Across the haulage sector, firms are increasingly recognising the value of digital transport management systems (TMS) as they look to cut down on paperwork, reduce waste, improve compliance, and deliver consistent service.
Such systems provide excellent transparency of daily transport operations, helping managers eliminate recurring defects, look into individual vehicle performance, control parts and labour costs, as well as make time savings.
Rising fuel costs, tighter regulations, and increasing customer expectations are also driving the need for smarter, more agile operations.
For example, Stourbridge-based materials and logistics specialist Pegasus Grab Hire, which provides grab hire, muckaway, aggregate and material supply, as well as volumetric concrete services, has been using AssetGo for several years.
The platform now supports the management of a fleet of more than 100 assets across several sites and has been fully embedded as Pegasus’s single, standardised central system for fleet compliance, daily driver checks, and workshop maintenance management.
This ensures that checks, maintenance schedules and defect management are applied consistently, with full auditability, giving Pegasus real-time oversight and the ability to maintain compliance control.
From a workshop perspective, AssetGo gives end-to-end visibility of fleet condition, with defects logged, tracked and retained in the asset history.
It supports daily driver walk round checks, real-time defect reporting, rectification tracking, planned maintenance inspections, lifting equipment examinations, MoTs, vehicle excise duty monitoring, and the secure storage of all statutory and compliance-related documentation.
Daniel Joyner, commercial manager and head of transport at Pegasus said: “As the fleet and number of sites have expanded, the system has allowed us to maintain a standardised approach to inspections, maintenance intervals, and defect management.
“Walkround checks are completed digitally, time-stamped and linked to each asset, with defects escalated immediately, making compliance monitoring straightforward across the business.
“For our customers, that means greater reliability, reduced disruption and confidence that Pegasus operates a well-controlled, compliant fleet.”
Meanwhile, Inverness-based UBCivils has implemented Podfather software in an effort to streamline the management of its haulage operations.
Supporting infrastructure, energy, and construction projects, UBCivils completes about 100 movements a day using Podfather for route planning and optimisation, real-time tracking, and electronic proof of delivery evidence.
Using the system, the firm has been able to vastly reduce its reliance on paper documents while improving the accuracy and currency of its record-keeping.
Real-time tracking and digitally captured date, time, and location stamped photographs and signatures means UBCivils can see every vehicle movement and authorised users can access delivery information at the touch of a button.
Iain Peteranna, contract manager said: “Before Podfather, we were purely paper-based.
“We were duplicating delivery tickets numerous times, and, due to the remoteness of some of the sites, this added extra delays in completing paper dockets and receiving them back to head office for processing.
“Any system that saves work hours is a great tool and will have a noticeable impact on the business.”
Also, a new bespoke TMS from HaulTech has boosted cash flow for Bolton-based aggregates and asphalt specialist A&F Haulage.
The haulier operates 230 vehicles from 15 depots across the UK, supporting key infrastructure projects such as Hinckley Point and HS2.
HaulTech’s dedicated bulk haulage platform has reduced administration processes by up to 80%, and, along with helping to create, assign and schedule jobs, it has made invoicing faster and more accurate.
The firm’s cloud-based TMS offers features from job booking and scheduling through to electronic proof of delivery and invoicing.
It is compatible with all pallet network platforms and can work with compliance systems such as Hazchem.
A&F Haulage said it now has far better productivity because it is using one integrated system, which also gives it greater visibility across the entire business.
Hammad Majeed, managing director said: “HaulTech has been great as it links together all aspects of our business from transport planning and management to invoicing.
“One of the biggest ways it has impacted our business is that we can process invoices much faster.
“Getting those invoices out quickly and in the right format can affect cash flow massively.”
According to trailer repair specialist BP Commercials, its decision to migrate to a workshop platform from Freeway Fleet Systems, was driven by the need for broader functionality and greater visibility across the business.
The firm, an authorised Schmitz Cargobull service partner, operates a facility in Belfast, servicing and repairing trailers for transport operators in Northern Ireland and those arriving via the ferry from Great Britain.
Initially, BP Commercials needed a change in software after it became a Schmitz partner, prompting the need for more advanced parts stock management.
The Freeway mobile app is now used at both of BP Commercials’ workshop locations to capture all labour activity, helping managers monitor productivity and efficiency.
Data from the mobile devices is synchronised with the central asset management platform, giving the business round-the-clock oversight of ongoing work.
Operators can now access digital inspection sheets, live job cards, invoices and detailed fleet information, including tyre tread measurements and damage reports, complete with photographic documentation.
Another key feature for BP Commercials is the software’s ability to analyse parts usage in detail.
This insight helps the business identify recurring faults and understand purchasing patterns, crucial information for a workshop that also acts as a parts supplier and must balance operational costs with customer pricing.
Freeway’s platform is designed to handle complex pricing structures, including fixed and variable labour rates, discounts, and seasonal or promotional pricing.
Roger Lundy, depot manager at BP Commercials said: “We do between 12 and 19 services a day, and with defects we typically raise 30-40 job cards and send out up to 50 invoices.
“We needed a flexible system to track costs and manage all of the billing complexities.
“With Freeway, it’s very easy to create a job card, and by recording time and providing photographs, customers have full visibility and know what they are being invoiced for.
“For us, the system means we can raise an invoice quickly, knowing we’ve covered all our costs.”
What is apparent is that over the next few years, transport operators looking to improve efficiency and reduce costs will increasingly switch to evermore sophisticated digital fleet management systems.
