L&F Distributors is an Anheuser-Busch beer distributor with a large, fast-moving operation. Their team is out in the field every day, delivering products, managing accounts, and keeping shelves stocked.
With 5 locations to manage and more than 500 drivers on the road at any given time, their operation depends on coordination, visibility, and trust across teams.
The Challenge: Too Much Complexity, Not Enough Visibility
Before making a change, L&F was dealing with a system that just didn’t scale with their operation.
Managing a large fleet came with constant demands. Maintenance, registrations, buying and selling vehicles, reporting. It all fell on a small group of people to keep everything running.
Fleet Manager Phil Underwood describes what that looked like day to day:
“Our biggest challenge before Cardata internally was overall our fleet. There was a lot of maintenance that we had to keep, many registrations, and vehicles that we had to buy and sell.”
According to Angela LeMantia, Assistant Fleet Manager, the reporting experience was also a challenge, because it was slow and manual. Pulling data, building reports, and reviewing every unit took time that could have been spent elsewhere.
“I would dig through the data, pull up my reports, get them submitted, and I was in charge of looking over every unit… there’s no way I could know all of that,” says Angela.
After moving away from a traditional fleet model, L&F partnered with another vendor. But that solution quickly introduced a new set of challenges.
According to Angela, the experience was just as frustrating. Their system lacked flexibility and didn’t adapt to the way their team actually worked. Even small changes became difficult to manage.
“We did not fit their little Lego blocks. So, we were stuck in the old ways unless we wanted to change,” explains Angela.
Even basic support was hard to access.
“An employee was having trouble with the app, and we could not get customer service on the line to help.”
The Search For Something Better
L&F knew they needed a solution that could actually fit the way they worked.
They started exploring options, speaking with references, and looking for something that felt easier for both managers and drivers.
“We found Cardata by a quick search on ChatGPT. When we chose Cardata, it was because we reached out to several different references and they came highly recommended.”
For Phil and his team, one thing stood out right away.
“We chose Cardata because the app was very easy to use and we tested it amongst our employees and they preferred it over what we were previously using.”
The Shift: Simpler Systems, Better Control
Once Cardata was in place, things started to change quickly.
Instead of one person trying to manage everything, responsibility could be distributed to the people who actually knew the routes and day-to-day work.
“After Cardata, we were able to give people the responsibility who actually knew what those routes were supposed to look like. So there is less weight on me.”
Managers also gained real-time visibility into their teams without adding extra work.
“If I need to know during the day where they’re at, I can always go look for them online and see where they’re actually at… it’s easier to find my guys when I need to find them.”
And for drivers, the experience felt more natural.
There were no cameras. No complicated systems. Just something that worked.
According to Phil, “People like the privacy of not having a camera. They’re more comfortable in their own car. They like the privacy and convenience and they generally just like the program.”
The Impact: Better Data, Happier Teams
One of the biggest improvements came from reporting.
Before, data was unreliable and hard to trust. Now, it’s accurate and easy to share across the business.
“The most impactful changes will be the reports… now we can go ahead and determine and send those reports to all of the regionals… and they’re able to accurately say where our employees were and how we are helping them.”
That visibility made it easier to improve operations over time, not just manage them. At the same time, drivers felt the difference in their day-to-day work.
“Our drivers love Cardata. They get to start their day, clock in, go to their accounts… they are 80% out in the market rather than here in the warehouse.”
Less time inside. More time doing their jobs. And when the day is done, they’re done.
“After they’re done, they clock out and get to go home to their families.”
The Results That Matter Most
For Phil, the biggest win comes down to two things: cost savings and confidence.
“The thing I’m most proud of since we moved to a Fixed and Variable Rate (FAVR) program is the money we’re saving.”
There are also fewer incidents to deal with, which reduces stress across the board.
“Less wrecks and accidents we have to deal with.”
But more than anything, it’s about having the right support system in place.
“What gives me the confidence is the team that surrounds me and I include Cardata as part of that team.”
Ready To See What This Could Look Like For Your Team?
L&F Distributors made the shift to a simpler, more scalable way to manage driving for work. The result is better visibility, less administrative weight, and a program their drivers actually like using.
If you’re managing a large team on the road and running into the same challenges, it might be time to take a closer look at alternative options.
Talk to Cardata
