From Here to There - Maryland Transportation Company Scores in South Africa

The Company

Transportation Management Services (TMS), located in Sandy Spring, Maryland, is a leading transportation management company for complex events, such as the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Winter Games and the 15th Asian Games: Doha 2006. TMS was interested in offering its services to the national, provincial and municipal governments of the nine South African cities hosting the 2010 FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) World Cup soccer matches.

The Business Challenge

Because of the multiple layers of government agencies involved, TMS needed help identifying the appropriate decision making contacts within the entities having transportation responsibilities for World Cup preparations. Introductions and meetings with those identified contacts needed to be facilitated.

The Solution

Commercial Service South Africa worked with TMS to develop a dual approach to the challenge. First, an introduction was arranged between a TMS agent and key South African transportation officials traveling to the United States for a January 2007 orientation visit funded by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency. Commercial Service South Africa then followed up with a match maker component in South Africa in May and again in July 2007.

The Result

Recently, TMS signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Transport of the provincial government of the Western Cape committing them to work together on future events.

“TMS has received nothing but impeccable service from the U.S. Commercial Service in South Africa, providing us with key introductions and access to South African government and business decision-makers that have facilitated our business throughout the country.” Frank Sherman, President and CEO, Transportation Management Services

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