Deven Transport Cuts Toll Costs and Gains Fleet Visibility

Background

Deven Transport, a Chicago-based company, was founded in 1971 and has been a family-owned business for three generations. Joe Bergeron, grandson of its founder, spent his childhood with his two brothers helping their parents with administrative tasks out of the family kitchen and doing whatever the business needed.

About 25 years ago, Deven Transport grew out of the home and into an office space in Bensenville, IL, and today serves Illinois, Wisconsin and Northern Indiana.

Problem

With fifteen vehicles in their fleet, Deven found themselves on the receiving end of some hefty auto-replenishment fees for their toll transponders. Since each vehicle required their own $250 balance, their bank account was being hit frequently whenever a transponder passed $250 in tolls. Not to mention, Deven received no discounts for their vehicles. These two factors were becoming quite costly, adding up to almost $20,000 per month, and they needed a solution.

Solution + Benefits

In 2018, Deven Transport was introduced to Bestpass Inc, which provided them with an all-in-one toll solution. They were able to get E-ZPass transponders for each of their vehicles and one surety balance for all of them.

• One Surety Balance: Instead of maintaining different balances across each of their vehicles, Deven now has one balance that covers each of their transponders and they are able to determine what that balance is. Most months, they don’t come close to spending their entire balance. While their Bestpass account is still on auto-replenishment, they don’t have to worry about their bank account being hit as frequently.

• Cost Savings: Because their toll is covered month-over-month, the Deven bank account has been able to recuperate, and they have been able to use those cost savings to make improvements to their trucks! Maintenance that previously took years is now being realized.

• Reporting and Visibility: With visions of growing their business when the opportunities arise, having visibility into their toll spend for each of their transponders allows them to paint a more accurate picture of their organization’s spend, so they can make better business decisions.

Each of these benefits provides Deven Transport with the visibility and cost savings to make better business decisions and invest in their fleet. In a few short years, this family-owned business saw monthly savings of nearly $13,000, which enabled them to implement top-of-the-line solutions such as AI dashcams. They will continue to make improvements to stay ahead of the curve.

“We are always looking for ways to make improvements to our fleet and to the way we do business. Technology is constantly evolving, and we like to keep a pulse on how we can benefit from what’s available, giving us opportunities to grow and providing a better experience to our customers.”

Joe Bergeron — Operations at Deven Transport

FAQs

How can a small trucking fleet cut toll expenses and auto-replenishment fees across multiple E-ZPass transponders?

Centralize tolls under an all-in-one solution like Bestpass and move from per-vehicle balances to a single surety balance. This reduces frequent bank hits from multiple $250 top-ups, consolidates billing, and adds per-transponder reporting. In the Deven Transport case, this approach turned nearly $20,000 in monthly spend into savings of about $13,000.

What is a one surety balance for toll transponders, and how does it compare to keeping a separate balance per vehicle?

A one surety balance is a single account-level fund that covers all transponders in your fleet. Compared with separate balances per vehicle, it cuts down replenishment frequency, simplifies cash flow management, and lets you set the overall balance level. It also pairs well with per-transponder reporting for clearer spend visibility.

Case study: How much did Deven Transport save per month after switching to Bestpass, and what changes enabled those savings?

Deven Transport saved nearly $13,000 per month. They switched to Bestpass, issued E-ZPass transponders for each vehicle, and replaced multiple $250 balances with one surety balance backed by consolidated reporting and billing.

Steps to centralize toll accounts for a 10–20 vehicle fleet operating in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Northern Indiana.

Select an all-in-one toll platform like Bestpass that supports E-ZPass in the region. Assign a transponder to each vehicle, set up a single surety balance with account-level auto-replenishment, and map each transponder to its vehicle in the portal. Enable per-transponder reporting and review monthly spend to fine-tune the balance and policies.

What reporting and visibility features should carriers look for in a toll management platform to guide business decisions?

Look for per-transponder spend tracking, consolidated billing across the fleet, and account-level balances that show replenishment activity. Useful tools include monthly summaries by vehicle, trend views of toll usage, and configurable alerts. These help build an accurate picture of costs and support smarter growth decisions.

Which toll solution helps small carriers get E-ZPass coverage and consolidated billing under one account?

Bestpass provides E-ZPass coverage with consolidated billing under a single surety balance. In the Deven Transport example, this setup unified toll management, reduced fees, and delivered clear reporting across a 15-vehicle fleet.

What are the warning signs that our fleet needs centralized toll management instead of per-vehicle transponder balances?

Red flags include frequent bank hits from multiple auto-replenishments, maintaining many small balances (e.g., $250 per vehicle), and limited visibility into which transponders drive spend. Another sign is a rising monthly toll total that strains cash flow. These issues pointed Deven Transport to centralize and reduce costs.

How can fleets reinvest toll savings into safety tech like AI dashcams and improved maintenance schedules?

Earmark monthly savings from centralized toll management for safety and reliability projects with clear ROI. Deven Transport used savings to install AI dashcams, upgrade trucks, and execute maintenance schedules that previously lagged. Set a recurring budget line so savings consistently fund these improvements.

Compare managing toll spend per transponder vs using a unified toll balance: effects on cash flow, admin workload, and costs.

Per-transponder balances trigger frequent auto-replenishments and create fragmented oversight, which strains cash flow and admin time. A unified balance reduces replenishment frequency, centralizes billing, and clarifies spend by vehicle through reporting. In practice, this shift helped Deven Transport cut monthly costs by about $13,000.

What results can a 15-vehicle regional carrier expect after adopting an all-in-one toll solution like Bestpass?

Expect fewer bank hits, consolidated billing, and clearer per-transponder visibility that supports smarter decisions. Deven Transport, operating across Illinois, Wisconsin, and Northern Indiana, achieved nearly $13,000 in monthly savings and reinvested in AI dashcams, truck upgrades, and tighter maintenance schedules.