Dollars & Sense
Know Your Business: record-keeping software
Living in the computer age has had its perks, particularly for truck drivers in search of more efficient means to boost their bottom line. Now more than ever, truckers and expediters are seeing the benefits of having a computer on board.
In fact, it is estimated that over half of the 3.5 million or so professional drivers out on today's highways use computers regularly and 20% of these have laptops in their cabs. These numbers are predicted to increase at a rate of about 5% every year.
The reasons that each expediter uses a computer are much the same. The computer is a wonderful way of staying connected with family and friends as well as being a great source of entertainment.
It's also a fantastic in-truck business tool for routing, monitoring freight boards, keeping logs, filing paperwork, taxes and watching the bottom line.
In fact, you can find specialized bookkeeping and financial software for just about any need, from dairy farming, Girl Scout troop management to, you guessed it, trucking and expediting.
We're all familiar with the general business programs like QuickBooks, but the professional drivers, owner-operators and small fleet owners of trucking and expediting all have purpose-written programs just for them.
The key to taking full advantage of bookkeeping software is to determine if it saves you time and frees you up to concentrate on running your business. In many cases it will, but be careful not to fall into the trap of wasting time setting up computer bookkeeping that could be more efficiently handled on paper.
We've profiled three contenders for your software dollar. All of these products have been on the market for a number of years and have been refined to include the most "roadworthy" features used by owner-operators and fleet owners.
In other words, the programs have more similarities than differences and we'll try to illustrate some of the most popular features that the products share.
Trucking Success
J.W. Lessing, a former truck driver, authored a book in 1996 called "Become A Successful Truck Owner Operator". In 1998, the web site Trucking Success.com was created to sell trucking related items and his new book "The Successful Truck Owner Operator."
With the addition of web and financial-savvy personnel, the company has added trucking business software to its products that include
The Truckers Software Package # 2
This package is for the Single Truck Owner Operator leased to a company. Price - $ 179.00
Features:
Accounting - All trucking income & expenses Mileage - Mileage tracking, fuel tax report Fuel Tax - Calculates IFTA/Mileage Taxes Truck Maintenance - Records maintenance, auto-reminders for upcoming service Customer Records - Customer info, directions Driver Records for 2 Drivers - All driver records Log Checking for 2 Drivers - Check logs, print DOT log page Log Letters - Automatic log letters Settlements - Settlement reconciliation Report Writer - Print out reports Auto Update - Automatically updates the softwareRouting
Based on the ProMiles Truck Routing system, this optional routing module automates your mileage entry and provides IFTA and DOT acceptable routing and mileage records for fuel taxes. Also includes load rating, complete driving instructions, etc.
Fuel Optimization
For an additional fee, fuel optimization will give you access to fuel prices updated daily via the internet. Detailed routing includes where to purchase fuel, gallons to purchase, etc.
The Truckers Software Package # 3
For the fleet owner with 1 to 10 trucks.
Price - $329.00
This package contains all of the components of Package #2 and additional features such as:
Booking/Invoicing - Booking, Billing, Invoicing Loads - Pickup/Delivery records Dispatch - Track trucks and enter check call info Trailer Tracker (Automatically tracks trailer locations)and other program features
The Truckers Helper
The Truckers Helper was originally conceived in 1990 when John & Sheila Ewing started trucking. His first program was a simple spreadsheet used by Sheila for the couple's paperwork. In 1992, the Ewing's became owner-operators and John reworked the program to meet their increased needs.
The couple began to share the program with other owner-operators and it became so popular that in 1996, they sold their truck and went full-time with The Truckers Helper.
Since the addition of programmer Brian Wilson to the team in 2002, the company says that The Truckers Helper package has continued to evolve into the hi-tech version it is today.
The Owner-Operators version features:
Trip Sheet Log Validation Settlement Reconciliation Customer Records and Address Book Driver Records Fuel Reports IFTA Reports Truck Maintenance Trailer MaintenanceIn addition to the above, the "Full" version of The Truckers Helper (for fleet owners) features include:
Billing
The program supports billing using quantity, miles, weight or a flat rate and includes most other trucking specific types of billing.
Load Tracking
Enter your pickup and delivery points, scheduled pickup and delivery dates and times, and add new shippers/receivers on the fly.
Dispatching
This feature uses the information from the loads section to track current & pre-booked loads, and provides you with a check call section to keep track of all check calls and related notes.
Load Board
This feature replaces the old white board with available loads you've booked by not assigned, loads waiting for pickup, loads enroute and loads for any particular truck.
Trailer Tracker
For the small fleet owner, here's a simple and fast way to keep track of trailer locations. If you do your own billing the Trailer Tracker will automatically keep up with trailer locations from the pickup and delivery records.
Pallet Tracker
This feature works in conjunction with the dispatch section, or can stand alone. Enter pallet information along with dispatch information when drivers call in.
Payroll System
The Truckers Helper features a complete payroll system designed specifically for trucking companies. Pay based on mileages, percentages or salary.
Additional Options
Routing
Fuel Optimization
Easy Trucking Software
Al Limberg was a truck driver for 15 years and he discovered computers by necessity when back in the late 80's he wanted to keep tabs on the way his trucking company figured his fuel taxes.
Using one of the first laptops, Al discovered that there was no trucking-specific software that fit his applications, so after researching the subject at length, he began writing his own programs.
His product was so well received that he went into the software business in 1993, calling it Omni Communications. Two of the company's best selling software programs for the truck driver are marketed under the Easy Trucking Software banner and they include the "Profit per Mile" and "Fuel Manager" programs.
Profit Per Mile
This is an accounting program designed for the Owner Operator or Small Fleet Owner. The designers say that its easy to use and gives you the reports that you need to be successful in the trucking business. It also makes tax time very easy.
Its key features include:
Fuel Manager
Fuel Manager. . . is an easy-to-use program to calculate the fuel taxes owed and make reporting and filling out the tax forms simple. It only takes a few minutes to learn.
Its key features include:
Separate Quarterly Tax Tables IFTA Report IRP Report Audit Report Fuel Analysis Report Fuel Invoice & Fuel Stop fields Internet Link to IFTA Tax RatesBoth Profit per Mile and Fuel Manager are available in an owner-operator version or fleet version.