Safety Management programs are integrated into trucking company software to document, record and manage issues pertaining to safety. Accident reporting is classified as a safety management module, in which information concerning an accident or mishap is directly entered into the system and given an accident code or unique identifier for reference. Safety management program modules make it easier to conduct accident investigations and determine cost and downtime related with an accident.
Before automation principles entered the trucking industry, drivers kept logs of miles, fuel consumption and personal transportation costs on log sheets. The use of automated log program eliminates the need to keep track of paperwork. Information can be input into the system and downloaded once the driver gets back to the main office or through a wireless Internet connection, log information can be transmitted directly to the main office with a delivery or confirmation receipt received by the driver. Automated log programs delete extra paperwork.
While truck drivers deliver goods from state to state, recording of fuel taxes are important. ITFA (International Fuel Tax Agreement) requires truck drivers to report fuel consumption use when operating in more than one state. The fuel tax accounting program has a built-in tax table in trucking software programs that automatically calculates fuel taxes according to jurisdiction rates. Tax reporting is calculated by the software and can be emailed to the company office. Independent truck drivers can catalog all of their fuel expenditures under one trucking run or separate the fuel tax data into date order with a specific transaction number.
If a truck driver is out on the road, trucking software can provide a real-time status of cargo loads. The cargo load is loaded into the system and given a bill of lading number or a cargo load number. The driver can annotate in the software if the cargo is called in, in transit, delivered; invoiced and paid. Load status information can be submitted back to the dispatch or controller via the Internet or by an email module in the program.
The first GPS (Global Positioning System) was created for logistical operations concerning processing and transportation of military assets. The logistics industry implemented GPS as a way to determine the best straight-line route from one point to another. GPS modules are built into trucking software to provide direction and shortage route information to determine the best course of action to take while transporting cargo across a certain geographical layout.
