What is Transportation Management System TMS?

If you are like me, you hate it when folks throw acronyms around.  In addition, if you are new to trucking, TMS is possibly a new term you are not familiar with?

Transportation Management System, Transportation Management Solutions, Transportation Management Software, Trucking Management System, Trucking Management Software, Transcranial magnetic stimulation.  All synonymous. Well, except for that last one.  Just seeing if you were paying attention.

Below is a nice definition from the Oracle.com website: TMS System Article by Oracle

“A transportation management system (TMS) is a logistics platform that uses technology to help businesses plan, execute, and optimize the physical movement of goods, both incoming and outgoing, and making sure the shipment is compliant, proper documentation is available.

Sometimes known as a transportation management solution or transportation management software, a TMS provides visibility into day-to-day transportation operations, trade compliance information and documentation, and ensuring the timely delivery of freight and goods. Transportation management systems also streamline the shipping process and make it easier for businesses to manage and optimize their transportation operations, whether they are by land, air, or sea.”

Ok, the TMS Digital TMS Dispatch probably will not help you much in regards to air or sea, but we got you covered for land! Our TMS Dispatch system, which began over 35 years ago, was created to replace Dispatch boards.  Yes, dispatchers used to write on blackboards or white boards and try to keep track of their loads.  Can you imagine?!?

TMS Digital Dispatch evolved from a simple easy way to create and dispatch loads into a full-fledged transportation system that allows you to, not only do truck load, LTL, Split, Cross-docked and Brokered loads, but, in addition, so much more!

TMS Digital Dispatch is typically hosted on our state of the art servers to protect you from viruses and ransomware. In fact, you can run our Protected Desktop from anywhere that you have internet access and know that it is safe and secure at all times.  Read more about Protected Desktop here.

With every sale we have made, we often are asked this question, “But can it do “insert impossible ‘must have’  here”?  We always answer, “Yes”, and if we cannot do it now, our Ace # one programmer can make it happen in near future!  He always does!

Our TMS Management Dispatch system is not a boring, limited, off the shelf program.  It is highly customizable and can be as simple or as complicated as you need for your Trucking business. Because your business is not an ‘off the shelf’, fits in a box type of company, neither is our software. Perhaps you have an unusual formula for paying drivers and your poor bookkeeper burns the candle at both ends trying to do payroll each week. Tell us how you pay your drivers and we will write a formula and automate the calculations for you!

Maybe you have a complicated rating system for one of your customers and as much as you love their business, calculating what they owe you is mind-boggling.  Well my Goodness, hold my beer! We excel at that kind of thing! Our Auto-rating option, built into dispatch and our great support team is always at hand to help you create custom functions to calculate even the most complicated rate!

We offer so many custom options and configuration settings.  Customize screens, buttons, and menu options. Setup users and user groups with secure logins. Set restrictions for a user to see only certain menu options, buttons and screens.   In addition, we customize your forms and reports!  Read more here

TMS is for Brokers, too! Track carriers and what loads belong to them.  We will provide you with a custom broker-fax load sheet, formatted specifically to your specifications.  You can email it right from the load as you broker the load to your carrier.  As you are brokering, we provide a snapshot view of what the load revenue will bring versus what you have contracted for your carrier for his portion.  Instantly see the profit margin.  Many reports are, also, available to give you fast detail of how your brokerage business is faring!

In addition, if you use Agents, easily identify, track and sort which loads they obtained for you, as well as their commission!

In addition, for those companies that are watching their overhead, we can easily set our TMS Transportation Management System Dispatch let you operate both your Trucking and your Brokerage companies from one program. Easily identify which loads belong to which company and setup filters where Dispatchers only see their own loads. Bill and Settle loads to their respective accounting company.  You can even track them, to their own respective GL Revenue accounts. Your Bookkeeper will love that!

We also have accessory programs, for example our Fuel Card program that lets you download from popular (and unpopular) fuel card companies.  For example, Comdata, EFS, TCH and many more.  This program works with our Dispatch program to automate advances and/or adjustments to driver and owner-operator pay.  When settling their loads, you will already have the corresponding cash advance amounts charged against the card, as well as fuel purchases that need to be reimbursed or subtracted. We, also, have a wonderful Equipment Maintenance program for keeping track of Repair orders and services due.  It also can interface with your accounting package for billing for outside work done and paying for parts purchased from third parties.

Contact us today for a free demo and trial! Contact us!