Whether the goal is to optimize route scheduling or broker the best deal, software companies that cater to the trucking industry are constantly working to create new and better ways of doing business.

Fleets today can purchase software for almost any part of the business from programs that reduce operating costs to software that helps fleets avoid tax time headaches.

HammerLane is one program developed by a trucker with more than 40 years experience as an owner operator and fleet owner.

Fred Gasperson needed to track his drivers in his small fleet. He needed to know the trucks’ movements and he needed a better way to manage truck and driver settlements.

As a dispatcher and broker, Gasperson also understood the unique needs of the trucking industry, but wanted a better way to manage his business.

“Twenty years ago when he started looking for a program to help him with his bookkeeping and office management, the perfect software was not available,” says Alita Allen, business improvement specialist for HammerLane. “Fred hired a driver to run his truck and taught himself how to write a software program. Thanks to a good friend who helped him, he wrote the first HammerLane Owner/Operator program. Through the years he has improved the program and written two more (versions) for small and large fleets.”

The HammerLane software is designed to track expenses, fuel purchase, income and the miles between pickups and deliveries. The information creates a Profit and Loss Report, a Trip Report, an Income Report, a Bookkeeping Report, an IFTA Report and more. “It also tracks the truck maintenance, receivables and billed income,” Allen says. “You can also invoice customers and it has an estimate screen to enter information regarding a pending trip to help the owner or fleet estimate the projected revenue per mile. With the truck settlement in the fleet program, a Truck/Driver Settlement can also be calculated.”

A trial of the software is available at www.hammerlane.com, or call 800-722-2716 for more information.

Practically all the software available on the market today came directly from a driver or a fleet owner’s need to manage the business more effectively.

Rand McNally offers several solutions for the commercial transportation industry, including the new IntelliRoute Dock2Dock software that uses NAVTEQ Map Data to provide truck-routable street-level data to maximize efficiency from the first mile to the last.

The software can be used to prove dock-to-dock navigation on city and inter-neighborhood streets.

The software is enhanced with datasets to equip carriers and shippers with GPS routing that allows Class 8 and longer combination vehicles (LCVs) to route from the origin’s dock to the destination.

With precise routing, the software minimizes out-of-route miles and improves fuel efficiency to increase productivity and profit.

“IntelliRoute Dock2Dock fills a critical need for carriers to route and deliver efficiently from the first to the last mile,” said Donna Koppensteiner, vice president of the enterprise division of Rand McNally. “With soaring fuel prices, every mile counts.”

The software cuts time and cost by helping prevent delays, hefty fines or accidents than can occur when drivers aren’t aware of truck routing restrictions to and from highways. “Our customers also anticipate increased on-time deliveries and potential additional deliveries because drivers will spend less time navigating and backtracking on local streets.”

Rand McNally also offers a RouteTools software solution to help drivers with routing, mileage and business management. “The feedback we received from professional drivers was instrumental in helping us tailor the product to their needs,” Koppensteiner said. “They stressed the importance of truck-attributed directions and features that allow them to locate truck stops as well as the quickest routes and mileage options.”

In addition to calculating fast, fuel-efficient, multi-stop routes, RouteTools generates trips based on user-defined truck configurations to help avoid fines.

The software features detailed descriptions of almost 6,000 truck stop locations and their amenities. The software also helps driver bill, record expenses, calculate mileage and report taxes in each state or province.

For more information, visit www.randmcnally.com or call 800-234-4069.

Texas Freight Services based in Houston, TX, is a U.S. Customs Bonded local and regional truckload motor carrier. The privately owned and operated trucking company founded in 1994 with two trucks, now employs more than 120 people and operates more than 90 vehicles.

In April 2007, the fleet moved to a new facility adjacent to George Bush Intercontinental Airport on a 10-acre plot of land that houses administration offices, an operational control center and a maintenance facility. By using McLeod Software’s LoadMaster IX enterprise system, the company is saving considerable management time.

“Quick-Find enables us to very quickly and effectively search for and address any issues that arise within our operations,” said Frank Ngu, operations manager at Texas Freight Services. “When our dispatchers are looking for information, it’s a significant time saver. It allows them to enter search criteria, such as a trailer number, and find what we’re looking for immediately, without having to go through menus or multiple screens.”

The Quick-Find capability of LoadMaster IX is a new option that allows a keyword search of the database for easy access to information. Users can find any word, name, number or combination of characters from data in the database.

A more advanced search option is also available that allows users to restrict their search to a single table or expand their search to the full database.

McLeod’s imaging document management system is also helping cut costs by more than $100,000 a year with DocumentPower Enterprise.

Doug Andrus Distributing CFO, Jason Andrus, said, “McLeod Imaging’s document management system is not only a huge time saver, but it has cut our expenses for postage and administrative staff and vastly improved our billing and cash cycles.”

Founded in 1937, Doug Andrus Distributing founded a family-owned motor carrier based in Idaho Falls, ID that is managed today by a third generation of family members. The company provides refrigerated truckload service to customers in the U.S. and Canada with a fleet of 270 tractors and more than 300 trailers.

When the company couldn’t keep up with third-party needs, it sought a software solution. Since 1998, the fleet is realizing several measurable benefits from using the technology.

“By choosing McLeod to provide a fully integrated transportation and document management solution, we have gained the benefits of working with a single supplier that is truly focused on the needs of transportation operations,” said Andrus. The company says it has reduced postage expenses by 45 percent and is saving more than $100,000 a year in it’s annual operating budget by only needing to add 1.5 employees to the accounting staff while the fleet size has doubled.

For more information, visit www.MceodSoftware.com or call 877-362-5363.

Dr. Dispatch Transportation Software is an affordable and easy-to-use Windows-based Trucking and Dispatch operations software program that manages brokerage or freight forwarding.

The Dr. Dispatch software works with QuickBooks, PC*Miler and ProMiles to keep ahead of the rapidly changing business of trucking. DRD5 provides an extensive improvement in the technology and represents a significant leap forward. The new user interface improves multi-user security and the new LTL load of lading package offers customizable grids. With new and improved QuickBooks integration, plus numerous new and improved reports, the software is designed to solve problems and challenges for fleets and owner operators.

The company says it will release a new list of features that include upgraded planning modules and customer integration with automatic upgrades and other features to track and manage company efficiency.

A free trial of Dr. Dispatch is available online. For more information, visit www.drdispatch.com or call 800-879-7443.

Intergis, a provider of mobile resource management and logistics technologies said its Kuva asset-tracking device helps companies’ track and protect high net worth assets using GPS/GSM technology.

Kuva is easily attached and provides location, time/data and motion information, which it then transmits to a remote server via the GSM/GPRS wireless network. Users can track each transmission in a web-based mapping or satellite imagery application, with the exact location of the asset being tracked.

The devices are encased in sturdy, water-resistant molded plastic and have internal antennas that enable it to operate in the conditions of any shipment. The units are easily hidden on materials to limit detection and feature a fully self-contained, battery-powered unit that my last up to 2.5 years before recharging.

Kuva is designed for construction and other mobile resource management and logistics technologies for small, medium and large businesses.

For more information, visit www.integris.com

TruckPilot.com is one tool that helps truckers identify the best route before they accept a shipment.

Truckers can identify steep grades, mountain passes, and elevations and plan for mileage per state for tax purposes or plan for expected driving times before leaving home base.

Truckers can create a trip route and look for the MDAs (Mountain Directory Advisories) on the screen. Click on the hyperlink to order the book directly from the publisher. The guide can be used in the truck for each MDA or modify the route for alternate suggestions.

Another benefit for the driver of TruckPilot is that the trip route displays the location of the T-Check truck stops along the route by miles and time. Plug in the minimum fuel requirement and the miles are calculated per gallon for optimum price and location along the route.

Developed by FreeTrip.com at the request of truckers and RVers, www.truckpilot has the ability to create a route online so the information is accessible through email.

For more information, contact ann@truckpilot.com or call 703-837-1120.