How a Specialized Dairy Fleet Improved Safety, Compliance, and Driver Accountability

Phoenix Feeds

Industry: Agricultural Transportation (Dairy Feed & Poultry)
Fleet Size: 30+ trucks, 47 vehicles, 48 trailers
Operating Radius: Up to 200 miles
Locations: Northeast U.S. (including Maine)
Konexial Solutions: ELD, Telematics, AI Dash Cameras, Driver Scorecards. Focusing on agricultural fleet safety and compliance is essential for operations of this size and in this industry.

Phoenix Feeds & Nutrition is a specialized agricultural feed manufacturer serving dairy farms across the Northeast. With customized feed blends tailored to each individual farm, Phoenix Feeds operates a highly time-sensitive delivery model—traveling up to 200 miles per route to ensure fresh, precise nutrition for dairy herds. 

With more than 30 drivers and a growing multi-state footprint, Phoenix Feeds relies heavily on technology to support compliance, safety, and operational efficiency without slowing down daily operations.

The Challenge: Limited Support, Low Adoption, and Incomplete Reporting

Before switching to Konexial, the fleet relied on a large national telematics provider. Drivers were inconsistent about logging in, reporting was unreliable, and the lack of meaningful customer support made it difficult to enforce best practices or gain accurate compliance data—critical for maintaining agricultural fleet safety and compliance. The internal team struggled to pull consistent reports, and leadership lacked confidence in the data they were seeing.

“The only thing they really had was a good tracking app. Other than that, support was terrible,” says Wendell Keithan, Project Manager and Safety Training at Phoenix Feeds & Nutrition.

Key challenges included:

• Poor customer support and limited responsiveness
• Low driver adoption due to login friction and lack of accountability
• Incomplete reporting, making compliance and mileage tracking difficult
• Frustration across management, especially when drivers didn’t consistently use the system

As operations expanded and regulatory pressure increased, the team knew they needed more than just a tracking solution; they needed a partner.  Recognizing that telematics should be an operational asset—not a frustration—Phoenix Feeds began evaluating other providers.

Why Konexial: A Partner, Not a Product

In mid-2022, the fleet connected with Konexial and began working closely with the team starting with onboarding support from one of Konexial’s product specialists, Bryan Tesh.

What stood out immediately was Konexial’s hands-on approach:

• Personalized onboarding tailored to their operation
• Willingness to listen, troubleshoot, and adapt
• A clear commitment to long-term success not just deployment

Unlike previous vendors, Konexial demonstrated a willingness to understand Phoenix Feeds’ unique operating model—including agricultural exemptions, long rural routes, and frequent farm stops. The decision wasn’t just about technology; it was about partnership.

Overcoming Adoption Challenges Through Collaboration

Like many fleets, the biggest hurdle wasn’t the technology, it was change management for drivers.

Drivers were accustomed to minimal interaction with the prior GPS tracking systems, and early adoption was inconsistent. Rather than walking away from the problem, Konexial leaned in. Konexial worked directly with leadership to address the root cause.

“Konexial looked at everything and said, ‘You’ve got a management problem and we can fix that.’ And they were right.” – Wendell at Phoenix Feeds

Konexial leadership collaborated with the customer’s management team to:

• Identify operational gaps
• Align leadership expectations
• Establish clear driver accountability standards

A sixty-day improvement plan was successfully created and executed in under thirty days, meeting all core objectives ahead of schedule due to the team’s dedication and effective strategies.

Through hands-on support, honest conversations, and clear expectations, Phoenix Feeds quickly moved from frustration to confidence. Once drivers consistently logged in and ECM-based mileage tracking was fully implemented, the platform’s impact on agricultural fleet safety and compliance became clear.

The Solution: ELDs, Cameras, and Custom-Fit Compliance

Today, the fleet uses multiple aspects of Konexial’s Geo-Operational platform as a core part of daily operations:

• Konexial ELDs
• In-cab AI cameras
• Driver scorecards
• Automated compliance workflows
• ECM-based mileage tracking

Konexial provided a customized solution, unlike rigid, standard platforms, which was essential for Phoenix Feeds’ agricultural operations, including their many stops and eligibility for short-haul exemptions.

Key operational wins included:

• Automatic on/off-duty status at regulatory mileage thresholds
• Accurate mileage captured directly from the ECM
• Simplified training for new drivers and DOT leadership

The Results: Measurable Safety and Compliance Improvements

Since implementation, Phoenix Feeds has virtually eliminated mobile phone violations and dramatically improved seatbelt usage—two of the biggest safety risks in fleet operations.

Safety Gains

• Near elimination of cell phone usage violations
• Major improvements in seat belt compliance
• Daily video event review for proactive coaching

Risk Reduction

• Camera footage helped protect drivers from unjust penalties
• Video evidence prevented potential license loss

Stronger Trust & Accountability

• Clear expectations across drivers and management
• Confidence in compliance data and reporting
• Reduced friction between leadership and drivers

The Konexial Difference: Real People, Real Partnership

Throughout the journey, the client consistently highlighted Konexial’s people first culture. Phoenix Feeds sees tremendous value in Konexial’s consultative approach and willingness to customize solutions rather than offering a “cookie-cutter” system.

From support staff to leadership, Phoenix Feeds saw Konexial as a true partner invested in their long-term success. Wendell described the team as:

• Honest and direct
• Highly responsive
• Willing to challenge assumptions
• Invested in customer success

Would They Recommend Konexial?

Absolutely. Phoenix Feeds continues to rely on Konexial to simplify compliance, strengthen safety, and support their growing operation—confident they have a technology partner that helps ensure agricultural fleet safety and compliance while caring as much about their success as they do.

“100% I would recommend it. I wouldn’t go to anybody else.” – Wendell, Phoenix Feeds

Advice to other fleet managers:

• Don’t settle for generic solutions
• Look for a provider who will configure to your specific operational needs, not just deploy
• Choose a partner who stands by you when things get tough

Let’s Build a Smarter, Safer Fleet—Together

Phoenix Feeds’ success didn’t come from switching technology alone—it came from choosing a partner invested in their long-term success. At Konexial, we don’t believe in cookie-cutter solutions. We believe in listening, adapting, and delivering solutions and results that matter.

Talk with a Konexial expert to learn how our platform and people can support your fleet.