Allied Logistical Services goes 100% paperless and reduces labour costs by £56,000 with Samsara

"We turn over about £6 million a year. We wouldn't be able to run as efficiently as we are without Samsara. I'm a huge fan of Samsara—there's still huge amounts of growth potential."  Simon Chitty, General Manager, Allied Logistical Services

Standout Benefits

• £56,000 saved on labour costs in a year – a 15% reduction 

• 100% paperless operations achieved across entire fleet of 23 tractors and 32 trailers

• BRCGS accreditation improved from A to AA+ through digital compliance

• 8.5 MPG fuel efficiency exceeding customer expectations of 7.5 MPG

• Automated compliance with 28-day tachograph downloads and instant temperature data access

Manual processes hindering growth

Allied Logistical Services operates in the demanding food transport sector, serving major clients including Arla Foods, Sainsbury's, and Muller Milk & Ingredients.

Despite turning over £6 million annually, the company was held back by outdated manual processes that threatened their ability to compete and grow. Despite working across multiple sites, core operational systems weren't connected. Drivers relied entirely on paper, from vehicle defect sheets with hand-drawn damage diagrams to manual trailer tracking on spreadsheets.

"Our drivers would have a bit of paper with an outline of a vehicle and they’d manually draw where the scratches were. It was messy and opened the door to errors, lost forms, and more," explains General Manager, Simon Chitty.

Customer service suffered when enquiries about delivery locations required manual checks with no real-time data. Temperature compliance documentation for food transport took days to process, causing disputes with clients. Damage claims were nearly impossible to verify without witness statements, leading to significant financial losses.

Something had to change, and that’s when Allied Logistical Services reached out to Samsara. 

Digital transformation through integrated systems

Allied Logistical Services took a comprehensive approach, building custom digital workflows that integrated with Samsara's platform to create a fully automated ecosystem.

Vehicle inspections were the first process to go digital. Drivers now use Samsara Documents to photograph all corners of their vehicles and trailers at the start of their shift, creating timestamped evidence that has transformed damage management. 

"When damage is reported, we have an archived timeline we can go through," explains Simon Chitty. Now when another company claims an Allied Logistical Services’ driver damaged their loading bay, there's indisputable evidence to the contrary, which helps expedite insurance claims with clear accountability that resolves disputes quickly.

Compliance became automated through Samsara's tachograph integration. Previously requiring manual downloads every 28 days to meet company rules, the system now handles this automatically.

Samsara’s Asset Gateways also brought real-time visibility to trailer management. By replacing manual spreadsheet tracking with automated reports showing exact locations and dormancy periods. These reports show how long trailers sit idle, enabling better utilisation.

For food safety compliance, Allied Logistical Services developed comprehensive digital workflows capturing every step from pre-collection cleanliness checks to temperature readings and seal verification. All documentation is now automatically time-stamped and location-verified creating an unbreakable chain of custody.

This meticulous documentation helped Allied achieve BRCGS AA+ accreditation, the highest possible rating. "When the auditor saw our processes, it gave them confidence that food hygiene and security was exactly where it needed to be," says Simon Chitty. 

Measurable returns across every metric

The transformation's impact exceeded all expectations. With Samsara, Allied Logistical Services has gone 100% paperless, and saved £65,000 on labour costs in a single year, a 15% reduction in overall spend. 

Rather than pocket the savings, Allied Logistical Services made a strategic choice: they reinvested the cost-savings into pay increases for all staff. This decision improved retention, morale, and ultimately, service quality.

Fleet performance also reached new benchmarks through driver engagement. The Driver App's scorecards track fuel-wasting behaviours like harsh acceleration and excessive idling, turning efficiency into a friendly competition. This gamified approach helped Allied Logistical Services achieve 8.5 MPG—well above the 7.5 MPG their customers budgeted for. Combined with a £100 annual bonus for the safest driver, these incentives drive continuous improvement in both safety and fuel economy.

Temperature monitoring also proved particularly valuable for McDonald's deliveries, which require strict +2°C to +4°C ranges. Previously, any temperature dispute meant expensive callouts and days waiting for data downloads. Now, Environmental Monitors and asset trackers provide instant access to complete temperature histories. "I can track deliveries from the moment refrigeration is switched on," Simon said. This capability has eliminated disputes and strengthened client relationships across the board, which has helped Allied Logistical Services retain more customers. 

Positioned for continued growth

Allied Logistical Services' success demonstrates how mid-sized transport companies can leverage operational excellence as their competitive advantage. Their next goal is eliminating the final manual process—route planning—by the end of 2025. This includes a control centre with screens displaying all live routes, automated customer notifications, and predictive alerts for potential delays.

With Samsara, Allied Logistical Services has shown that investing in technology and people delivers the best results and gives them an edge over their competitors. In the future, the haulage giant hopes to continue educating its drivers on ways to reduce fuel consumption, efficiency, and increase overall safety performance.