Based in Mississauga, Ontario, Stephenson’s Rental Services is one of Canada’s leading construction equipment rental providers, delivering reliable equipment to support General Contractors, Residential Builders, and Skilled Trades.
With a commitment to helping its customers succeed, Stephenson’s continually evolves to meet new challenges in the industry. As customers increasingly demanded smarter, data-driven solutions to optimize their equipment usage, Stephenson’s recognized the need to move beyond traditional rental operations and offer a deeper level of value.
Partnering with Trackunit, the company adopted telematics technology to capture better machine insights, transform its fleet operations, and most importantly–enhance its customer experience.
Douglas De Mendonca, Fleet Director at Stephenson’s Rental Services, says that this shift was driven by increasingly sophisticated customer needs. “Our customers are looking for more insights on the equipment—its location, how it’s being used, and how much it’s being used,” says De Mendonca. “This can save them money by optimizing utilization.”
With the implementation of cutting-edge IoT devices and Trackunit Manager as a central hub, Stephenson’s began reshaping its operations, delivering exceptional customer value while improving its bottom line.
Managing a fleet spread across multiple sites came with its share of problems. Before implementing any telematics, Stephenson’s was challenged with operational blind spots that impacted both its internal processes and customers.
“We can see what’s happening when the equipment is in our possession, but it gets really tricky when it’s not. And most of the time, it’s on a customer’s site,” says De Mendonca. Limited visibility also made preventative maintenance difficult, as accurate run-hour data was unavailable.
“Knowing run hours is critical—it lets us peek at equipment and send out road mechanics to do preventative maintenance.”
In addition, equipment issues often required dispatching a mechanic to investigate on-site, leading to delays. “Hopefully, with telematics, we can eliminate a lot of site calls by troubleshooting remotely,” he adds.
These challenges created a pressing need for real-time fleet data and proactive management tools.
Trackunit Manager proved to be a step forward for Stephenson’s Rental Services, offering a centralized platform to track, analyze, and act on fleet data. The platform streamlined several key aspects of fleet management, improving both operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.
One immediate benefit was the ability to track equipment location with precision. “Some customer sites are huge, so finding where a piece of equipment is definitely helps,” says De Mendonca.
Proactive health monitoring and alerts also allowed the team to address issues like overheating or excessive run hours before they escalated. “Being able to look at a piece of equipment and know there’s going to be a problem before it’s too late helps us be proactive,” he says.
Perhaps most impactful was the utilization data that Stephenson’s can use to support customers in optimizing their fleet size.
“If a customer sees they only need three machines instead of four, that’s real savings,” says De Mendonca. “We’re looking at long-term relationships, which means our customers need to win as well.
“They’re looking at us in a more consultative manner now and that’s how we‘ve built long-standing, healthy relationship,” he adds. “Trackunit has helped change the conversation with our customers.”
By helping customers reduce costs while improving efficiency, Stephenson’s solidified its role as a trusted partner.
“Being able to look at equipment and know there’s going to be a problem before it’s too late helps us be proactive.”
Trackunit Manager combined with advanced telematics delivered immediate, tangible benefits to Stephenson’s operations. Theft recovery was one of the first major wins, as the ability to track equipment location proved invaluable in recovering stolen assets.
“Unfortunately, theft is common in our industry,” says Stephenson’s fleet director. “With Trackunit, we’ve had a lot of good wins recovering stolen equipment.”
Proactive maintenance was another area of significant improvement. By remotely monitoring run hours, the team could schedule service calls at the right time, avoiding costly breakdowns. “Even small wins, like knowing exactly when to service equipment, prevent major issues like a generator failure,” he says.
These operational efficiencies also enhanced customer service, as real-time data often allowed issues to be resolved remotely, reducing downtime and unnecessary site visits.
One of the most significant changes brought about by telematics was the ability to provide customers with greater visibility into equipment performance and usage. This transparency became especially valuable during challenging conversations.
“When we’re having difficult discussions about equipment issues or usage, having the actual proof—minute by minute—gives customers confidence,” says the fleet director. “It’s all about transparency.”
By offering this level of detail, Stephenson’s strengthened customer trust and reinforced its reputation as a reliable partner.
As sustainability became a priority for customers, Stephenson’s leveraged Trackunit Manager’s Emissions Reporting application to meet these demands. “Emissions weren’t even on the radar when we started, but now it’s a big topic,” says De Mendonca. “Customers can access emissions data through the Stephenson’s EasyLink portal, which helps them manage their environmental impact more effectively.”
This data also prompted Stephenson’s to explore alternative equipment options, such as battery-powered machines, enabling them to support both its own and its customers’ environmental goals. “The data challenges us to find alternatives,” the fleet director explains. “That’s only possible because we have emissions data.”
Trackunit’s commitment to Stephenson’s success extended far beyond the initial implementation. De Mendonca highlighted the exceptional level of support. “Trackunit was there from the beginning, helping with fleet retrofitting and integration,” he says. “What I didn’t expect was how involved they’d remain. Trackunit is constantly helping us improve and take things to the next level.”
This partnership has empowered Stephenson’s to stay ahead of industry trends and exceed customer expectations.
The integration of Trackunit Manager has delivered measurable results for Stephenson’s:
“If my equipment is down, I can’t put it out on rent,” says De Mendonca. “Trackunit helps us avoid those pitfalls, which directly impacts both our and our customers’ bottom lines.”
Interested if Trackunit can help your operations? Request a demo with one of our experts.
For Stephenson’s Rental Services, telematics is more than just a tool—it’s a transformative strategy. By integrating Trackunit Manager, it’s turned fleet management into a competitive advantage, delivering value to its customers while optimizing operations and embracing sustainability.
“Data is everything to us. It’s like flying a plane with a dashboard—without it, you’re guessing,” says De Mendonca. “With Trackunit, we have the visibility to make informed decisions and deliver exceptional value to our customers.”
As its partnership with Trackunit evolves, Stephenson’s continues to raise the bar in the rental industry, proving the power of data-driven fleet management.
Stephenson’s Rental Services is a premier Canadian provider of construction equipment rentals, serving General Contractors, Residential Builders, and Skilled Trades. With a network of 24 locations operating in the provinces of Quebec, Ontario, and Alberta, Stephenson’s offers a comprehensive range of equipment and merchandise, from General tools, Scaffolding, Edge protection and Fencing, Light and Heavy Earthmoving, Power, and Aerial equipment. Headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, the company is dedicated to delivering innovative, cost-effective, and safe solutions, ensuring customer success across Canada. They have been in business for over 70 years and continue to be Proudly Canadian!
Founded: 1954
Headquarters: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Size: Approximately 725 employees
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