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About

Transportation Profitability Group

 

The Transportation Profitability Group was founded in 1986 by Robert Sullivan.

 

TPG is a software development company and markets TPG’s premier software package the TPG Capacity Based Costing System to LTL carriers. The TPG system is the only costing system specifically developed for the LTL industry that has the capability to measure capacity and capacity utilization in pickup and delivery, dock, and linehaul operations.  The TPG system is the only costing system that factors in the value of unused capacity to the carrier in the costing/pricing process. This makes more market share available to the carrier.

 

Most carriers cost themselves out of market share because traditional cost based and activity based systems cannot measure capacity and capacity utilization. They assume the carrier is operating at 100% capacity and nothing could be further from the truth. The capability to measure capacity and capacity utilization makes the TPG system unique and is a competitive advantage for the LTL carrier.

 

The market is extremely competitive and with the uncertainty of the cost of fuel, it has never been more important for the LTL carrier know their true cost and true profitability of a customer’s shipments. Because the TPG costing system removes operating inefficiencies and non-related cost from the costing process the carrier can make costing and pricing decisions with confidence.

 

The carrier runs the risk of leaving business they should be handling out in the market because they over-cost it.

 

The TPG team is constantly looking for ways to provide carriers with tools to help leadership better understand their costs and how profitability changes with a change in volume and output.

 

TPG was designed not to just cost shipments and customers for the carrier, but to provide leadership with a complete solution to improve both profitability and productivity.

 

The TPG IT department is always ready to assist their clients with custom solutions for each carrier because each carrier is different. Just ask our clients. They will confirm that.

 

Founder Robert Sullivan is so passionate about helping leaders better understand their costs and how to leverage that knowledge to build a competitive advantage over the competition he authored two books that are really courses in profitability and productivity. He authored his first book in 2004; “The Formula…Building Competitive Advantage” and created a workbook to accompany the book. In 2016 Robert’s second book, “The LTL Carrier’s Profitability Blueprint” was released. Being the old coach he is and keeping with tradition he also created an accompanying workbook for this book as well.

The Transportation Profitability Group was founded in 1986 by Robert Sullivan.

Meet Robert Sullivan
Robert Sullivan, CEO

rsullivan@tpgrs.com | Phone: 770-316-2909

Robert began his transportation career at Southeastern Freight Lines in Columbia, South Carolina holding several leadership positions in his 15-year tenure. He began his career at Southeastern as a dockworker and pickup and delivery driver.

 

He left Southeastern in 1986 and founded Effective Management Systems, Inc. Robert has held the position of interim President, Interim COO in an LTL turnaround, Interim Executive VP of an LTL Division turnaround and C- level position in charge of Business Development for an LTL carrier. Robert has completed work at the Wharton Business School in the areas of Competitive Advantage, Strategic Alliances and Organizational Effectiveness.

 

He developed a Capacity Based Costing System designed to assist leaders and companies in improving profitability and productivity. He also works with leaders on strategy and tactics to improve profitability and productivity. The Formula is very simple! Grow your revenue and absorb with capacity already in place. Robert developed a Performance-Based Incentive Compensation program, used by several carriers today, tied to his Profit Improvement software package. He also developed a Management Trainee Program.

Robert proudly served his country with 30 months in Vietnam.

 

The Institute of Management Consultants certified him as a CMC (Certified Management Consultant).

Robert is the author of two books written specifically for the LTL industry. His first book titled “The Formula…Building Competitive Advantage” provides strategic and tactical direction for the trucking industry, specifically the LTL (Less than Truckload) carrier. There is an accompanying workbook. Robert’s newest book, released in April 2016 titled, “The LTL Carrier’s Profitability Blueprint” provides leaders of an LTL carrier a Blueprint on how to build long-term, sustainable profitability and improve productivity in operations. A workbook also accompanies this book.

 

Published in Transport Topics and CCJ (Commercial Carrier Journal) several times; Robert also speaks on the subject of LTL Profitability and productivity and the art of Building Competitive Advantage.

 

Additionally, Robert has sat on the Board of Directors of several Regional Carriers.

Robert is a licensed commercial, instrument and multi-engine pilot airplane and is a licensed Helicopter Pilot. Robert is also a former college football coach and understands the importance of developing people and implementing winning game plans.

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The LTL  Carrier's Profitability Blueprint
by: Robert Sullivan
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Most companies I work with are “managing by thrashabout,” as I call it. They are in this mode not because they cannot solve their problems, but because they cannot see their problems. They cannot see their problems because they are using outmoded traditional costing methodologies and cost-control methodologies.

The LTL Carrier’s Profitability Blueprint provides the LTL carrier with a an outline and a plan of action that will allow the leadership of a company to better understand their company and its costs and build long-term, sustainable profitability into their organization, eliminating “management by thrashabout.”

Leadership is the key! With the knowledge and confidence gained from reading and understanding the principles and concepts of the blueprint, leaders will be able to achieve at a higher level within their organizations.

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by: Robert Sullivan
The Formula: Building Competitive Advantage
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Robert’s first book explores the area of building competitive advantage. A position every management team desires over its competition. To create a competitive advantage a carrier must develop capabilities that are unique, applicable to a wide range of markets, and difficult to replicate. Robert guides the reader in understanding what a competitive advantage is and how to create a competitive advantage over your competition. The good news is once you gain a competitive advantage based on the three elements above you keep it for a long time!

 

A must read for a leader is Chapter 2, The Barrier of Complexity. Readers have commented to Robert that he must have wrote that chapter for them because it described their situation perfectly.

 

The Formula also has a workbook for the reader to self-teach.

© 2019 Transportation Profitability Group

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