Introducing Royal Plus Disaster and Recovery
Royal Plus Disaster and Recovery is a national disaster cleanup company specializing in hurricane recovery, fire restoration and other emergency services.
With locations across Texas, Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, and Maryland, Royal Plus operates a large fleet of over 300 vehicles and a wide range of equipment.
The Challenge
Managing a distributed fleet and diverse equipment presented significant challenges for Royal Plus. They relied on paper-based documentation and Excel spreadsheets, which often led to delays, inefficiencies, and a lack of real-time data.
With an extensive array of cargo vans, pickup trucks, box trucks, tractors, straight trucks and sedans — plus various pieces of equipment — this was a tall task. Key issues included:
- Maintenance data slipping through the cracks
- Time-intensive manual data entry
- Limited visibility into asset condition
- Compliance risks with DOT and other regulations
As Fleet Operations Manager Kevin Newman explained, “Before Whip Around, it was difficult to stay on top of maintenance and inspections. Paperwork often got lost or delayed, especially with assets spread across multiple states.”
The Solution
Royal Plus implemented Whip Around to digitize their fleet and equipment management, starting with vehicles and expanding to include other assets such as generators and light towers.
Key features they leveraged include:
- Custom maintenance forms: Drivers and operators use tailored forms for assets like generators to document maintenance, complete with photos for clarity and accountability.
- Wallet feature: They centralized critical documents such as inspection records, registrations, insurance cards, and even DOT medical certificates for easy access.
- Real-time data: Inspections and maintenance updates now feed directly into the platform, eliminating the need for middlemen and ensuring comprehensive fleet visibility.
Simply put, it’s all made running the fleet easier.
“With the generators, for example, we use maintenance forms to make sure people are physically doing the inspections and maintenance,” Newman said. “That means taking photos of things like engine oil or any issues that might be found, documenting those things so we can quickly go back to confirm if they were corrected or not.”
Seeing this success, Newman has expanded Whip Around to help manage light towers, trailers, mobile command units and other pieces of equipment that are critical to operations.
The Results
Since adopting Whip Around, Royal Plus has seen notable improvements.
Increased efficiency: Streamlined inspections and maintenance quickly led to noticeable time savings.
“Our maintenance forms require the drivers to walk all the way around the vehicle, and initially that took about 20 minutes,” Newman said. “With Whip Around now most people are cutting it to 15 minutes, and many even to 12 minutes.”
Improved organization: The Whip Around Wallet feature has centralized documentation, reducing the risk of misplaced or outdated information.
“Sometimes stuff was slipping through the cracks,” Newman said. “We put a lot of information into Wallet — insurance cards, updated registration, maintenance inspection details, invoices from third-party mechanics. For drivers, we get a digital copy of their DOT medical certificate in there. It’s so easy and convenient.”
They’ve seen the impact in other ways, too:
- Enhanced compliance: Digitally accessible records and real-time updates have strengthened DOT compliance and preparedness for audits or inspections.
- Cost savings: Early detection of maintenance issues, like low oil levels, has helped prevent costly repairs and downtime.
Royal Plus continues to explore additional Whip Around features, such as work orders and inventory management, to further enhance their operations.
Looking ahead
As Royal Plus integrates Whip Around across more assets and locations, they are positioned to continue improving operational efficiency and compliance. With a focus on digitization and innovation, Royal Plus demonstrates how Whip Around can transform fleet and equipment management for disaster recovery companies and similar.
Ready to streamline your fleet operations like Royal Plus? Book a demo today to learn more.
