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How JL Shandy Nearly Doubled Their Fleet Size
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“We used to spend all day on billing. Now it’s 30% faster and way more consistent."
Shane Crotty
JL Shandy’s story began in 1991, when experienced dispatcher and trucking industry veteran Jack Crotty and his wife Lynn set out to create a company that combined the reliability of a large fleet with the personalized service of a family-owned business.
Over the years, JL Shandy earned a reputation across the Midwest for delivering freight quickly, efficiently, and safely. They became a leader in transporting specialized steel and metals. But by 2019, as industry pressures and customer expectations were shifting, the JL Shandy team knew they needed to invest in meaningful changes in order to scale.
Shane Crotty, son of Jack and Lynn, stepped in during this time to support an evaluation of the company operations. At the time, JL Shandy was relying on a system that wasn’t keeping up with the demands of their fast-paced dispatch environment.
“Our system before Toro was just too clunky for the load volume we manage,” Shane said. “We needed something faster and more flexible.”
That’s when JL Shandy turned to Toro.
“Toro became a big part of our tech transformation,” Shane shared. “Toro’s dispatch for us is a lot more streamlined. A lot of our day-to-day tasks can be done in a simpler way.”
The JL Shandy dispatch team manages over 100 orders a day even on a “slow day” – and Toro’s platform helps them keep things running smoothly.
One major improvement came with Toro’s order templates, which the dispatch team uses regularly to process repeat order volume. With a large roster of established customers, Toro’s templates allow the JL Shandy team to quickly generate and replicate standard loads, saving time and eliminating manual data entry.
The result? JL Shandy’s back office now runs leaner, faster, and with significantly less friction – freeing up time and focus for what truly sets them apart.
With more operational bandwidth, JL Shandy doubled down on supporting the people who move the freight: their drivers.
Driver recruiting and retention are industry-wide challenges, so Shane and team put energy into creating a driver-first culture. The company introduced consistent driver check-ins, provided branded Yeti mugs, and launched an annual driver picnic at the apple orchard – a highlight for drivers and their families.
“The drivers love the picnic. They bring their families and friends, and it’s a really fun event,” Shane shared. The result has been stronger driver engagement, higher retention, and an impressive referral pipeline: today, over 90% of JL Shandy’s new drivers come from driver referrals.
By investing in a modern, agile tech stack with Toro TMS and putting drivers and customers at the center, JL Shandy has achieved exciting growth. Since 2019, the company has nearly doubled its fleet size – a milestone driven by smarter, faster operations and a people-first culture.
This transformation didn’t just improve efficiency; it created a scalable foundation rooted in trust, transparency, and teamwork – allowing JL Shandy to grow without compromising the values that set them apart.