A Game Changer for Winter: How Newport Propane Relies on Otodata Monitors to Stay Ahead of the Storm
Winter in New England doesn't ease in. It arrives with a snap. For propane retailers, those first cold days trigger what Newport Propane calls "the winter rush," when phones start ringing, demand rises quickly, and staying ahead of unpredictable weather becomes critical.
For Donnie Pelletier, Sales & Estimating Specialist at Newport Propane in Rhode Island, winter readiness isn't something that begins when temperatures fall. It's a year-round commitment supported by real-time visibility, customer relationships, and reliable remote tank monitoring.
Having spent more than a decade serving homeowners, builders, restaurants, and commercial customers throughout Rhode Island, Pelletier has witnessed a remarkable transformation in how propane companies operate. He remembers a time when delivery drivers relied on handwritten customer cards, paper route books, and degree-day forecasting to determine when customers might need fuel.
"Back in the day, there was a lot of guesswork," Pelletier says. "Now there's no more guesswork."
That transformation began when Newport Propane started searching for a better monitoring solution.
"We were looking for a monitoring system because what we had really wasn't working," Pelletier explains. "The batteries were failing, and it wasn't a good way to monitor."
After meeting the Otodata team at a trade show and testing five monitors, he and his team quickly saw the value. The company expanded its deployment and today installs monitors on nearly every customer tank.
"We blanket every customer," says Pelletier. "It's our tool to deliver."
The results have been significant. The propane retailer has virtually eliminated runouts, improved delivery efficiency, and gained the ability to proactively respond to customer needs rather than react to emergencies.
"We have zero runouts," says Pelletier. "The only time we have a runout now is if a tank component fails."
Perhaps most importantly, the technology has reduced stress for both employees and customers.
"I remember waking up at one in the morning worried about whether I missed somebody," Pelletier recalls. "Now there's no more guesswork."
That peace of mind extends to customers as well. Many Rhode Island homeowners head to warmer climates during the winter months, leaving their homes unoccupied for weeks at a time. Through the Otodata customer app, they can monitor fuel levels from anywhere.
"A lot of people here go south for the winter," says Pelletier. "The app helps them feel better about watching their levels."
While Newport Propane's experience is rooted in New England, the need for winter preparation extends far beyond the Northeast. For propane retailers across North America, colder temperatures, increased fuel consumption, seasonal demand spikes, and unexpected weather events can place significant pressure on delivery operations and customer service teams.
Preparing before winter arrives allows retailers to optimize delivery schedules, prioritize high-use accounts, reduce the risk of runouts, and respond more effectively when weather conditions change. With real-time tank monitoring, propane marketers gain greater visibility into customer consumption patterns, helping them make informed operational decisions and maintain reliable service throughout the heating season.
Whether serving residential customers, construction sites, agricultural operations, or commercial accounts, proactive monitoring helps retailers stay ahead of demand rather than react to emergencies.
For builders, remote monitoring helps keep projects moving through the coldest months of the year. Temporary heat systems allow contractors to continue interior work long after the building has been enclosed. Newport Propane monitors those tanks in real time to ensure crews stay productive.
"We monitor all of it," says Pelletier. "We worry. Customers don't."
The same visibility benefits Newport Propane's commercial customers, including restaurants where a propane interruption could impact business during peak operating hours.
Across every customer segment, real-time tank data helps the company prioritize deliveries, stay ahead of storms, and respond faster when usage changes unexpectedly.
"The delivery driver can fill a tank, and by the time he gets back in the truck, it's already updated," says Pelletier. "Real-time data takes the guesswork out of the business."
After years of using Otodata monitors, Pelletier remains one of the technology's strongest advocates.
"It's changed our company for the best," he says. "The monitors have been bulletproof for us. It's been a game changer."
