Managing payroll and employee-related paperwork can be time-consuming for trucking and logistics companies. Employing technology solutions to streamline and simplify this process can help your company keep pace with changing employment regulations, shifts in staffing demands and turnover.
Transportation management systems (TMS) deployed remotely can allow employees to access critical business information from wherever they are, including routing, planning and mileage, payroll, account payables and receivables and general ledger. These solutions can also help improve asset maintenance and repair.
Choosing the Right Payroll Software
Choosing the right payroll software can be tricky, as it needs to accommodate a wide range of unique transportation-specific payroll requirements. But the right solution can simplify your payroll and help you focus on running your business rather than managing a cumbersome process.
Payroll software can be set up to automate the process as much as possible, so it takes minutes rather than hours for you to complete payroll. The key is to find a system that fits your needs and can integrate with your other systems, like time and labor, compensation, financial management and absence management.
Regarding pricing, payroll services are typically based on how often you run payroll or the number of employees you’re paying. Some also charge for tax and compliance assistance.
QuickBooks is one of the most popular payroll software solutions and a good option for trucking businesses looking to manage their finances, track driver mileage and create invoices. However, its software is fee-heavy, and you may need to add on extra services.
On the other hand, an IFTA-compliant trucking payroll solution like Rollbyadp.com can integrate with your existing TMS or with a third-party mileage tracking integration. The only drawback to this software is that it needs a streamlined way to pay per mile.
The most important factors to consider when evaluating different payroll software are how well it can integrate with your other systems and whether it’s scalable to fit your growing business. If you can narrow your search down to a few payroll vendors that meet these criteria, you can start by booking a demo with them.
Integrating with Your TMS
A transportation management system (TMS) can automate your shipping operations. The technology also provides valuable insights into where your merchandise is in the supply chain, helping you to make more informed business decisions.
Using a TMS to streamline your shipping process can save you time and money and increase efficiency throughout your entire supply chain. These solutions are available for shippers of all sizes and can be used to meet customer expectations, minimize risk and ensure reliable delivery.
TMS tools are designed to automatically select and bid on carriers, which allows users to make more accurate pricing estimates and eliminates the need for manual tendering. Additionally, many TMS systems will produce forecasts to determine how a carrier’s price will impact your bottom line.
Furthermore, integrating your TMS with a third-party data provider can provide additional functionality and reporting. This is especially true when the data provider offers APIs, making it easier for you to integrate your TMS with their data.
Consider your company’s specific needs and budget when deciding which TMS to use. It would help if you also looked for features that will help you scale your growth. Some TMS vendors follow a per-user pricing model, while others offer flat-rate or annual payments.
Tracking Employee Hours and Wages
Employing technology solutions to simplify transportation payroll helps to ensure that your employees are paid accurately and on time. In addition, it can help to eliminate labor law violations that can be costly.
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires all businesses to track the hours of their hourly employees. This includes regular work hours, break times, and overtime earnings. It also covers mealtimes and minimum working hours.
Although manual time tracking may seem simple, it can be time-consuming and lead to errors. It can also be inefficient and lead to time theft and overtime fraud.
A better option is to use automated time-tracking software that enables your employees to clock in and out using mobile apps. The data from these apps can be exported as reports, allowing you to view their work schedules and make necessary adjustments.
Moreover, automatic time tracking is a convenient way for managers to stay in touch with their team and ensure they meet their responsibilities. It also gives them a clear view of how long each employee spends on their job and whether they are over or under the expected hours.
Whether your business is a trucking company, courier services, construction, or public transportation, GPS time tracking is an effective way to monitor your staff. This solution can be used on-site or off-site and easily integrated with your payroll.
Maintaining Compliance
Maintaining compliance with regulations can be challenging for any organization, but it is essential. It ensures that businesses are adhering to laws and standards related to their industry, which is necessary to avoid costly fines or penalties in the future.
Compliance is essential to any business’s responsibilities to its community and stakeholders, which is why it should be integrated into the broader corporate strategy. It’s also an effective way for companies to demonstrate their reliability, integrity and ethics, which can engender stakeholder trust.
A successful compliance strategy requires an organization to take the time to understand the compliance laws and policies that affect its operations. In addition, it must identify and close gaps in its compliance program on an ongoing basis to protect itself against liability risks.
For example, a company should comply with data privacy regulations like the GDPR and PCI DSS. This can help it protect customer information and avoid a data breach that could harm its reputation, lower its profits, and even force it to file for bankruptcy.
However, it’s not enough to abide by compliance regulations; a company must also foster a culture of compliance among its employees. This means training them to be aware of their responsibilities and religiously follow those rules and policies. It also means fostering a “speak up” culture that encourages staff to report any issues.