How to Choose the Right Trucking Company Software

Finding the right trucking company software can go a long way towards making your owner-operator business the financial success you want it to be. But as you probably know already, not all computer programs are equal. So here are some tips for picking the right one for your needs.

• First off, ask yourself what you need it to do. For example, owner-operators have many things to keep up with, such as taxes, fuel receipts, miles driven, maintenance records, etc. So start by making a list of all the things you have to keep track of. Then you can look for a software package that helps you with each of those tasks.

• Second, visit the company’s website. As a trucker, it’s important that you choose software that has been created with professional drivers in mind. Anyone with a little programming knowledge can put together a computer app. But unless it was created from a trucking point of view, how can you know that it will meet your needs?

• Can you access your records from any computer? If not, you’ll be chained to doing all of your work from one PC. It’s better to use a program that you can access from anywhere you have an Internet connection. That way you can check and update your records any time, whether you’re sitting at home or using your laptop from a truck stop on the other side of the country.

• Speaking of your records, it’s important to have backups of all of them, not just in your office or on your PCs, but also on the web. You don’t need an auditor showing up right after a fire, theft, or other disaster destroyed your information. We’ve been through that ourselves back in the day, so we know just how much aggravation and trouble it can cause.

• Does the software company allow you to try their product before you buy? If not, then why not? The ability to take a program for a test drive before you part with your hard-earned cash is vital. It shows that the seller has confidence in their product and doesn’t mind letting you check it out before you purchase it.

• Does the provider offer reliable, friendly, American-based support? The last thing you need is having a question or an issue and dealing with someone you can barely understand. An otherwise useful program can be a dud without this important feature.

• Does the software make sense to you? Are you able to use it without needing a PhD in computer science just to figure the thing out? Programs that aren’t intuitive and easy to understand are worse than useless.

You’ll find that TruckingOffice easily meets all of the above requirements. I run my own trucking company and partnered with my father (a software programmer) specifically to help professional drivers stay on top of their recordkeeping. Each aspect of TruckingOffice focuses on a different part of your business, including IFTA reports, dispatches, loads, invoices, maintenance schedules, and much more. Everything is laid out in a common sense, easy-to-understand format that you don’t have to be a computer whiz to understand. What else could you want from your owner operator software?

If you have a question or concern, we keep daily office hours throughout the week. We’re delighted to hear from our customers and we happily assist with any issues you might be having. Everything is backed up securely and safely on the Internet, allowing you – and only you – to review your records and change them from anywhere you can get online. So try us out at no cost by clicking here, and give us a call if we can help in any way!