Truckers play a vital role in the distribution of goods from the manufacturing sector to the consumers. Without trucking companies, retail stores will have nothing but empty shelves. So, it’s reasonable that the industry gets a little bit of overhaul in how truck owners and operators do business in this digital age.
Like in many other industries, the trucking business needs software solutions to help streamline how shipments and overall operations are managed. Gone are the days when owning a fleet of trucks meant success in the industry. Truck driver software solutions are becoming a critical part of the trucker’s toolbox. From scheduling pick-ups to tracking units, digital applications will help boost your bottom line.
Why Truck Driver Software?
If you are an owner or operator, here are some of the top benefits of investing in a truck driver software:
1. Make More Money
Everybody knows time is money, so having an efficient trucking operation will allow you to manage your business seamlessly, save time, and boost your bottom line. A load board is one of the essential online tools designed for the trucking business. At its most basic, it allows truckers to connect with brokers and shippers.
There are free and premium load boards. But if you want the full features that’d get you in front of quality loads and a variety of tools to help your freight business thrive, then subscribing to a premium load board like Truckstop.com and others is the way to go.
2. Gain Direct Access To Big Chunk Of Market
When you invest in an online load board software, you get access to the on-demand or spot trucking market. It’s like a ride-hailing service, except that it caters to trucking businesses. Spot truckers aren’t bound by pre-agreed, long-term contracts with shippers. Owners and operators can earn more and have better control of what loads to transport.
According to TAFS, the best type of trucking contract is a longterm contract, a dedicated contract, or one with a government entity.
The trucking spot market represents around 20-30% of the total size of the industry, and it’s expected to grow more as a bankruptcy wave looms in the traditional trucking business. While spot trucking services mean added costs for retailers, it’s good news for truck owners and operators.
3. Get Real-Time Information
Aside from helping you save money on your startup trucking business, trucking software like a load board also gives you access to real-time information about loads, rates, booking details, and even customer credit ratings. It’s important because doing business in the transportation sector nowadays has become more complicated, especially with all the information truck drivers need to know and all the paperwork involved.
Indeed, it’s an industry saddled with tons of administrative work. It shouldn’t surprise you if you find your trucking business requiring a secretary to handle many office tasks. There are documents and permits to process, plus government regulations seem to be changing on a whim.
To make sure you don’t miss any information, you need someone to help you navigate all the paperwork while getting to your drop-off point. But what if you don’t have the budget to hire an administrative assistant? With full-featured truck driver software, you don’t have to.
4. Prevent Overbooking
Just like in any other business, trucking companies rely on their reputation to thrive in the industry. One foul-up can result in losing customer trust. That said, the biggest concern most truckers have is meeting their schedules and delivering the goods on time. And nothing can ruin your schedule worse than overbooking.
A good load board or any other truck driver software should allow you to keep track of your booking schedules. If you must maintain a good name in the trucking business, don’t overexert yourself. Stick to a schedule you can safely and confidently handle.
5. Fully Integrated Accounting And Other Software
You can’t know if you’re making or losing money in the trucking business if you don’t have a proper accounting system in place. The problem is accounting isn’t for everyone, especially truck owners and operators. Good thing there are accounting software solutions for trucking operations now available, and they can be integrated with other trucking applications.
With fully integrated accounting software, you don’t have to input details in your books manually. From the moment you key in the details of your transaction invoice, all the other accounting items like accounts receivable, payroll, taxes, or fuel expenses are automatically adjusted. Hence, you’d get an updated report when you need it without having to consult your accountant every time.
6. Wireless Fuel Management
Fuel costs can make or break your trucking business. It’s the reason why you need to always keep an eye out for how much you spend on diesel. A truck driver software designed to help you manage fuel costs can take another load off your ever-increasing administrative tasks.
This type of software typically includes cost reporting, vehicle tracking, and fuel inventory management. If you operate a fleet of trucks, you can also use this tool to set authorization for refueling each unit. You never have to do manual inventory keeping or get inaccurate activity reports again.
7. Optimized Repair Jobs
Some truck driver software solutions are intended for optimizing repair services. It means your truck gets less downtime if it needs repairs. How does it work?
By using the internet, this type of software can track and direct you to the most cost-effective repair solutions—from the service centers to the parts needed to fix your truck. Moreover, truck repair software will also take care of the scheduling and the resulting paperwork like reports and invoices related to the maintenance work.
8. Track Performance Accurately
As mentioned, online truck driver software solutions typically provide real-time access to trucks, equipment, drivers, and even customers. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Full-featured solutions also allow owners and operators to monitor the performance of their drivers. It includes planning routes and rest stops to lessen dead times during trips. And by using Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, like Locate2U, you can also remotely confirm shipment drop off via electronic proof of delivery.
Bottom Line
Truck driver software comes in many types and purposes. A load board is one essential online application allowing trucking owners and operators access to the spot or on-demand trucking market. A full-featured load board provides real-time access to all freight information from pick-up points, destinations, booking rates, schedules, and load volumes. Whatever truck driver software you invest in, make sure it’ll help you streamline your operations and boost your bottom line.
