Software

http://www.foglinesoftware.com/

 

" Trucking Business Software "
" For The Professional Lease Operator - Owner Operator - Auto Haulers and Small Fleets "

This is on the front page of that website he linked you to. The Truckn Pro Business Manager is the one for small fleets, you were looking at the Truckn Pro Professional Edition.

 

Your going to need a hell of a lot more then just software if your going big like that.

 

Foglines will handle an unlimited number of trucks and trailers, but if you want software that will handle hundreds of trucks then you are going to need networking capability and will spend thousands of dollars just for the software. You can also expect to need a networking administrator or someone to oversee the IT. Most people start with something that is affordable and much more in line with their current and short and long term needs. Most carriers that I am familiar started with one type of program and then moved up to a different program as their needs changed. A single truck or small fleet doesn't need software that will handle hundreds of trucks. It takes time to get to that point. Who knows, Foglinesoftware may have a program that will accept that many trucks and have the networking capability you would need at the point you grow that large. Truckershelper also has several programs for the industry. I don't recall if any of them will handle 500 trucks. It will usually take several years for someone to get to that point, if ever. You need something that is affordable, simple to learn, easy to use and will grow with your business. I bought software back in the 80's to run my business. It was in a different industry. It had different modules for things such as payroll, accounts receivable, etc., The software cost over $5,000 and was so complicated that no one wanted to use it. It was a very costly mistake. The best software is one that is simple and easy to use.

I have checked several different software programs designed for the trucking industry, including some that were rather expensive. Some of the larger software companies attend the major truck shows. I started with Easy Trucking, but there were some issues with it. I liked some of the features, but it had some limitations that I didn't like. I tried Truckers Helper. It did what I wanted, but was a little more complex than I wanted. They have also changed the way that they do business in recent years. I think they sold out a couple of years ago. Most all of the various trucking software programs do some of the same things. You can use a standard accounting program, such as Quick Books or Quicken, but they are not designed for this industry. We have certain regulations and tax reporting that is not required by other industries, such as IFTA. We also need to track maintenance, drivers, etc., You can download the foglinesoftware on a trial and check out their training video's to see if it will work for you. You may or may not like it. Most people I know who have tried it seem to like it.

 

Dr. Dispatch seems to work pretty well for me. They have a free trial that works well so you can see how the software works plus the software writer will spend some time on the phone with you showing you how to do the tasks you need to get done. The price is pretty reasonable as well.

http://www.drdispatch.com/

 

It looks like the price is rather high, especially for a one truck operation. I went to their website and it looks like the minimum purchase is $895. That doesn't sound too reasonable to me. If you have several trucks you could spend $5,000. I think that I will stick with Foglinesoftware (Trucknpro) for a couple of hundred dollars. You should not need help learning about the Trucknpro program if you look at their videos, but if you do they are available to help. I had questions when I first started using their software and was able to speak with them on the phone. I am afraid that I didn't get past the price of the drdispatch software. Most trucking software that I have checked for the last several years you could purchase for less than $200 or so. Before Truckershelper changed the way they do business you could have purchased their best software for $495 and run up to 100 trucks. I think they now only sell is with a monthly subscription. I can't imagine a single truck operation spending $895 on software when they can buy a good program for a fraction of that amount and they can have one or a hundred trucks for the same fee. If you want some of their addon's you could be required to pay a monthly subscription fee.