You need to think for a minute and figure out how the past months have been for your business. If you have integrated the best trucking management software, then it must have been one of the best summers yet for the business. You must have seen the productivity shoot up and operations must have run seamlessly.
With the software, there must be less chaos and stress for the management of the fleet. Well, if you are still stuck in old times and are still not using the fleet management software, then it’s time that you should make a change.
There is already plenty of trucking management software in the market and the number is growing. Choosing one can be tricky based on the features that you must look for in the trucking software.
Challenges and Issues
Before you dive into the list of the best features, you must know the challenges and issues that you will solve with the new software. The issues and challenges that are different for every individual are LTL shippers and short haulers. Most of the items on the list might not satisfy both the kind of individuals and their needs.
There are some features that will be the same for most of the parties such as Real-time GPS tracking, communication, efficient dispatching, and analytics for better decision making.
Checking exactly what matches your solution is really critical if you want to get the ultimate satisfaction.
Top-Notch features
Route Optimization.
Effectively planning the routes is crucial to make sure the right time for pickup and delivery. The software will assist in optimizing the best routes that are based on many different variables such as weather, traffic, road conditions, vehicle type, and much more.
The features will also enable you to reduce the overall operational costs, fuel costs, and driver hours. This software can either be cloud-based or operational within the premises of any organization.
Here, the cloud-based solutions are going to prove more fruitful when it comes to scalability routing more trucks without any impact on the performance of the software. The cloud-based solution is the way to go when you are planning on expanding anytime soon.
Real-time GPS tracking.
Maintaining a tab on your fleet in real-time with a map will provide everyone involved with accurate ETAs. It enables increased visibility for the dispatchers for rerouting the drivers when they are facing issues in severe weather conditions.
It is also important that you find out if the dispatch software that you might have been considering is using the tracking device that is installed on the truck. The installed hardware can give you the ability to check the driver’s behavior such as speed or hard braking. GPS tracking is most probably done through personal devices that are much much more flexible.
They will enable you to track many things and ensure the operations are on the right track.
Seamless scheduling.
Mostly all the trucking software is a great improvement over spreadsheets, text messages, and phone calls. With the help of just a few clicks, you will be able to complete all your dispatching and scheduling.
This is the kind of function that is really important for business streamlining. Well, you need not settle for trucking management software that does not meet your specific needs.
Every Way communication.
Well, among the main reasons why the software makes fleet management more efficient in everyday communication. Calling the drivers and then texting them and then waiting for a reply is not an efficient way to make changes in a schedule of passing on the instructions.
The TMS program that you choose must allow you to communicate with the group or the individual instantly. Professional messages can sometimes be mixed with personal texts. Thus, it becomes time-consuming and difficult for the drivers to search for the previous messages.
The feature in the software will enable it to organize all the information that keeps everyone on the same page every time.
Data and Analytics.
A decision that is based on guesses and feelings is not going to get you far. When the competitors use their own reliable data to enhance productivity, cut costs, and streamline operations, then you know that it is time that you need to jump on the bandwagon.
The best fleet management software will provide you with the best reporting tools that will enable you to identify trends based on the data. You must look for geofencing alerts, intelligent dashboards, and all the great functionalities that will help you gain insights to make the best data-driven decisions.
The mobile app.
During the time period of shutdowns in the year 2020, most of the companies that had the trucking management software mobile app were already a step ahead of the others.
As they were able to work from anywhere, other than being in the office has proved to be a great benefit in times of emergencies and even now.
This is a kind of feature that you would definitely want in your software.
24/7 customer support.
There are many software providers around the globe that are providing the best customer support. Well, you cannot know for sure until you are already their customer.
You must get in touch with their current customers and ask any queries that you might have regarding the service, knowledge, or any general questions. Well, if you see that the customers are having very frequent interactions with the support team, then you can think of it as a red flag.
You are looking for a solution that is simple and straightforward and that you can use easily and without any kind of help.
Reliable and Consistent.
Well, selecting software that will provide you with consistent and reliable customer service is very crucial for operations. There are some software developers that do not have any expertise in the trucking industry, which is going to make them less appealing to most trucking businesses, whether large or small.
Well, it is recommended that you select software that is directly connected with the company. If the software is designed by carriers, owner-operators, or freight brokers, then the software will be more intuitive and intelligent when compared with the other industry counterparts.
User-friendly interface and features
It is significant that everyone in the company must be able to easily and quickly adapt to use the fleet management software that you have selected. This is how it will be very easy to integrate into the system and will quickly start to bring fruitful results.
In conclusion
This is the list that we hope will provide you with the best trucking management software. They are crucial for everyone whether you are a shipper, dispatcher, or anyone in this industry trying to match up with top-notch standards.
High-quality software has the power to increase security, profitability, as well as efficiency.
