Logistics and Transportation Companies in South Carolina Can Shift Into High Gear With Motorola Two-way Radios

MOTOTRBO Radios Drive Safety and Efficiency From Dock To Door Across The Palmetto State

Motorola Solutions works with The Kearney Companies, Inc. (KCO) is one of the largest third-party logistics (3PL) providers on the Gulf Coast. Operating from the Port of New Orleans on the Mississippi River, the family-owned company has a rich history of warehousing and 3PL services that spans four generations.

Today, KCO oversees more than 700,000 square feet of rail-served warehouse capacity and over 45 acres of yard capacity in the New Orleans region. From rolled paper to steel products to cotton for export, KCO transports, warehouses and distributes millions of tons of international cargo.

“Every day we move cargo from the Port of New Orleans to eight different facilities,” says David Kearney, President. “As our truck drivers (draymen) transport containers, we need constant communication between our dispatch office, drivers and warehouse locations for large-scale efficiency.”

With the growth in export and import container business through the Port of New Orleans and an increase in drivers that travel outside New Orleans, KCO knew it had to expand radio communications to improve efficiency and customer service. The company quickly embraced the operations-critical benefits of Motorola’s digital technology with MOTOTRBO radios and MOTOTRBO Connect Plus commercial network.

Here Was Their Challenge

Overcome the Limitations of Analog

Real-time communication is imperative to efficiency and safety in the fast-paced 3PL business. Two-way radios unify diverse teams of employees and are the vehicle for a steady flow of information – from driver to driver, driver to dispatch, driver to warehouse, warehouse to customer service, and back.

As KCO grew, it outgrew analog radio technology. The FCC mandate on narrowbanding in January 2013 had reduced the range of the analog citywide commercial network and degraded the quality of the audio. “We were definitely having problems with background noise, static, and hearing two different conversations at the same time,” says David Kearney. “The sound of trucks is very loud and docks have forklift noise, beeping and more. All that is very disruptive when you are in a quiet office trying to communicate with your personnel.”

Eliminate Cell Phone Workarounds

“We discovered our people stopped using their analog radios because of these issues,” Kearney explains. “They started using their personal cell phones or text messaging, both of which are unsafe while driving. They were working around the communication platform we put in place. Aside from the safety issues with cell phones, this was blurring the line between business and personal use.”

Expand Communications as the Company Grows

KCO was also expanding its distribution reach beyond New Orleans to Slidell and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. For years the company rented monthly airtime on the citywide commercial system operated by a local Motorola channel partner. Like many analog systems, the network was being phased out as more businesses embraced the advantages of digital. “We had to scale up from 20 radios to at least 40 initially as we took on more local trucking operations and hired more supervision,” says Kearney. “Motorola’s digital platform certainly makes it a lot easier to add radios and keep all our logistics operations connected. As our business became more regional, we saw the importance of everyone being able to communicate clearly together.”

Here Is Their Solution

MOTOTRBO Digital: The Right Call for the Regional

KCO President, David Kearney, met with the local Motorola partner to discuss the transition to MOTOTRBO Connect Plus, the digital commercial system. This 5-site, state-of-the-art, wide area network connects personnel instantly throughout Southeast Louisiana. The only challenge for KCO was they would have to replace their aging analog radios. After testing MOTOTRBO digital radios for several days on-site, they were impressed with the capabilities of TDMA digital technology. “KCO loved the digital radios,” Weileman recalls. “They were crystal clear and did not have any static.” David Kearney concurs, “We’ve been a partner with Motorola and Tomba for 20 years with radios, but the switch to digital really made it more scalable and made our communications clearer and easy to understand in very loud environments.”

MOTOTRBO Commercial System Goes the Extra Mile

The reach of KCO’s operations meant they needed to communicate not only in warehouses but across southeastern Louisiana. By using radios on a commercial system with affordable monthly airtime, they benefit from the extensive, clear coverage of the MOTOTRBO Connect Plus digital network without the cost of radio licenses, towers and infrastructure. “The citywide commercial digital system here is very good. We don’t have any issues in terms of dead spots, coverage drops and other problems,” says David Kearney. “I’m convinced that with all the hurricanes we face in Louisiana, the MOTOTRBO digital network is very redundant and able to recover more rapidly than the old analog one.”

Switch to Digital Without a Hitch

The transition from analog to digital was seamless according to David Kearney. “Tomba Communications did a great job rolling it over in a day. The process was painless; there was no downtime whatsoever.” Tomba kept KCO on the analog system until the new digital radios were programmed. “Our technicians brought in the MOTOTRBO XPR 7550 portable radios, all charged up and ready to go. They installed the MOTOTRBO XPR 5550 base station for dispatch and swapped out the analog radios overnight, so KCO had continuous communications,” says Wendi Weileman.

Trade-Ins and Flexible Financing Carry Weight

Two factors played a role in helping KCO make the decision to upgrade to MOTOTRBO digital radios. The first was Motorola’s promotion to trade in analog radios and receive a generous credit toward the purchase of MOTOTRBO digital radios. “We were scaling up from 20 radios to 40 and it made no sense to do that on an analog system that was going to be sunsetted. With the discount and financing package, it was a no-brainer,” says Kearney. “By encouraging us to get on digital and making it financially achievable, it was an easy, clean decision.” Second, a flexible financing package made it very seamless. KCO financed their radio purchase with Lease Corporation of America, a Motorola vendor.

What Were The Benefits?

Greater Mobility, Agility, and Collaboration

From the dock to the distribution point, MOTOTRBO digital radios are connecting KCO personnel with real-time communications so they can collaborate more efficiently. As workers move, communication moves with them, so they can be responsive over a wider area. For Kearney Companies and their managers, this means crews are more agile and no longer building-based or operations-specific. “Our ability to talk with managers, customer service, dispatch, truck drivers and warehouse supervisors at the same time has eliminated a lot of our communication problems,” says William Montelius, General Manager of Logistics. “MOTOTRBO radios help everyone know what’s going on throughout our company. Now we have the best communication between all our key people throughout the day at any given moment.”

Excellent Clarity and Increased Safety

As a long-time advocate of radios, KCO knows how crucial they are to safe operations – from draymen hauling loads to supervisors in the warehouse terminals. Unlike cell phones, two-way radios are not restricted by the U.S. Department of Transportation for commercial motor vehicles. “One touch of the radio is very safe compared to a cell phone and the temptations of texting. With the excellent clarity of digital communications, our personnel are using the radios and avoiding cell phones, which for truck drivers is absolutely imperative,” says Kearney.

“The audio – both the clarity and noise-canceling aspect of digital – is substantially better. The quality of the sound is great and the message is clear,” adds Kearney. “Because they are using the radios and not reverting to cell phones, they are communicating safely.”

Easy Scalability Today, and Down the Road

For one of the leading 3PL providers on the Gulf Coast and its fourth-generation owner, being able to adapt to the times is in its DNA. The world is turning digital acknowledges David Kearney, and when companies leapfrog into that technology, they will see strong operational gains, cost savings, and return on investment. “The decision to go digital with Motorola was a no-brainer,” he says. “We’re getting better technology with MOTOTRBO and a more scalable platform for the future. It’s been a simple, clean move and I would encourage everyone to do it.”

TRBOMAX provides wide-area two-way radio coverage from the ports of Charleston and Savannah to Columbia, Greenville, and Charlotte. Find out how our MOTOTRBO TRBOMAX system can improve your communications across South Carolina.

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Orangeburg County School District (OCSD) confronted the problem of securing consistent communication between its bus drivers and school administrators, safety officers, and parents.

When the four school districts in Orangeburg County, SC consolidated in 2019, with the district growing to 31 public schools—elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, along with three career academies—serving more than 13,000 students, Orangeburg administrators faced a number of logistical challenges.

Namely, Orangeburg County School District (OCSD) faced a problem coordinating its bus fleet and communicating with administrators, safety personnel, and parents when delays or incidents occurred on its buses. Located to the southeast of Columbia, Orangeburg County spreads across a large geographic expanse: the county and its schools cover 76 miles from east to west. A bond referendum of $4 million dollars in 2020, which enjoyed overwhelming support from voters, enabled OCSD to make much-needed technology upgrades both in the classroom and to its communications infrastructure. In particular, administrators at OCSD knew they needed to outfit their buses with new mobile radios. Prior to their partnership with Mobile Communications America (MCA), bus drivers had been using their cell phones to communicate critical messages to school administrators.

Simply put, OCSD needed a better way to ensure the safety of students on their buses as they traveled across the county.

Challenges

• Bus fleet not well-coordinated
• Bus delays and incidents are difficult to communicate to staff and parents
• Drivers using personal cell phones

Solutions

Motorola’s MOTOTRBO XPR 5550e Digital Mobile Radios

• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 allow fast and easy communication
• Outstanding coverage in South Carolina
• CapacityMax™ network connects directly to emergency services

Motorola’s MOTOTRBO XPR 7550Two-ways Radios

• Clear two-way voice, video, and data communication
• Push-to-Talk functionality with increased capacity and enhanced features

The TRBOMAX System: Keeping Schools Connected

As Dr. Foster alluded to, having bus drivers use their cell phones to connect with administrators was not only inefficient but, more importantly, it jeopardized student safety. After receiving their bond issue, the Orangeburg school district teamed up with MCA to outfit all the buses in the fleet across their entire district with Motorola’s MOTOTRBO XPR 5550e Digital Mobile Radios.

MOTOTRBO 5550 Mobile Radios offers a number of features that make them the preferred option for school bus fleets across the country. Equipped with integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0, these radios enable bus drivers to communicate with school administrators, security officers, law enforcement officials, and first responders at the push of a button. Part of the TRBOMAX radio system from Motorola, MCA’s radio technology provides the largest coverage area in South Carolina (up to 95%) with its CapacityMax network.

CapacityMax™ is a completely secure multi-site radio network solution, with stations across the Palmetto State. Each site enables thousands of users to communicate without interference across UHF radio frequencies.

Notably, CapacityMax™ is the only radio network that connects directly to emergency services, allowing school personnel to convey critical information to first responders as they travel to the scene of an incident.

The post Orangeburg County, South Carolina School District Case Study appeared first on TRBOMAX.com.

TRBOMAX has added the new MOTOTRBO R7 portable radio to our South Carolina two-way radio system.

MOTOTRBO™ R7 offers game-changing audio capabilities in a rugged, future-ready device. Its advanced audio processing ensures that your communications are loud and clear, while its rugged construction is ready for harsh environments, and advanced connectivity options get your workforce ready for tomorrow.

The MOTOTRBO R7 is available in two models.

MOTOTRBO R7 (FKP)

MOTOTRBO™ R7 is a digital portable two-way radio that offers game-changing audio capabilities in a rugged, future-ready device. This model features a full display.

MOTOTRBO R7 (NKP)

MOTOTRBO™ R7 is a digital portable two-way radio that offers game-changing audio capabilities in a rugged, future-ready device. This model features no display.

Features

Loud and Clear

MOTOTRBO R7 excels where audio communications can be challenging – providing next-level noise cancellation, loudness, and clarity – so your team can hear and be heard anywhere you operate — even in the noisiest environments. MOTOTRBO R7 lets your team hear and be heard the first time — when it matters most, and delivers unprecedented loudness, so your team can hear in any situation.

Connected When It Counts

MOTOTRBO systems combine superior signal strength with the flexibility to customize site coverage, a predictable cost structure built around your needs, the control to decide which features and which devices go on your network, capacity for as many devices as your team needs, and the capabilities to ensure that your team is only a button’s push away

Built To Outperform

MOTOTRBO R7 is tested to meet military standards and built to outperform whatever is thrown it’s way. R7 is intrinsically safe, so you can use it in hazardous environments without the risk of ignition or fire. IP68 and IP66 ratings mean that it’s completely dust-tight and protected from water immersion of up to 2 meters for 2 hours, as well as direct impact from highly pressurized water streams. Even the screen is ruggedized for impact resilience and can withstand multiple drops onto concrete. And R7’s housing material was specially designed for the medical industry to resist disinfectants and decontamination substances.*

Industry Solutions in South Carolina

Education

Schools are a whirlwind of activity. Coordination and communication is critical to ensuring the school day runs smoothly and efficiently. And in an emergency, such as a fight, active assailant or weather event, you need to be able to communicate with your team loud and clear. But the ongoing noise of the school day can make it difficult to communicate – whether it’s the crowded lunchroom, the enthusiastic crowd at an athletic competition, the bustle of students during a passing period, or the sounds of band practice. The MOTOTRBO R7 provides the audio capabilities your team needs to communicate in any situation. Noise cancellation cuts through the din of a bustling school while sharp, clear audio ensures messages come through loud and clear. Backed by the power of our Safety Reimagined ecosystem, team communications are taken to the next level with intelligent audio that ensures your team is heard the first time in loud, confusing or potentially dangerous situations.

Healthcare

Healthcare facilities across the South are facing unprecedented challenges. Beyond historic levels of demand, healthcare remains the top industry for workplace violence. In this highly-charged environment, being able to communicate quickly and clearly is vital to ensuring the safety of all staff, patients, and visitors. During a loud, critical incident your team needs to be able to cut through the noise of a bustling hospital. MOTOTRBO R7 features noise cancellation and customizable site coverage to ensure team members can communicate and be heard clearly wherever they are in your facility, enabling them to get security on the scene quickly. Integration with video security and access control in our Safety Reimagined ecosystem accelerates detection and response times – increasing worker and patient safety throughout your facility.

Hospitality

From casinos and theme parks to stadiums and concert venues, customer satisfaction is the bottom line for the hospitality industry. Ensuring operations run smoothly and efficiently requires constant and clear communication. Yet saturated crowds, cheering fans, loud equipment, and blaring music can all impede your team’s ability to communicate. With MOTOTRBO R7, your team is able to hear over all the noise with cutting-edge noise cancellation capabilities. Powerful speakers ensure clear and loud audio for even the noisiest of environments. Integration with our Safety Reimagined ecosystem increases your technology investment. Personalize your information sharing with communications categories that enable you to instantly connect with specified personnel depending on the level of response needed for a situation within your facility or venue. Or you can easily send critical alerts to all staff – not just security – during an emergency situation. It all comes together to keep your team connected.

Manufacturing

Manufacturing facilities produce enormous amounts of noise. From heavy machinery to continuously operating equipment, workers are constantly surrounded by industrial din. Communicating in this unique work environment can be a challenge due to numerous competing sounds. Your team needs to be able to cut through the clamor to share and receive information on the line. With MOTOTRBO R7, noise cancellation and feedback suppression cuts through the deafening noise of heavy machinery and removes potential interference from nearby radios. The result is clear communications – anytime and anywhere. When crystal clear communications are integrated with video and analytics in our Safety Reimagined ecosystem, operational efficiency is maximized across all functional areas of your plant – creating better and safer outcomes.

Transportation and Logistics

A boom in e-commerce has resulted in skyrocketing activity levels at warehouses across the country. Keeping the line running smoothly requires quick and efficient communications. But being heard in the loud and bustling warehouse environment can be challenging. MOTOTRBO R7 provides the noise cancellation your team needs to be able to be heard above all else. With demand at an all-time high, efficiency and productivity are critical to ensuring customer satisfaction and business success. Being heard loud and clear the first time ensures the line stays moving and isn’t slowed down by potential communication troubles. Harnessing the power of our Safety Reimagined ecosystem, you can maximize your communication investment with critical alerts from your video and access control systems – keeping your team aware and informed at all times.

The post Break Through The Noise With The New MOTOTRBO R7 appeared first on TRBOMAX.com.

WAVE Mobile App Broadband PTT Application

Single App. Multiple Media.

Connect your team throughout South Carolina with greater speed and efficiency with a push to talk over cellular service that has no boundaries.

Turn your phone into a broadband Push-To-Talk (PTT) handset with the WAVE PTX Mobile Application and get instant communication anywhere you have broadband service. Connect your two-way radio system into WAVE PTX and extend talkgroups so that everyone can be part of the conversation, regardless of the device they carry or the network they are using.

Two Modes One Application

Users can select one of two client modes: PTT Radio Mode, which emulates the experience of traditional two-way radio, or Standard Mode which offers full client functionality.

Nothing Is Faster Than PTT

Get the speed and simplicity of two-way radio communication on your smartphone. Communicate and collaborate with individuals or teams at the touch of a button.

Let Everyone Be Part of The Conversation

Smartphone and two-way radio users can join the same talkgroups so the back office and front office are always connected. Keep critical team members connected even when out of radio coverage or off duty.

Increase The Clarity and Speed Of Communication

Not everything can be expressed efficiently with voice. Push text, video, images, and file attachments and ensure everyone clearly gets the message.

Features

PTT Communications – Fast, secure and reliable PTT voice communication at the touch of a button. Collaborate with an individual, predefined group or ad hoc groups created on the fly.

Integrated Messaging – Push text, video, audio, photos and files to individuals or groups. See threaded history for communication details. Store and forward is supported for offline users.

Mapping and Location – Find an address, coordinate a meeting place or share your location with others.

Streaming Video – Optional feature that allows users to share real-time video at the push of a button, increasing communication clarity and improving situational awareness.

SafeGuard Package – add this optional set of 3GPP MCPTT-based features to improve safety, situational awareness, and operational efficiency for all WAVE PTX users.

Real-Time Presence – Set your status and see who is available with real-time presence information – Available, Do Not Disturb or Offline

The post Check Out The WAVE PTX Mobile App appeared first on TRBOMAX.com.

Watch The Official Capacity Max Video

MOTOTRBO Capacity Max builds on Motorola’s extensive real-world experience of trunked radio systems and the latest technology to deliver a scalable solution that’s perfect for your business. With an architecture optimized for high performance, high efficiency, and graceful scalability, Capacity Max can deliver better collaboration and worker safety to your business – whether it’s a single campus or an international operation.

Our South Carolina TRBOMAX system is built on a Motorola Solutions Capacity Max system. Ask for a demo of our system. You need a reliable way to stay in control with crisp, responsive performance.

TRBOMAX is the ideal communication solution in South Carolina for Schools, Transportation Companies, and Manufacturing.

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