When Is It Time to Upgrade Your Transportation Management System (TMS)?

If you run a trucking and freight company, you understand the value of a Transportation Management System (TMS) and Freight Management Systems that have the capability to make your fleet operations more effective and more efficient. But what if you have been employing the same TMS for years? Technology and software have continued to develop and improve to provide freight companies with even more features and functions that can help drive profits in a competitive industry.

Freight companies that have employed the same Transportation Management System for years may want to ask — when is it time to upgrade your Transportation Management System (TMS)? TenTrucks may be able to help answer your questions.

5 Reasons You Should Upgrade Your Transportation Management System

Is it time for you to upgrade your TMS to a more modern platform? Do you need to revamp your Freight Management System to improve efficiency? It might be — but how do you know for sure? There are a few key indicators that it might be time to upgrade your Transportation Management System:

• Your TMS employs inefficient manual operations. 
• You have a lack of visibility of your fleet operations and shipments.
• You don’t have the capability to scale your TMS to match the growth of your business.
• You may not be able to integrate key pieces of software with your current system.
• Your costs have increased without a reciprocal Return on Investment (ROI).
• Your technology is more than 10 years old and doesn’t implement modern functions — like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML). 

Those are just a few indicators that it may be time to upgrade your Transportation Management and Freight Management Systems. Here is a closer look at a few reasons you should invest in an updated system.

1. Growth and Scalability 

Is your freight business growing? Do you need enhanced capabilities to be able to run fleet operations more efficiently? When you add more trucks to your fleet, it means there is more data to track and more administrative work that needs to be done, and with an outdated TMS platform, this can lead to inefficiencies that cost you money in the long term. An updated and modern TMS platform will have the ability to grow with your company and easily scale to your needs. 

2. Lack of Visibility and Real-Time Tracking

The ability of fleet managers and dispatchers to be able to track trucks and shipments in real-time provides an impressive amount of benefits. Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) integrated with your TMS enable real-time tracking. Route optimization software augments visibility and helps reduce costs on the road. And with increased visibility, you can provide real-time updates to customers, improving customer satisfaction. If your TMS platform does not provide you with real-time tracking capabilities, it may be time for an upgrade. 

3. Manual Processes Lead to Inefficiency

Increased efficiency leads to increased profits and can mean the difference between surviving and thriving as a freight company. Transportation Management Systems that still rely on manual processes — like manual routing and manual documentation — can lead to inefficiencies that will cost your company money. Innovative route optimization software has the ability to reduce costs, improve delivery speeds, improve customer service, and improve KPIs like On-Time Delivery Rate. In addition to automated route optimization, automated day-to-day tasks like billing invoices can reduce administrative strain and improve efficiency in the office.

4. Limited Integration

Many modern Transportation Management Systems have the ability to integrate with current systems and expand the capabilities of your freight operations. For example — a TMS platform that has the ability to integrate with QuickBooks® accounting software can improve your ability to speed up billing processes and pay drivers. Additional integrations that can provide value include route optimization software, automated dashboards, and Electronic Logging Devices. If your current TMS cannot fully integrate with other systems you use to create a comprehensive platform, it may be time to upgrade. 

5. Low Driver Retention

Driver retention is a major challenge in the trucking and freight industry that businesses face each and every year. If your company is struggling to retain drivers, it could be that drivers are overwhelmed by administrative tasks when they should be focused on the road, maybe they aren’t being paid on time, or there is a lack of communication between drivers and dispatchers. An upgrade to a modern Transportation Management System can help improve driver retention by automating many day-to-day tasks for drivers, simplifying different aspects of the job, and improving their ability to communicate with dispatchers with innovative solutions like TMS mobile driver apps. 

READ MORE: How Will the Trucking and Freight Industry Change in 2026?

Is it time to upgrade your Transportation Management System (TMS)? If you find yourself facing any of the challenges we have listed in this blog post — it might be time to look for an upgrade — and TenTrucks is here to help.

Contact TenTrucks today for more information on the TenTrucks TMS platform!