Start here1-2 weeks
Operations Assessment
Walk-the-floor diagnosis, written report, priority order, timeline, and quote for fix work.
- SBA-Certified VOSB & SDVOSB
- Veteran-Owned
- Colorado Springs
Your fuel operation runs because of one person.
That is the problem.
Operations consulting for petroleum companies: fuel distributors, bulk plants, cardlocks, transport arms, and hazmat haulers. When dispatch, fleet and DOT compliance, paperwork, and critical knowledge depend on too few people, I embed, document the work, remove the friction, train the team, and leave the operation running without me.
No pitch. No pressure. We talk, and I will tell you if I can help.
The problem
You are not short on effort. You are short on structure.
You cannot take a day off
The operation keeps moving because you keep touching every problem. That is not leadership. That is a single point of failure.
The truth is scattered
Texts, paper, spreadsheets, inboxes, driver files, and one person's head. Nobody has the full picture until something breaks.
The tools are not helping
You pay for too many systems and still cannot see dispatch, safety, compliance, and cost in one usable view.
Remove the single-person bottleneck
Before
Calls, email, paper, and sheets
One person holds the process
Late updates and rework
After
One entry point
Shared records with a clear owner
Visible status and handoff
The fix
I embed, fix the system, and hand it back.
I work inside the operation for as long as the fix takes. I map the process, clean up the handoffs, build the documents, train the team, and remove the tools you do not need. When the work is done, your operation should not need me in the middle.
That is a promise about people, not about vendors. No single person, me included, should be the reason the operation runs. Whether you keep working with True North Data Strategies afterward is a separate decision, made on the value of the service and written into an agreement you can end. Independence from one person is the standard. Choosing to continue with a company is not the same thing.
Step 01
Shadow the operation
I show up where the work happens. Office staff, dispatch, field crews, and the people who know what is actually broken.
Step 02
Map the friction
I document where information lives, where it breaks, what gets dropped, and which tools are creating more work.
Step 03
Build the handoff
You get written priorities, SOPs, training, and a fix plan your team can use after I leave.
Service ladder
Start with an assessment. Fix the highest-risk failure first.
Single automation1-2 weeks
Single Automated Workflow
One scoped automation that removes one recurring manual bottleneck and includes handoff docs.
Single fix1 month
Department Embed
One department, one focused operational problem, one usable handoff.
Multi-dept3-6 months
Operation Embed
Cross-department cleanup for dispatch, compliance, paperwork, reporting, and tool sprawl.
Full rebuild6-12 months
Deep Embed
Full operating rhythm rebuild for companies that need structure across the whole shop.
Light supportMonthly, after a build
Sustain
Up to 10 hours a month of support on what I built, with next business day response, often sooner.
ManagedMonthly, after a build
Managed Operations
10 to 12 hours a month, same-day response on urgent issues, compliance document upkeep, and a quarterly review.
PriorityMonthly, after a build
Managed Operations Plus
12 to 20 hours a month, capped, a 4-hour response on urgent issues, and a monthly review.
Who I work with
Petroleum and regulated field operations where misses get expensive.
Fuel distribution
Route pressure, documentation, compliance exposure, and thin margins.
Bulk plants & cardlocks
Several sites, inventory and inspection records, and paperwork spread across too many places.
Hazmat transport
Training records, shipping papers, audits, and high-consequence misses.
Fleet & DOT
Maintenance, driver files, inspections, utilization, and cost visibility.
Dispatch
Handoffs, schedule changes, missed information, and too much work living in chat threads.
Safety & training
Rules everyone knows until the one day nobody follows them, and knowledge stuck with the strongest operator instead of built into the team.
Try it yourself
Build your stack. Then hand it to someone who builds it.
The Build Studio is a free, no-login sandbox. Pick the operational tools your business actually needs, watch each one run on sample data, and send your blueprint straight to a human at True North. No account. No sales call. No catch.
Running off-road equipment in Colorado? The free off-road diesel tax check (opens in a new tab) shows what dyed diesel would save and how much tax already paid may be recoverable. Estimates only; your CPA files any claim.
Frequently asked questions
These are the questions most owners ask before they decide whether the first move is an assessment, an embed, or a smaller scoped fix.
What does True North Data Strategies do?
True North Data Strategies embeds with small and mid-sized petroleum and regulated field operations to fix processes, build SOPs, consolidate tools, train teams, and hand the operation back running. Jacob Johnston focuses on petroleum operations first, including fuel distributors, bulk plants, cardlocks, and petroleum transport, and on the fleet, DOT, dispatch, hazmat, safety, and training work around them.
What industries does True North Data Strategies serve?
TNDS serves petroleum operations first: fuel distributors, bulk plants, cardlocks, petroleum transport, and hazmat haulers. It also serves fleet operations, DOT and FMCSA-regulated carriers, dispatch operations, safety-heavy trades, and training organizations that need better operating structure.
How much does an Operations Assessment cost?
An Operations Assessment is a paid 1-2 week engagement priced at $2,500 to $5,000 flat. It ends with a written priority order, timeline, and quote for any follow-on fix work. If you sign a build within 90 days, the full assessment fee credits toward it.
Is Jacob Johnston a veteran-owned business owner?
Yes. True North Data Strategies is SBA-certified VOSB and SDVOSB. Jacob Johnston is a 20-year U.S. Army veteran, Airborne Infantry, Bronze Star recipient, and service-disabled veteran.
What is the difference between a Department Embed and an Operation Embed?
A Department Embed targets one department for one month at a fixed fee. An Operation Embed runs across multiple departments for 3-6 months when the whole shop needs a steadier operating rhythm.
Does True North Data Strategies offer support after the embed?
Yes. Three managed tiers keep the work running after the build: Sustain ($1,500 to $2,500 per month, up to 10 included hours), Managed Operations ($2,500 to $4,500 per month, 10 to 12 hours), and Managed Operations Plus ($4,500 to $7,500 per month, 12 to 20 hours, capped). A response time means acknowledgement and triage within the window, not a finished fix. Unused hours do not roll over, and enhancements are quoted as separate work.
Where is True North Data Strategies located?
True North Data Strategies is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado and works both remotely and on-site by arrangement.
Ready to talk?
Stop guessing. Start seeing.
Fifteen minutes on the phone. You tell me what is going on. I tell you if I can help. No obligation, no sales deck.
Why this is different
Operator first. Consultant second.
Most operators in regulated field industries have hired a consultant who was never on the floor. I was. The credentials below are the ones that matter when an examiner walks in or a driver does not show up.
U.S. Army (retired)
20 years
Airborne Infantry. Bronze Star recipient. Service-disabled veteran. Combat deployments.
Petroleum operations
8 years
Transportation Department Head at a regional petroleum carrier. DOT/FMCSA compliance, fleet P&L, HOS/ELD, and driver qualification files.
Federal certifications
SBA-VOSB & SDVOSB
Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business and Veteran-Owned Small Business.
Field-ready
Class A CDL
Held through 2020. Willing to recertify. I have driven the trucks I help dispatch.