Updated: July 3, 2025

CHALLENGE - SELECT AND TEST ANY SAAS, TMS, TRUCKING CARRIER SOFTWARE

Published here: April 23, 2025

This article is a kind of an expert or insider advice. It helps see advantages and disadvantages of using SaaS. For some it might show pros and cons or points to consider and pitfalls to avoid when selecting and starting using both a SaaS (Software as a Service) in general and a trucking carrier software in particular (often called TMS = Transportation Management System).

Many people want to find and use a good SaaS software and they somewhat bet on one. Everybody wants to make an informed decision. It is challenging to:

1. get a list of the major significant points to consider when looking for a good SaaS product (SaaS = Software as a Service). It is challenging even for AI 😀 - I checked

2. find a good SaaS software

3. find a good trucking carrier software on the Internet (if you are a trucking carrier)

Once you’ve read this article to the end you will know:

• major points to consider and focus on for further decision making

• pitfalls to avoid when dealing with SaaS (Software as a Service) trucking carrier software or any other SaaS product

• you will have saved much time, effort and nerve on trial and failure

I wrote this article after:

1. having seen US trucking carriers struggle (both small carriers and large carriers)

2. having worked for over 2 years with trucking carriers and a startup software company developing SaaS TMS for trucking carriers (NO company or software advertising here, BTW: I enjoyed working with the product and the company) &

3. having come across 

   1. various TMSs for trucking (TMS = Transportation Management Systems / Transportation Management Software) as well as across 

   2. NON-TMS / NOT FOR TRUCKING SAAS PRODUCTS

This article can be of help to you if you are:

1. considering to use any SaaS (Software as a Service) solution in ANY sphere, i.e. you want to start using any SaaS software

2. a trucking carrier, an owner operator, a trucking company owner, an accountant, a safety person or a dispatcher willing to decide on what trucking carrier software to use (what SaaS product to use) - it is useful both for small carriers as well as large carriers

Trucking carriers like other professionals need to save time, money, nerves, effort and other resources. To do so one can consider using a trucking software, may be the term trucking-carrier software would be better and more appropriate for trucking carriers.

Trucking-carrier software (trucking carrier software) is a software developed specifically for the needs of trucking carriers (there are other carrier types, transportation types and software types). There are software products for carriers, and not all of them are for trucking. There are trucking software products, and not all of them are for trucking carriers.

It is challenging to find a trucking carrier software as well as to decide what trucking carrier software to use, the same applies to any SaaS product.

To ease your decision making, consider and follow the points below:

SAAS POINTS APPLICABLE TO TRUCKING CARRIERS

Geography

Check what country / region the trucking carrier software has been developed for.

It might be the trucking carrier software is not fit for working in your country or region. E.g.: there are TMSs good for working only in the US and not in other countries.

Consider the currency / currencies you can show in financial documents generated by the software.

Load types

Make sure the software covers the types of loads you do most frequently (it could be just one load type, e.g.: FTL, LTL, split loads, partial loads, car hauling, drayage, moving…).

Ask if there is any work around for other types of loads you are doing not that frequently (rarely, from time to time). And decide if the solutions on offer are ok for you.

For trucking carriers only or not

There are software companies who develop a SaaS software specifically for trucking carriers: they focus on the needs of the trucking carrier only (they might consider dispatchers', accounting and safety needs as well as owner operators needs, and they do not even consider the needs of brokers or other trucking industry players - their main focus is trucking carriers) – in this case the software value for the trucking carrier is great. Such software companies develop more features to meet trucking carriers needs and nobody else's (reminder: dispatchers are part of a trucking carrier).

Look for a software that has been developed and is being developed just for trucking carriers.

The narrower the target audience of the trucking carrier software – the most likely:

1. the greater the value and functionality for the trucking carrier will be (e.g.: if a software is just for trucking carriers, there is high probability for more trucking carrier features, functionality and integrations than the software developed simultaneously for carriers, brokers, etc.) and

2. the cheaper the software might be (as compared to a more universal software)

There are many other points to consider in a trucking carrier software (dispatch board, loadboard(s), driver app, ELD, HOS, tracking, tolls, accounting, expenses, fuel, IFTA, factoring, pdf document generation, Safety, fleet management, messaging, etc.), but I will not extensively cover them in this article as the article will be too long. THE POINTS BELOW ARE ALSO VERY IMPORTANT FOR TRUCKING.

SAAS POINTS APPLICABLE TO ALL: BOTH TRUCKING CARRIERS AND NON-TRUCKING SAAS AUDIENCES

Software accessibility (from location and devices)

The software should allow for users to work from anywhere with the Internet connection. If this is the case, if it is a SaaS trucking carrier software, nothing is to be installed on your device(s): you work with your trucking carrier software like with a website (which means it is web based) and all your information is kept in a cloud (that means cloud based). The software is both web-based and cloud based (SaaS = Software as a Service).

FYI: there are other types of software where you have to install a piece of software on your device (locally), you work from the software on your device (not from a website) and the information is kept in a cloud (not on your device).

Number of users

Clarify how many users you need as a trucking carrier and how many users are included into the subscription package(s) you consider to buy.

You might also be asked questions:

• How many trucks do you have?

• How many loads per month do you do?

Functions, features and integrations: ACTIVE vs. DECLARED

Look for a trucking carrier software that has the functions, features and integrations you really need (not just want) and those you will extensively use or will have to use in the future. Functions and features you do not use extensively or will not have to use in the future, are of no value to you – in some cases people would buy a software that has those, just because it has the functionality they need and it is cheaper than other options. There are also cases when people are ready to pay any price: they just want the functionality, features and integrations they want (not necessarily need).

BTW: there is no perfect software and one will have to make concessions. Nobody likes that, but one will have to give up on something (features, functions, integrations, pricing…).

Integrations for trucking carriers

Decide on what the absolute must is for your integrations as far as specific bits of information are concerned.

• ELD (could be just location to see a truck on the map, some want HoS = hours of service, some want miles by state for further filing IFTA, still others want more detailed information available via ELD integration)

• Factoring

• Fuel

• Tolls

• QuickBooks Online (or may be desktop version)

• Load boards

• IFTA

Restrictions on features, functions and integrations

Ask if all subscriptions have the same set of functions, features and integrations.

Ask if all the bits are active during free trial (if there is free trial). If not, probably it makes sense to subscribe right away to see in action all the features, functionality and integrations.

Live testing

Test in practice all the needed and declared features, functionalities (like data import/export) and integrations, make sure you are satisfied with how they work.

Understand: in most cases you use a SaaS software as is, and when you subscribe you confirm you agree to that.

Some declared features, functions and integrations (PITFALL):

1. do not work as you expected

2. work with bugs and glitches or

3. do not work at all (they are just in plans or are being developed, or not being developed)

These things are observed in different SaaS software: both trucking and non-trucking. The reason for that is that some software companies – though not all – start advertising features and functionalities before the functionality is actually there (in some cases it takes far too long for the advertised feature to become alive). The number of bugs, glitches as well as declared and not working functionalities varies from software provider to software provider (from TMS to TMS).

To be fair I must say there are companies who advertise only active features and you get what has been declared.

You can test both:

• during a free trial (if available and if all features are active during the free trial) and /or

• once you've subscribed for one month (PITFALL: REMEMBER TO UNSUBSCRIBE after one month if you do not like the software! - otherwise most likely you will be charged automatically)

During Free trial

In some cases, you have a free trial period – use it to the maximum or / and ask somebody (a friend, your team) to help you if you do not have enough time to test everything yourself.

You might want to create another free trial if the system allows you to do so.

Reminder (PITFALL): some functionality and support activities might not be available during free trial.

WITHOUT free trial or AFTER free trial

If testing is to be done without or after the free trial, buy one month subscription to check all the features and functions. IMPORTANT (PITFALL): some features, functions and integrations can only be activated after you have subscribed.

You can test the software

• on a small company (e.g.: small carrier) or

• on an owner operator with their own MC and DOT, or

• just using in the SaaS software bits of data from an existing company (e.g.: large carrier)

Customization: possible or not

PITFALL: they might not be doing any customization.

Find out if they do customization at your request. If so, what is the price for a smallest possible customization request.

You can use the software as is without customization - just ask for suggestions from support, sales representative, account manager or think yourself how you could do that (it will save you some money, if this is your goal)

COMPARE THE COMARABLE SAAS (TMS, TRUCKING CARRIER SOFTWARE)

Do not fall into the trap of comparing pricing of a trucking carrier software that has relatively few functions with a trucking carrier software that has more features, functions and integrations. Consider if all features are available in all subscription packages or under any contract.

FYI: some software have many bugs and glitches, other software have few(er) or no bugs/glitches.

DECISION ON SAAS AND TRUCKING CARRIER SOFTWARE

Make a decision based on how your current needs are met (there is no perfect software: focus on your “need” features, do not focus on your "nice-to-have" wants or features) by a particular software and, if necessary, by competitors.

CONCLUSION ON SAAS AND TRUCKING CARRIER SOFTWARE

I've highlighted some major points to consider when dealing with SaaS products. Most of these points are applicable to all SaaS software. Of course, for trucking carriers as well as for others there are many more details and points.

Hope this article helps you decide on what SaaS software or trucking carrier software to use and now you know:

MAJOR POINTS TO FOCUS ON

For trucking carriers (SaaS, TMS, trucking carrier software)

1. Geography

2. Load types

3. Trucking carriers only or not

For everybody using SaaS (including trucking carriers using TMS and trucking carrier software)

1. Software Accessibility

2. Number of users

3. Functions, features and integrations: Active vs. Declared

4. Restrictions on features functions and integrations

5. Live testing during free trial and after having subscribed

6. Customization (available or not)

7. Compare the comparable (there is software meeting all your needs, there is no software meeting all your wants, unless you go for a custom software, which is more expensive, the more active and bug-free features a software has the higher the price)

PITFALLS TO AVOID

1. The software doesn't work in your country (check if the software works in your country, it might have been developed for a single country)

2. The software does not show your currency or it works just with a single currency (ask if you can show your currency, if customization for your currency can be done)

3. The SaaS software doesn't work well enough with your major types of loads (those you do most frequently).

4. No driver app or it works poorly.

5. Not all features or integrations work during free trial (subscribe for one month to see how all the features, integrations, imports and exports work)

6. Some features or integrations work not as you expected (ask the support what you can do about it, if the software provider can do something about it and when)

7. The software does not have a minor thing and you refuse the software, but you lose value as the major things are there and you can profitably use the SaaS product.

8. Some declared features do not work at all, they are not active (and it can be that way for a long time) - remember the difference between declared functionality and actually working functionality

9. No customization provided or it is too expensive for you

10. Request to unsubscribe by email if you have decided not to use the software (the public agreement - you agree to it when creating a free trial or when subscribing - generally allows for automatic renewal and you will be automatically charged). FYI: automatic renewal and charge is done to prevent inconveniences to the client due to the service interruption if not paid timely.

Again: there is no perfect SaaS software, compare the comparable, consider the value you get and the money you pay per subscription, per customization (if any), per user, per truck and per load (if applicable), per month / per year. If you work in another field consider metrics corresponding to your activities.

Wish you all success in deciding upon a good SaaS product / a nice SaaS trucking carrier software!

Have you any questions, you are welcome to get in touch. Feel free to message me.

Your comments are also very much appreciated.

Click the Account Manager link in case you would like to know about my previous activities as an Account Manager.

Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions.

Note: to give a broader SaaS or trucking-carrier audience access to this article I've decided to publish the complete article here (on this page).