Have you noticed that there’s a push to get independent owner-operators leased on to major logistics companies? We’ve read a few stories online about owner-operators feeling the pressure between low rates and high fuel costs. It seems the “solution” is to lease on to a big company. “Become a trucking company driver” is the advice we see on the internet. Is this good advice? We don’t know – but we do know one thing: if you’re an independent owner-operator who’s leased on to a transportation company, you still need trucking software like TruckingOffice Pro.
Owner-Operators Need Software
Nobody’s going to argue that the independent owner-operator needs trucking software to run their business. From dispatch to invoice, from routing to maintenance, there are too many important parts to running an independent trucking business to try to do it by hand. Government regulations, like IFTA, IRP, and ELD require computerization. Trying to run a trucking business by hand is too time consuming and frankly, too easy for mistakes and problems to slip through the cracks.
But the leased-on trucker – why do they need to use TruckingOffice Pro?
Expense Tracking
Running a trucking business costs money. That’s true about any business. There are expenses that any business person has to track. It’s not just about tax-deductible expenses. It’s about all the money that owner-operators pay to stay on the road – including those candy bars or an extra hairbrush forgotten back at home.
Try tracking every penny for a month. Will you be surprised at how much you spend? (Or will you, because you’re writing it down, skip some impulse purchases because you don’t want to have to write it down. (Speaking from experience here.)
Tracking expenses, like tracking calories if you’re on a diet, it doesn’t matter if you count them or not. Consumption is what counts. Not recording expenses doesn’t make them disappear.
TruckingOffice PRO and a month of record-keeping will give a trucker a snapshot of their expense habits. Maybe that extra candy bar is the difference between a nap or staying on the road. But maybe buying a healthy snack in bulk at the grocery is better choice than paying the premium price at the truck stop? We won’t know until we’ve got the evidence in front of us.
TruckingOffice PRO can pay for itself in a month.
Maintenance Records
Any independent owner-operator knows (or better learn fast) that the DOT and FMCSA have requirements for maintaining your rig and keeping the records available for inspection.
If you’re leased on to a trucking company with your own rig, who’s responsible for those records? The owner-operator is. Which is why TruckingOffice PRO is a critical tool for the independent truckers.
TruckingOffice PRO tracks maintenance. All maintenance. Not just the ones already completed. The ones that need to be done on a regular basis, either by time or by miles. When an owner-operator uses TruckingOffice PRO for routing, those miles are counted toward the next inspection or replacement. It’s not just the calendar that determines when maintenance is needed.
And when the DOT or FMCSA wants records, instead of a shoebox to sort through, TruckingOffice PRO reports can pull up everything you need.
Independent Owner-Operators Need Their Own Records
Not all logistics companies are the same. Some companies take over all the accounting, including IRP, IFTA, invoices and detention fees.
And some do not. At some point, if an independent owner-operator wants to switch from one company to another, or go back to deciding the loads they want to haul, they’ve got to have access to records for tax purposes. Can an owner-operator count on the company to give access to that data?
Then there’s the fact that some trucking companies just don’t pay. Without keeping track of mileage and loads, a trucker can be scammed.
Leased-on owner-operators need a way to keep their own records. TruckingOffice PRO can do this simply and easily. Then when a conflict comes up, the owner-operator has the data they need at their fingertips to fight the battle for what they deserve to be paid.
TruckingOffice PRO works for all truckers.
Leased on or managing your own loads – TruckingOffice PRO is the key tool to make sure your trucking business is making money in a tight economy.
Give us a try. Want to try it out first before committing? We’re already there. Get a free trial of TruckingOffice to discover ways to save money, make more money, and stay on the road during this recession. We’re here to help truckers build successful trucking businesses. Contact us today to get that free trial. You won’t regret it!
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