First Student faced data access and retrieval challenges used to analyze trends to improve operations.
First Student, the largest provider of school bus services in North America, was encumbered with poor data retrieval capabilities and slow turnaround time due to a third-party data storage vendor. They engaged 3Cloud to help migrate its on-premises data warehouse to an Azure environment. The client’s third-party data storage outlet ran on an archaic system – often creating more questions than answers, and was expensive in terms of storage cost. While the data was there, First Student’s ability to access it was ‘less than satisfactory’. Analysts had to request detailed information from a third party, and turnaround took weeks. When analysts did receive the information, they often found it led to more questions, requiring a repeat of the entire process. On top of that, much of the third party’s information had to be discarded because the company did not have an economical way to store it.
Historical data was inaccessible, preventing the company from analyzing trends and accordingly modifying their operations. Additionally, their previous platform lacked visual reporting capabilities to facilitate analysis. First Student needed a viable platform for storing data, one that would allow for easy access and archival.
a MODERN AZURE SOLUTION SOLVES DATA CHALLENGES FOR FIRST STUDENT.
3Cloud engaged with First Student for a modern Azure solution to help streamline the company’s data collection and retrieval procedures, fostering actionable insights. After consulting with the organization’s stakeholders, we migrated First Student to an Azure Data Platform, which empowered them with impressive processing capabilities with maximum efficiency. Azure gave the organization ownership of its data for the first time, giving them almost immediate data access and saving the company hundreds of thousands of dollars annually in storage fees. In addition, 3Cloud enabled them to efficiently forecast safety hazards, eliminating the need for hiring extra personnel.
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Implementing Azure allowed First Student to analyze its compilation of data and gain valuable information, with new insights helping to predict vehicle maintenance, optimize driver routes, and forecast any challenges the company may face.
One impactful benefit from the new system is streamlined driver scheduling. Prior to intelligence upgrades, certain locations paid drivers based on scheduled drive time, rather than actual hours worked. Modern reporting gave insight to the issue, helped the corporation institute consistency, and allowed it to realize a multimillion-dollar annual payroll cost savings.
The previous system was costly, inefficient, and ineffective. The reinvention of the company’s data management system has led to a complete overhaul. With 3Cloud’s partnership and Azure services, the transportation provider now has a viable system for analysis which translates into actionable data. Queries that previously required weeks to resolve are now being completed within hours. The new efficiency has been capitalized, saving the company millions in annual man hours and data storage fees. The insight gained has also facilitated forecasting of any issues in the foreseeable future, further adding to the savings.
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