Advanced Technology Recycling expands fleet, achieves R2v3, RIOS compliance standards

Advanced Technology Recycling LLC (ATR), a Pontiac, Illinois-based IT asset management and disposition (ITAD) solutions company, has expanded its vehicle fleet, which includes two new Dodge ProMaster 2500 cargo vans and one 2020 International Lonestar semitractor.

The company, which has eight facilities located across the U.S., says its dedication to its customers and the environment is at the core of its recent fleet enhancements, with the additions signifying its commitment to:

• Direct asset transfer: By bolstering its fleet, ATR says it can now seamlessly transfer customer equipment, eliminating the need for third-party intermediaries. This ensures a secure and transparent chain of custody, offering customers peace of mind.
• Flexible scheduling: The expanded fleet empowers ATR to schedule customer pickups at their convenience, eliminating reliance on brokered vehicles and associated delays.
• Cost-effective operations: ATR says its decision to manage its fleet in-house reduces its dependence on costly brokered loads, enabling it to offer competitive pricing while maintaining high service standards.
• Community impact: ATR says its fleet expansion contributes to local communities by creating employment opportunities for both semi and box truck drivers, promoting economic growth.
• Scalability: ATR says the new additions provide it with the capability to tackle large-scale projects by leveraging resources from various ATR locations, ensuring successful execution.

ATR says it also is taking significant steps to centralize scheduling and truck movements, adding the project has already demonstrated substantial cost savings. By creating a centralized hub, ATR says it is optimizing asset utilization, reducing emissions and enhancing its customer service.

The centralized model not only streamlines logistics, the company says, but also ensures compliance across all ATR locations, guaranteeing the consistent use and accurate upload of correct paperwork versions. The company says it expects the initiative to save it thousands of dollars annually while reducing its carbon footprint.

By unifying dispatch and fleet maintenance under one roof, ATR says it can enhance vehicle maintenance and repair processes, ensuring trucks are promptly serviced and back on the road. This efficiency extends to rental solutions, minimizing downtime for essential deliveries. Additionally, the company says it intends to stay current with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) requirements and is holding weekly meetings with drivers to address new regulations, discuss driver concerns and ensure safety protocols are being met.

ATR will use Toronto-based Geotab’s fleet management platform, which provides real-time insights and will allow ATR to collect data from vehicle sensors and diagnostics. Geotab also allows for advanced video monitoring, which ATR says will be used via forward and aft-facing cameras and cargo compartment feeds into its vehicles. The video feeds will be centrally monitored.

The company also has announced its transition to the Responsible Recycling (R2v3) and Recycling Industry Operating Standard (RIOS) compliance standards. ATR says the certifications demonstrate its commitment to sustainability, best practices and data security.

In alignment with R2v3 mandates, ATR’s data security procedures include:

• Protection of data-bearing devices: ATR says it prevents unauthorized access or handling.
• Incident reporting: ATR maintains stringent protocols for promptly reporting known or suspected security breaches, ensuring transparency in such situations.
• Employee training and confidentiality: Prior to handling data-bearing equipment, ATR employees undergo rigorous training and adhere to strict confidentiality agreements.
• Annual audits: To validate the effectiveness of its processes, ATR says it conducts annual internal data security and sanitization audits, ensuring compliance with the R2 standard, legal requirements and the data sanitization plan.

ATR adds its commitment extends to R2v3’s data sanitization requirements, including:

• Device separation: A documented method ensures the separation of sanitized devices from those containing data.
• Quality controls: ATR maintains documented quality controls, measuring and verifying the efficiency of the data sanitization process, which is supervised for successful execution.
• Employee competence: Rigorous training and evaluations are conducted to ensure the competence of employees responsible for data sanitization.
• Client confidentiality: ATR says it guarantees no traceable markings are left on client devices.
• Active security monitoring: ATR says it actively monitors and regularly tests the effectiveness of its security measures, including a comprehensive closed-circuit camera system that covers all areas of the facility with a high emphasis on all areas where data-bearing devices are received, stored or passed through.

“Our successful transition to R2v3 and RIOS compliance standards underscores our unwavering commitment to data security and the responsible handling of electronic waste,” ATR Chief Operating Officer Ken Ehresman says. “ATR is dedicated to maintaining the trust of our clients and partners, and this achievement reaffirms our position as a leader in the industry.”