Keeping it tight: How to lower company costs

Keeping it tight: How to lower company costs
Truck crossing a toll station on the motorway.

In today’s economic context it is more and more challenging to keep the company costs tight as a road freight company. One could say that the tendency to digitalize will solve most if not all the problems a road transport company deals with. This is partially true, but there’s more to it. First, optimizing operations for a transporter is related to several pillars, like faster and safer operations, lower costs, and reduced bureaucracy.

The very first step in this direction is the migration from cash-giving to drivers to fuel cards which immediately gives the fleet manager a credit line for all cards in use, and digital control over all cards used by the drivers, activating and deactivating them if needed. The cards are secured with a PIN and can have an extra layer of security thanks to different alerts a user can set regarding the area where the card can be used.

From cash to card

Not to forget: less costs! There are selected stations where card owners will benefit from preferential fuel prices. Combined with the route planner, an online tool that allows creating a desired route, this is a powerful and at hand tool to optimize costs. Although it may not seem so, the fuel card, like the DKV CARD, is the first step towards the digitalization of the company. The fleet manager automatically has access to an exhaustive online administration platform that offers full digital control of the cards and fleet. The accounting department will also be happier because a fuel card means all refueling is invoiced in a centralized document, so easy and paperless bookkeeping vs. numerous invoices and receipts. But that’s not all, fuel cards can also be used for paying tolls or convenient and simple processing of all vehicles-related services like parking, cleaning services and others.

So far one could already notice three big advantages, based on the fuel card alone - lower costs, faster, smoother and safer operations as well as the first brick in the digitalization process.

Say goodbye to a full windshield

If the fuel card is an adequate solution for both domestic and international transporters, the latter also deals with tolls. Although fuel cards can be used to pay for tolls, most European networks have moved towards satellite-monitored toll, and toll boxes are necessary. DKV Mobility developed a box which can be used to pay for tolls across 11 European countries and 14 toll systems. All in one invoice, smooth transition from one country to another, even from one truck to another if needed, no service involved. The box is managed conveniently through an online portal. Maximum flexibility, optimized operations.

And for those who want to take things to the next level, the telematic solution is a must. DKV Mobility has created the DKV LIVE, a digital assistant who solves a wide range of issues and enhances the transport business. The system allows digital fueling management - which means being able to select stations with best prices, alerts for unusual transactions and a tool to analyze the transaction history. It includes a live fleet monitoring, which means the manager knows where each truck is at any time and can estimate the arrival time and even offer such data to the beneficiary.

Road to digitalization

Moreover - empty trucks after a one-way transport? Problem solved. A telematic solution like DKV LIVE helps the manager find transport demand based on multiple platforms like Salodoo, trans.eu and Coyote. No more empty trucks. Another big advantage is that tachograph data can be downloaded and stored wireless, for all trucks. And having access to data is not all of it. Being able to analyze data like the truck computer information avoids fines and extra fuel costs. Last but not least, DKV LIVE keeps track of the truck service needs and notifies the user about all upcoming maintenance. Bottom line, the digital assistant means saving time, saving resources, and saving money.

Keeping more cash

Finally, a tip for extra liquidities for any transporter. Besides the advantage offered by the fuel card, as invoices come once/month, you can easily recover VAT and excise duty in many European countries. It would be an impossible mission to reach out to the authorities in each country transited by the company drivers and performing all formalities. DKV Mobility does that for you and you get everything, yes, you are right, in one invoice.

Thus, it is possible to counteract the increasing costs with a thorough optimization of operations and cost. These tools exist and can be ordered easily, swiftly, online. It is that simple: So, what are you waiting for?