier vetting crucial to protecting freight brokers appeared first on Commercial Transportation & Trucking Insurance - Reliance Partners.

Being a freight broker can be very lucrative. After completing the freight broker training and entering the industry, a competent freight broker can earn commissions ranging from 6 to 7 figures per deal! Some brokers even go all the way to 8 figures!

How do trucking brokers earn their money?

A freight broker earns between 10% and 35% profit for every shipment that they handle. When starting out, this can be $100 to $500 for every shipment. After gaining some experience and professional networks in the business, trucking brokers get to earn as much as $5,175 per shipment. Seeing as they perform 5 to 10 shipments per day, the total income can be astounding! The freight industry is constantly growing. Therefore, it is a great idea to learn how to become a freight broker with no experience.

Incentives for becoming a freight broker

There are a number of reasons why you should become a freight broker. They are:

• You do not require any experience so as to get started
• The cost of starting up is quite low
• The freight broker industry is currently worth $400 billion and is growing annually
• It is possible to work from home

Here is how to become a freight broker with no experience:

1. Study

The first step to performing this job is to study. It is important to know how the freight industry works before you can begin to perform brokerage in it. You can learn by picking some books and gaining knowledge on how the enterprise operates.

The freight broker training books can inform you about the characteristics of the freight industry, how to find shippers, carriers and agents. They also show you how to transport freight at a cost which is profitable for you as well as the carrier.

Studying also helps you to stay compliant with federal laws and the strategies that you can use to operate your enterprise successfully. This step lasts for at least 3 weeks and costs between $0 and $3,000.

2. Pick out a company name and register your firm

Proceed to pick a name for your company. You can ensure its uniqueness by registering it at the US Patent and Trademark Office. As you do so, select the most appropriate type of entity for your business.

In this step, it is highly recommended to register your business as a corporation (Inc.). The registration can be done at your local business license department.

Having done so, proceed to get your Tax Identification Number from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This process can take up to a month to complete and cost you between $300 and $1,000.

3. Draft a business plan

Perform some market research. After that, create a business plan that incorporates all the information that you have found. Pick a market niche and adjust your marketing strategy to meet its needs. If you can, it is a great idea to hire a business consultant to assist you in drafting the business plan. This process can take an average of 1 month and cost between $0 and $1,000.

4. Identify appropriate trucking carriers

Your reputation as a freight broker depends on the quality of the services that you offer. Identify carriers that provide correct services for your niche and customer base. As you do so, make sure that they are reliable. For you to find partners that are trusted, scour through online repositories. Moreover, you can use your networking skills to gain a portfolio of trucking carriers.

This is a continuous process that is always ongoing as you develop your career as a freight broker. It can cost between $0 and $300.

5. Make an application for a USDOT number and also attain your Broker Authority

For you to operate as a freight broker, you need a USDOT number. You can register for one through an OP- Form.

The registration can be performed at the Motor Carrier Operating Authority. If your application is approved, the FMCSA will send your USDOT number to you. This process normally takes between 20 to 25 days at a cost of $300.

6. Attain a $75K Freight Broker Bond (BMC-84)

This specific bond shows your financial strength and sense of responsibility. The $75K Freight Broker Bond indicates that you can guarantee payment to trucking companies and shippers in case you fail to comply with contract agreements. The BMC-84 requires annual renewal.

7. Invest in some Contingent Cargo Insurance and General Liability

Most shipping companies prefer to deal with professional brokers. To demonstrate professionalism, you need to invest in some insurance. This can be done by buying Contingent Cargo and General Liability Insurance. It provides ample protection for you as a broker.

For you to gain these types of insurance, it is necessary to fill out and submit Form BMC-34 for loss and damage. You also need to fill and submit Form BMC-91 or BMC-91X for property damage, personal injury, and restoration of the environment. This process can take up to 2 weeks.

8. Identify some agents for Service of Progress

In each state that you choose to do some business in, it is necessary to identify some agents. This can be done by filling in and submitting a Form BOC-3 to FMCSA. The process can take 7 days.

9. Invest in some equipment

For you to be a freight broker and work from home, you need some essential equipment. This includes a printer, computer, fax machine, and a photocopy machine. You also need a landline phone, a smartphone, office supplies, and a good Internet connection.

For added efficiency, you can invest in some freight brokering software. Setting up your equipment can take up to 14 days.

10. Pool some initial operating capital

As a freight broker, it is necessary to have some startup capital. This is because you need to pay the truckers for shipment delivered prior to receiving compensation from the shipping company.

There are two main ways of going about this. You can begin by using your own cash reserves or by opening up a line of credit. The latter comes in handy as an emergency fund. This is a same day affair and costs vary.

11. Market your freight brokerage business

This is the last step to becoming a freight broker with no experience. Set up your enterprise marketing strategy. After that, design a superb logo and some branding as well.

Construct a website to show your expertise and portfolio of satisfied clients. Moreover, print out some marketing material and ensure that it has clear coherent wording. Distribute the marketing items and you will be in business! This step takes a minimum of 1 month.

Are you ready to become a freight broker with no experience? Partner with Reliance Partners, the trusted commercial trucking and transportation insurance company, as you embark on this lucrative journey. Our comprehensive insurance solutions, including Contingent Cargo Insurance and General Liability coverage, will support your professionalism and protect your business. Take the leap into the thriving freight broker industry with our reliable insurance backing and build a successful brokerage from the comfort of your own home.

The post How to Become A Freight Broker with No Experience? appeared first on Commercial Transportation & Trucking Insurance - Reliance Partners.

RELIANCE PARTNERS NAMES CHIEF SALES OFFICER AND ANNOUNCES NEW LOCATION IN AUSTIN, TX

Chattanooga, Tenn. – November 19, 2018 – Reliance Partners is pleased to announce the addition of Brandon Richards as Chief Sales Officer and growth into the Austin market.  Richards is a veteran insurance professional with more than 17 years in the commercial transportation insurance space. Brandon’s addition also marks the opening of a new Reliance Partners location in Austin, TX where the agency plans to rapidly expand its team adding 50 employees in the next 36 months.

“Its a big win for our team to have Brandon on board,” says Reliance CEO, Andrew Ladebauche. “Brandon’s insurance and fleet risk management experience will be a key driver to our growth as an agency, especially in the Midwest.”

Prior to his insurance career, Richards served in the US Army for 6 years in Texas, Virginia, Kentucky, and Bosnia. He has been married to his wife Kelly for 19 years, and they are both fitness enthusiasts and enjoy travel, great food, and the outdoors. Kelly and him are active members in Cornerstone Church of San Antonio and also involved in several non-profits.

Reliance was recently featured in Inc Magazine as a member of its 5000 Fastest Growing Privately-Held Companies from 2016-2018, Inc. Magazine’s ‘50 Best Workplaces,’ and in Fortune as one of “America’s Best Workplaces.”

Reliance Partners is one of the fastest-growing commercial insurance agencies in the country. The company has locations in Chattanooga, Tenn., Birmingham, AL, Chicago, IL, Austin, TX, Milwaukee, WI, Vero Beach, FL and Victoria, TX with a national client base largely concentrated in the transportation and logistics space, in addition to a fast growing presence in other lines of business insurance. The company was incorporated in 2009 by a group of individuals with a common goal: to be the best agency in the insurance industry.

To learn more, please visit us:

www.reliancepartners.com

LinkedIn: Reliance-Partners

Twitter: @truck_insurance

Facebook: ReliancePartners

Instagram: @ReliancePartners

The post Reliance Partners Names Chief Sales Officer and Location in Austin, TX appeared first on Commercial Transportation & Trucking Insurance - Reliance Partners.

Collaborative Environment

When society pictures a work environment, cubicles, silence and little employee interaction often comes to mind. Reliance Partners however, values community within the office. Our desks are set up where employees can see surrounding coworkers, providing an efficient yet united feel. Reliance strives to provide an enthusiastic and supportive work environment, collaboration being one of the ways Reliance Partners aims to reach this goal.

Contests

Reliance Partners is always up for friendly competition. Frequently, contests are held to motivate our employees to go the extra mile. We have competitions across departments including everything from monthly group contests on sales volume to Chili-Cook offs that benefits local charities. Competitions whether work-related or simply for fun, give employees a chance to connect with the Reliance process in a fun way. Reliance Partners employees drive one another to reach their full potential and competition is a great way to motivate one another- Reliance Partners knows how to have a good time.

Diversity

Reliance Partners has flags that represent each country in the office. It is an advantage to have a diverse group of employees. More than 40% of employees are bi-lingual, and it is a joy to be surrounded by so many nationalities inside our office space. We come to the same office space every day, but learn stories about life in other countries on a daily basis. There is opportunity to gain multi-cultural understanding at work, which may not be true of all companies.

Reliance Partners makes work feel like more than just a job, rather an invested community striving to reach a common goal: to be the best transportation insurance agency in the United States. Be on the look out for more about work life at Reliance Partners. A video will be published soon and we can’t wait for you to gain insight into the daily life at Reliance Partners.

-Anna Rogers

The post What Makes Reliance Partners a Great Place to Work? appeared first on Commercial Transportation & Trucking Insurance - Reliance Partners.

This ranking considered more than 158,000 employees in the Financial Services & Insurance sector. Great Place to Work®, a research and consulting firm, partnered with FORTUNE to evaluate more than 50 elements of team members’ experience on the job. Comprehensive characteristics were considered: pride in the organization’s community, belief that their work made an impact, and feeling their work has special meaning, to name a few. Reliance Partners took the No. 8 spot on the list.

Great Place to Work® is the global authority on high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures. Through proprietary assessment tools, advisory services, and certification programs, including Best Workplaces lists and workplace reviews, Great Place to Work® provides the benchmarks, framework, and expertise needed to create, sustain, and recognize outstanding workplace cultures. The Best Workplaces in the Financial Services & Insurance is one of a series of rankings by Great Place to Work and FORTUNE based on employee feedback from Great Place to Work-Certified™ organizations. Reliance Partners also was ranked as a Best Workplace in Insurance in 2016 and 2017 by Great Place to Work and FORTUNE.

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RELIANCE PARTNERS RECOGNIZED AS  A TOP WORKPLACE BY INC. MAGAZINE

Chattanooga, Tenn., May 24, 2018 – Reliance Partners has been named on Inc. magazine’s Best Workplaces in 2018, the magazine’s annual ranking in the fast-growing private company sector.

Out of thousands of applicants,  Reliance was one of two companies in Tennessee named to the list and one of five companies in the insurance industry. The company has been recognized by numerous publications for its growth and top work environment and was most recently featured in Inc. Magazine as a member of its 500 Fastest Growing Privately-Held Companies in 2017, Inc. Magazine’s 2017 ‘Best Workplaces,’ and in Fortune as one of “America’s Best Workplaces.”

“We’re honored that our team and Inc. have recognized Reliance as a Best Workplace,” says Reliance Sr. Vice President, Laura Ann Howell. “Our goal at Reliance is to provide and support a road-map to success for every member of the team. Identifying personal and professional goals on the individual level is what makes our collective success as a company possible.”

What does it take to become a company that workers want to be part of? Inc. magazine says it’s more than good pay and good perks – it’s also about having a clear purpose, a sense of humor, and leadership that makes the two work together.

The 2018 Inc. Best Workplaces Awards assessed applicants on the basis of benefits offered and employees’ responses. Survey scores account for employer size to level the playing field between small and large businesses. All companies had to have minimum of 10 employees and to be U.S.-based, privately held, and independent – that is, not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies.

“By including an employee survey into this year’s Best Workplaces selection process, we’ve really raised the bar. Companies that don’t score at the very top of their peer group don’t make the cut. So, our hats are off to the winners. They all excelled at engaging their workers, making them feel appreciated, and aligning them behind a mission. And remember, that’s not just our opinion: The employees told us that themselves,” says James Ledbetter, Inc. editor-in-chief.

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