Haulier Management System: Which One Should You Choose?

A haulier management system should make day-to-day operations easier, not more complicated.

For smaller hauliers and transport companies, it’s primarily about keeping track of trips, vehicles, drivers, documentation and invoicing.

There are many different transport management systems available. Some are designed for large transport companies with numerous departments, integrations and advanced workflows. Others are tailored to smaller businesses with simpler requirements.

The most important thing, therefore, is not to choose the system with the most features.

The most important thing is to choose the system that suits the way the business actually operates.

What is a haulage management system?

A haulage management system is software that helps transport companies plan and manage their day-to-day operations.

Among other things, the system can be used to keep track of:

Trips.

Customers.

Drivers.

Vehicles.

Pickups and deliveries.

Prices.

Waybills.

Recurring trips.

Invoicing.

A haulier management system may also be referred to as a transport management system or a TMS system.

What should a good haulier management system be able to do?

For a smaller haulier, the system should, first and foremost, provide a quick overview of the day’s work.

It must be easy to create a new trip.

It must be easy to see which driver is to carry it out.

It must be easy to select the right vehicle.

And once the trip is complete, the information must be readily available so that documentation and invoicing do not require any extra work.

A good system should therefore bring together the most important functions in one place.

Transport planning is one of the key functions of a haulage contractor system.

When a customer books a transport job, it must be possible to create the trips with the necessary details.

These may include, for example:

Customer.

Collection address.

Delivery address.

Date and time.

Vehicle type.

Driver.

Price.

Notes about the trip.

Once the trip has been created, it must be possible to include it in the day’s overall schedule.

This makes it easier to see which vehicles and drivers are already booked.

Drivers and vehicles

If the company has several vehicles or drivers, maintaining an overview quickly becomes essential.

A system should make it easy to see who is driving what.

It is also important to be able to select different vehicle types.

For example, a transport job may require a van, a refrigerated lorry, a forklift lorry or another specific type of vehicle.

The more precisely the trips can be planned from the outset, the less time will be spent correcting errors later on.

Digital waybills

Many transport companies still use paper-based waybills.

This can work well, but it also carries the risk of extra administrative work.

Waybills can go missing.

They can be left in the vehicle.

They can be damaged.

And the information often has to be entered manually afterwards.

A haulage management system with digital waybill processing makes it easier to compile the documentation for each individual trip.

Invoicing

A completed trip must be invoiced at some point.

If the customer, price and trip details are already in the system, it makes sense to use the same data for invoicing.

This reduces the need to enter information multiple times.

For a small business, this can be a significant advantage, as administrative tasks are often carried out by the same person who is also responsible for planning, customer relations and day-to-day operations.

Recurring trips

Many transport companies have regular customers and fixed routes.

These may be daily deliveries, weekly routes or other recurring trips.

A good haulage management system should be able to handle recurring trips so that the same information does not have to be entered manually over and over again.

This saves time and reduces the risk of errors.

Should you choose a large or a simple system?

It depends on the business.

A large transport company may need numerous integrations, advanced reports and complex workflows.

A smaller haulier often has different requirements.

Typically, these involve:

Being able to view today’s trips.

Knowing who is driving them.

Knowing which vehicle is being used.

Compiling the documentation.

Invoicing the trips.

If the system requires extensive training or has many features that are never used, it can quickly become a burden rather than a help.

How much does a haulage contractor system cost?

Prices vary greatly.

Some systems require a subscription from day one. Others charge per user, driver or vehicle.

There are also solutions where you can start for free and add more features later.

The most important thing is to check what is actually included in the price.

A cheap system isn’t necessarily good value if it lacks features that will later require extra software or manual work.

Who is Boxboxbox suitable for?

Boxboxbox has been developed for small hauliers and transport companies.

Among other things, the system brings together transport planning, vehicles, drivers, recurring trips, waybills and invoicing.

The focus is on making day-to-day operations simple and straightforward.

Boxboxbox can be used by hauliers, courier firms, removal companies and other small businesses with their own transport operations, amongst others.

What should you ask before making your choice?

Before choosing a haulage management system, you can ask yourself a few simple questions.

Can I quickly create a trip?

Can I view all of today’s trips in one place?

Can I manage vehicles and drivers?

Can the driver access the necessary information?

Can the system handle recurring trips?

Can documentation be collated digitally?

Can trips be transferred directly to invoicing?

Is the system simple enough that I’ll actually use it?

If the answer to these questions is ‘yes’, you’re already well on your way.

Frequently asked questions

What is a haulage management system?

A haulage management system is software for planning and managing transport assignments, drivers, vehicles, documentation and invoicing.

Is a haulage management system the same as a TMS system?

In practice, the terms overlap. TMS stands for Transport Management System and refers to software for managing and administering transport.

Can small hauliers use a haulage management system?

Yes. A haulage management system can be suitable for both sole traders and smaller haulage firms with several drivers and vehicles.

Which features are most important?

For smaller businesses, the most important features are typically transport planning, drivers, vehicles, waybills, recurring trips and invoicing.

Is Boxboxbox a transport management system?

Yes. Boxboxbox is a transport management system developed for small hauliers and transport companies.