PARS Celebrates 20 Years in Fleet

PARS just celebrated the completion of its 20th anniversary, and one of the biggest takeaways the organization has observed from reflecting on its time serving the fleet industry is both its consistency and willingness to adapt to the changing times.

Looking back, Lori Rasmussen, CEO of PARS, noted that her father, Jim, who founded the company in 1998, was looking to serve a specific niche in the fleet industry, which it continues to do, and more.

Jim, whose fleet career began with General Motors, saw with PARS an opportunity to offer a unique, professional approach to help corporations and fleet management companies relocate their vehicles. The company began humbly by simply moving vehicles from one location to the next, but as the industry changed, Jim knew that certain unique challenges would arise.

“So, he raised the bar for transport excellence by delivering tailored solutions that fit customers’ unique requirements,” said Rasmussen. “To deliver on that promise, he hired and trained the best people as transport specialists. He also invested early on in systems and technology to drive the business’ unique approach.”

Today PARS serves customer needs related to customer transport, storage, titling, repair, project management and more.

How PARS Evolved

There are three major components that have kept PARS a driving force in the fleet industry to this day, according to Rasmussen, which included being early adopters of turnkey and logistics services; establishing a larger presence in the U.S.; and continuous investment in technology.

PARS was first-to-market in turnkey transportation and logistics services, and also added in-transit and temporary plates, license and title services, DOT services, reconditioning and make-ready, maintenance, recall checks, and vehicle storage, Rasmussen said. Doing so ensured a broader scope of servicing customer needs.

PARS also recently moved to a much larger HQ in Gainesville, Va., due to business growth, and now has 13 offices across the nation. She added the company now has more than 60 employees in its offices and has traveled millions of miles over the past 12 months, and served 900 clients, including most of the fleet management companies.

The company’s continuous investment in technology has also recently driven success in the company’s business, including via its driver mobile app, which connects PARS with hundreds of its drivers and customers, and has enhanced its strategic partnerships. 

“Our customized technology solution helps us build and strengthen customer relationships, a customer portal that gives our customers unprecedented control and real-time decision-making capability, our driver app for detailing every aspect of every vehicle we move, repair, license, or store, our auto recall capability,” said Rasmussen. 

The Future of PARS: Today and Tomorrow

An area of significant improvement over the years for the company has been with its project management capabilities.  

“Our project management team will begin with a walk-thru of the situation with the customer. Is the project the result of a close-out, a re-assignment, a storage need, or all of these issues and more? No matter how complex, our team will recommend the best solution and manage it through completion,” she said.

The company will continue expanding customer project complexity and improving performance expectations. Its aforementioned driver app is helping drive this future.

“Today, our driver application is being used to manage more than 95% of our moves,” she said. “Its advantages point to an ongoing trend for even more detailed and timely information.”

PARS continues to invest in its future to make it a driving force in the industry.

“The end-users’ primary goals - today and tomorrow — are and will be saving time and money,” said Rasmussen. “Our future projects will entail investments in both human and technological resources that keep us at the forefront of the transport and logistics industry.

Originally posted on Automotive Fleet