The center of AWI Transportation operations is located in Robesonia, PA on 27 acres of land behind the AWI Robesonia Distribution Center.  The modern Transportation Center houses the Transportation offices and dispatching functions as well as a drivers' return center, truck washing bays, a fleet maintenance shop and a fuel island.  Trucks returning to Robesonia pass through the fuel island as their first stop in the return process.  During the fueling operation of the tractor and reefer unit simultaneously, the tractor and trailer go through an intensive fluids check - oil, anit-freeze and windshield wiper fluid check.  All lights are checked for DOT operation and all tire pressures are checked.  This whole process takes less than 3 minutes per rig with three bays of operations. 

The driver then backs into the Drivers Return facility where he off loads any returned product, pallets, cardboard and/or totes returning to the facility.  This product and delivery equipment is loaded onto proper temperature controlled trailers on the other side of the dock which is later returned to the Distribution Center.   Any maintenance problems with the tractor or trailer are reported at that time and the units needing maintenance are staged at the fleet maintenance facility for attention.  The driver then drops his trailer in an assigned parking pad for later movement by yard jockeys to the Distribution Center for loading and parks the tractor in the assigned tractor parking slot. 

All AWI tractors have on-board computers that track all movements and locations of the tractor while on a trip.  Trip information is downloaded at the time of dispatch on a driver electronic key to transfer to the on-board computer in the tractor.  Information from the trip is then transferred back to the master computer in Transportation on the return of the driver by the same process.  In addition, if there is a need to determine a location of a truck, the truck can be "pinged" to determine the location.  The location of a successful "ping" is illustrated on a map showing the exact location of the truck at that time. 

AWI offers static trips, trips assigned by day to all stores receiving a delivery that day.  Stores have assigned delivery schedules that remain in place from week to week unless there is a need for change.  Holiday delivery schedules are published six weeks in advance of a holiday week. 

Retailer orders billed each day flow down into the Load Building section of our Warehouse Management System (Triceps) and attach to their respective loads.  Transportation analysts review this information to make sure the cube and weight are appropriate for the loads.  At times, loads are too large and have to have product overflowed to other loads that are most likely in the same area of the stores in excess of what will fit on a load.  This re-routing process takes place at the Transportation Center before the orders are released for selection and loading at the Distribution Center. 

Over 30% of our returning trips return with product, or "backhauls".  AWI has been very successful offsetting Transportation expenses by hauling our own inbound product for distribution.

 AWI is very proud of our drivers and their commendable safe driving record.  You will find AWI drivers to be extremely professional and helpful in the delivery process.  They are very conscientious and professional in dealing with the vastly different retail locations serviced by AWI.