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Digital transport management systems allow operators to eliminate paperwork, promote efficiencies as they expand, and generally cut running costs across their businesses.

They also give greater visibility of daily transport operations, helping managers look into individual vehicle performance, eliminate recurring defects, control parts and labour costs, as well as make time savings.

For example, bulk earthworks contractor Wordsworth Excavations has become a more data-driven operation and has improved back-office efficiencies since adopting a transport-management system (TMS) from HaulTech.

Based in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, the company operates 45 tippers: mainly eight-wheeler rigids plus some articulated vehicles and two all-electric trucks.

The company had always relied on a paper ticket system but, according to the company, that was not now ideal for its diverse and busy fleet.

It also faced issues such as being unable to read a driver’s handwriting, or tickets getting lost, as well as difficulties improving on time management because it had no visibility of data.

In addition, it had no idea how productive each wagon and driver were until the end of the day when the tickets came back to the office.

Using the software from HaulTech, Wordsworth has moved its operation from a paper-based job-management system to a digitised one.

Jason Thorp, compliance manager at Wordsworth Excavations said: “On a big job, we can be managing 150 loads a day going in and out.

“In the past, the admin time to manually input all of those tickets might be 90 mins. HaulTech can do it in less than 10 mins and the results are more accurate.

“The simplicity of the system made it easy for our team to embrace.

“With clear instructions and real-time updates, the drivers were able to see the value right away – whether it was tracking their loads, optimising their routes, or receiving instant feedback.”

Also, the decision by Manchester-based heavy haulage specialist J.C. Gillespie to adopt logistics software from Podfather has helped it remove all paper from its operation.

This has involved hundreds of sheets every day being replaced with digital job lists, real-time updates, and automated invoicing.

At the start of each shift, drivers complete a comprehensive vehicle check, including the capture of pre-defined photographs, before they can access the day’s job details.

Incoming jobs are recorded up to a daily cut-off point and then allocated to drivers, with details automatically shared to the driver’s mobile device, via the Podfather app.

Once on-site, drivers record their arrival time on the digital job sheet and capture additional information including date-, time- and location-stamped photographs, and signatures – together with details such as on-site delays, differences between expected and actual outcomes, and damage reports.

This information is shared with the back office in real time for customer reporting and billing.

Vehicle checks are also repeated at the end of the working day and recorded using Podfather.

In addition, J.C Gillespie is using the Podfather system to improve the health and safety of its workforce through compulsory vehicle checks, and to manage and report on its accreditation for fleet management schemes such as FORS.

Michael Gillespie, Managing Director of J.C. Gillespie said: “With our old system, it could literally take days, if not weeks, for job sheets to make it back to the office for pricing and invoicing.

“That is assuming the paperwork was filled in correctly and didn’t get lost in transit.

“Now, using Podfather, we can invoice within minutes of the delivery being made – this is good for the drivers, good for the business, and good for our customers.”

Meanwhile, the engineering department at Nottingham City Transport (NCT) has become fully digital, with a Freeway system managing the workshop, stores, and compliance.

NCT’s engineering staff are equipped with rugged tablet devices including an app that allows quick, easy entry of data to replace traditional job sheets, inspection reports, timesheets and other paperwork.

The app also synchronises in real time with a central Freeway system that manages the maintenance of NCT’s fleet of 282 buses.

Backed with photographs, the digital reports allow engineers to quickly decide if a vehicle is safe to operate.

Also, when buses return to the depot, the cabin is inspected for lost property, cleanliness and damage such as vandalism, with details recorded digitally.

In addition, the fleet management system gives NCT a complete picture of each asset including servicing schedules, MoT dates and outstanding defects.

Sean O’Sullivan, Head of Engineering at NCT said the automation provided by Freeway is saving the organisation the work of about five people across its workshops – worth between £150,000 and £200,000 every year.

He added: “With the mobile app, driver defect reports are sent directly to Freeway. That means we can quickly adjust workshop schedules and resources to minimise disruption to services.

“What’s really impressive with Freeway is that everyone can access the history of maintenance work – by whom and when, the parts used, and so on.

“That’s really useful for identifying recurring defects and parts performance issues.

“By quickly identifying problems and likely causes, we can fix things quickly and ensure vehicle downtime is minimised.”

Castleford-based Duynie Feed, a specialist in co-products from the food, beverage, and biofuel industries, has also adopted AssetGo’s digital fleet and driver compliance platform.

The operator now uses the full fleet management system covering daily vehicle checks, inspections, accident reporting, cost tracking and driver licence checks, which has tightened its driver compliance management and helped it control its fleet data better.

Duynie said that consolidating all compliance functions has improved accuracy, reduced administration time, and provided managers with instant access to information when required.

Anthony Price, UK logistics manager at Duynie, said: “AssetGo provide us with a system which allows the management of the vehicle and driver compliance to be kept in one place.

“Being digital cuts admin time, reduces errors and allows greater accuracy and immediate access to data for monitoring and if any Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) inspections are required.”

It is clear that over the coming years, transport operators looking to improve efficiency and reduce costs will increasingly switch to digital fleet management technology.