It’s the 21st century. Why aren’t more tasks that run an owner operator trucking business automated? Good question. TruckingOffice has ways for automating your trucking business already waiting for you.
Automation pays off in hours, not just accuracy: here is how trucking management software saves time on every load’s paperwork.
Cutting data entry starts with the right system: here is how trucking accounting software turns a rate con into a dispatch and an invoice without retyping anything.
Automation From Dispatch to Invoice
Trucking automation means using trucking software to handle the repetitive office work of an owner-operator business (dispatch, invoicing, payment tracking, expenses and IFTA/IRP mileage reports) so you enter each load’s data once instead of retyping it across spreadsheets and documents.
It can seem like an optional expense when starting up an independent trucking business, whether or not to buy a trucking software package. Most of them look complicated to learn, don’t look like they’re offering what a new trucking company needs, or costs more than the budget can bear.
“Do it on Google for free!”
Well, some people think that’s possible. Mostly, those aren’t truckers, or they’re truckers that have already invested years worth of time and effort to build their systems. Change for them may be too hard to consider.
What Is the Sunk Cost Fallacy?
The sunk cost fallacy is the tendency to keep using a system you’ve already invested in, even when a new system would serve you better. In sunk cost thinking, the time, effort and money already spent feel more valuable than the potential gains of moving to another system.
Consider it this way: You may already have an account with a specific bank that holds your truck loan, but another bank has a branch closer to home, better bank hours, a nice app, and a higher interest rate for savings. Do you switch?
It may feel like loyalty. It may feel like convenience to stick to what we know. But logically, it makes more sense to change.
Don’t fall into sunken cost belief that hinders your trucking business growth. Automating your trucking business is a key component to success. That may mean giving up the idea that doing it for free on Google is better than using dedicated software designed for truckers.
What Tasks Can You Automate in a Trucking Business?
Of course, driving a load – along with pick ups and deliveries – is the largest part of an owner-operator’s job. But there’s no pay unless there’s an invoice with the necessary supporting documentation. So time in the office is absolutely necessary.
But where your office is located can be what’s most convenient to you.
“Oh, I can do that with Google Docs.”
Sure you can. But where do you keep your records? Your BOL images? Are they secure? Back ups?
Having everything in one place – from dispatch to routing to invoice – makes perfect sense.
But in a hand-coded system, if one spreadsheet gets corrupted, the entire system can go down. Or if the owner operator doesn’t remember exactly when or who a load was for, searches can be exhausting.
- Managing an invoice from creation to attaching all the necessary documents (from a variety of sources – where did I save that BOL image?)
- Tracking payments (or non-payments)
- Producing IRS standard tax reports, including accurate mileage reports per state for IRP and IFTA.
- Uploading your rate con from the PDF – no retyping necessary.
- Entering expenses from receipts to link to a load. NEW FEATURE!
Automating your trucking business the right way
Creating a complete software package that can do all the work you need is years of work. Months of time you could be hauling freight and making money.
But the cost…?
And what if Google changes its platform?
What if all those formulas and links are broken by an update by Google?
When it comes down to it, we have no control over Google. When they decide to change their “free” Sheets, Docs, or Forms, what happens then?
Consider this: You wouldn’t build a house on land that wasn’t yours. You wouldn’t plant a garden on someone else’s yard. Why would you take the risk that someone would take your hard work away from you without notice?
Use the safe choice for your trucking business
Use a complete trucking business management software that’s designed for truckers (by a trucker!) that has
- more security (automatic back ups and off-site storage)
- invoice tracking (from production to tracking late pays)
- more accessibility (from home or on the road)
- no development time
- accuracy for taxes.
When your trucking management software and your ELD work together – like TruckingOffice PRO trucking software and TruckingOffice ELD, then you can have confidence that the paperwork is being handled accurately, to IRS standards, and you don’t have to spend any more than the minimum of time. Once you enter your data, TruckingOffice PRO uses it five ways from Sunday without requiring extra, repetitive data entry. Using the ELD data, your IFTA and IRP will be exactly right because the TruckingOffice ELD is integrated with TruckingOffice PRO trucking business management software. Locations of your load help track the miles per state, not just the hours of service.
So what’s the real cost? The time it takes to produce and refine a software program on a platform THAT CAN CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE? Or automating your trucking business with TruckingOffice and its history of over 10 years of helping owner-operators run their trucking companies.
Trucking Automation FAQ
What is trucking automation?
Trucking automation means using trucking software to handle the repetitive office work of running a trucking business: dispatch, invoicing, payment tracking, expense entry and IFTA/IRP mileage reports. You enter load data once instead of retyping it. With TruckingOffice, for example, you can upload a rate con from the PDF and turn it into a dispatch and an invoice without retyping anything.
Can I run my trucking business on Google Sheets or Google Docs?
You can, but a hand-built spreadsheet system carries real risks. If one spreadsheet gets corrupted, the whole system can go down, and records like BOL images may not be secure or backed up. You also have no control over Google: if it changes Sheets, Docs or Forms, your formulas and links can break without notice.
What tasks can trucking software automate?
Trucking software can manage an invoice from creation through attaching supporting documents, track payments and late pays, produce IRS-standard tax reports including mileage per state for IFTA and IRP, import rate cons from PDF, and link receipt expenses to a load. TruckingOffice also handles dispatch, routing, maintenance and Trucker Stats™ reports on the state of your business.
How does an integrated ELD make IFTA and IRP reports more accurate?
When your ELD is integrated with your trucking software, its location data tracks your miles per state, not just your hours of service. TruckingOffice ELD is integrated with TruckingOffice PRO, so that mileage feeds your IFTA and IRP reports without extra, repetitive data entry.
What is the sunk cost fallacy in a trucking business?
The sunk cost fallacy is sticking with a system because of the time, effort or money already put into it, even when switching would pay off more. For owner-operators it often shows up as holding on to a home-built spreadsheet setup instead of moving to software designed for truckers.
TruckingOffice Trucking Management Software
Welcome to the 21st Century trucking management software for your owner operator trucking company!
TruckingOffice offers the best options for the solo trucker or the fleet builder. We’ve got affordable trucking management software that handles everything, including automatic rate con load entry. TruckingOffice PRO with TruckingOffice ELD makes your life easier and managing your business smoother by helping you handle your tasks better and faster:
- dispatches
- routing
- invoice generation and tracking
- expense management
- IFTA and IRP
- maintenance
- Trucker Stats™– reports to show the state of your trucking business.
Combined with the TruckingOffice ELD, you’ve got everything you need to build a successful trucking business – even from the cab of your truck.
Contact us today to try TruckingOffice PRO free trial help you avoid loads that cost you money to deliver and to discover what equipment is the most profitable for you.
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