Service · Software development

Custom transport software development.

Custom transport software for hauliers, freight forwarders and 3PL providers for whom a standard TMS falls short. Planning, real-time tracking, driver app, customer portal and compliance, built around your sector, your documents and your existing systems.

Planning & dispatchReal-time trackingDriver appCustomer portalTelematics

Standard TMS or custom build: an honest comparison.

The Dutch transport market has mature TMS packages. PTV Group, Transics (Wabco), Easytrans, Centric Logistics, TimoCom, Conneqt and Asbroek-Transics together cover most of road haulage in the Netherlands. For general distribution and standard road transport these packages perform well, so in that case we advise you not to build custom software. Honest advice in the first conversation is our starting point; we won't begin a project that you would be better off buying from a standard vendor.

Custom development becomes worthwhile once your workflow deviates: ADR dangerous goods, cold chain, crane scheduling, car transport with loading rules, or multimodal freight where road, rail, sea and air sit in a single order. This is where standard TMS packages hit a wall, not because they are poor, but because they were not designed for your scenario. We then build a targeted add-on or a fully custom platform, and integrate with your existing TMS wherever possible. As a transport software partner, we first assess honestly where a standard solution is sufficient and where specific work is needed.

The second reason for custom development: real-time visibility. In 2026 shippers expect an Amazon-level status experience for their consignment: current position, ETA accurate to the minute, photo proof of delivery within seconds. Those who handle this only by email and phone lose shipper confidence to parties who automate it. A proprietary customer portal with live telemetry from the cab and the cold unit is, for many hauliers, the most concrete source of value.

A third reason is the driver's perspective. Paper consignment notes, manual expense claims and loose photo proofs sent over WhatsApp are needlessly awkward for your drivers and cost your planning time to put right. A proprietary offline driver app, branded under your own name, gives your people the sense that they are working with serious tools, reduces administrative errors, and feeds usable proof-of-delivery data straight back into your customer portal. We usually build this app as the first sprint, because the operational gain is immediately visible.

Scheduling a route with a driver whose Code 95 expires next week only becomes apparent when the vehicle is ready to go. How to link those qualifications to scheduling is covered in driving licence and Code 95 monitoring.

Three typical transport projects.

Not every transport challenge calls for a complete platform. We distinguish three levels of scope and, in the introductory conversation, advise which one suits your situation, size and compliance requirements.

Compact project · fixed sprint budget

TMS add-on or industry module

Your standard TMS is working, but it lacks one critical workflow. Examples include an ADR compliance module, a car transport loading planner, an e-CMR workflow or a backhaul matching tool. We build this module as a standalone component, integrate it seamlessly with your existing TMS, telematics and invoicing, and keep your vendor relationship intact. You keep the best of both worlds: standardisation where it works, custom development where your industry demands it.

TMS integrationIndustry workflowCompliance modulee-CMR
Mid-sized project · fixed sprint budget

Customer portal and driver app

Your operation is running, but your customers call for status updates and your drivers still work with paper consignment notes. We build a branded customer portal (order status, e-CMR, invoices, claims workflow) and an offline driver app (route list, proof of delivery, photo evidence, signature, expense claims). Both build on your existing planning. The result: fewer incoming calls to your operations team, faster handling of proof-of-delivery queries and a more professional image towards shippers.

Customer portalDriver appOffline-firstProof of delivery
Larger project · fixed sprint budget

Fully custom transport platform

For companies with a sector-specific workflow that no standard TMS fits — car transport, exceptional transport, cold chain food/pharma, international freight forwarding. End-to-end: order intake, planning, dispatch, real-time tracking, driver app, customer portal, invoicing and compliance in one environment. We build around the existing logistics processes you already have, and automate step by step the bottlenecks your dispatchers still solve manually.

If you load or unload at an ISPS-regulated port facility, access rules apply that vary by security level. See ISPS software.

If you cross borders, every shipment requires a customs declaration. For how to submit them now that the old declaration system has been replaced, see customs declaration software in DMS. The paper side of loading and unloading is covered under the app for paperwork on customs shipments.

End-to-endReal-time trackingMultimodalSubcontractor portal

What you get at the end.

A working transport environment covering the entire chain from order intake to invoicing, plus all the artefacts you need to manage and further develop it yourself.

  • The transport platform itselfProduction and staging environment, running in your own cloud (Azure/AWS/GCP) or with us. Backups, monitoring and logging included.
  • Driver app (iOS + Android)Offline-first, with route list, digital consignment note, proof of delivery, photo evidence, signature and expense claims. Published under your own brand.
  • Customer portalBranded environment for shippers: real-time order status, e-CMR documents, invoices, claims flow and history. Per-customer rate agreements visible.
  • Telematics and TMS integrationsWorking integrations with the OBC units and TMS systems you run: Trimble, Zenze, Transics, PTV, Easytrans and your invoicing software.
  • Codebase and architecture documentationFull source code, build instructions, ER diagrams, data flows and an incident runbook. You are not left with a black box.
  • Training for planning and ITSessions for planners, dispatchers and your IT team, plus a short video tutorial for drivers and customers on the portal.
  • Maintenance contract (optional)Monitoring, security patches, on-board computer API updates and further development at a fixed monthly price. Response times tailored to your operation.

The transport segments we build for.

Our custom projects are always sector-specific. Nine typical segments where standard TMS packages are too limited and where we have experience.

Road haulage

General goods, parcels and distribution

Distribution hauliers, parcel services and general cargo operators. Usually well served by a standard TMS — we are mainly relevant for a bespoke customer portal, driver app or TMS add-on.

Specialised transport

Exceptional loads and ADR dangerous goods

Oversized loads, crane planning, ADR class checks, container transport. Compliance requirements and route permits are so specific that standard software does not scale — bespoke development quickly becomes necessary here.

Car transport

Car transport with loading rules

Loading sequences, height and weight distribution per deck, damage protocol at pickup and delivery. A GSC query where you would find us — we build specifically for car carriers.

Refrigerated transport

Chilled and frozen for food and pharma

Telemetry from cold units, temperature logging per pallet, alerts on deviations, NEN cold chain compliance. For pharma, often also a GDP audit trail. Bespoke is the rule, not the exception.

Construction logistics

Waste, concrete, fibre-optic cable drums and soil

Site planning, weighbridge ticket flow, just-in-time delivery, and specific documents per stream (waste transport notes, concrete delivery slips). The chain differs from distribution and requires its own flows.

Tank and bulk transport

Chemicals, fuel and foodstuffs

Compartment management, cleaning certificates, ADR for chemicals, and a fuel surcharge engine for settlement. This requires platform logic that TMS packages rarely deliver out of the box.

International freight

Multimodal: road, rail, sea and air

A single order can switch between transport modes en route. Customs documents (T1, EX, AEO), CMR, B/L and AWB all in one file. A bespoke multimodal orchestrator is often worthwhile for 3PL/4PL operators.

3PL & 4PL

Logistics service providers

You manage the transport chain for shippers, often with your own network of hauliers. Subcontractor portal, backhaul matching and rate management per shipper: that is what we build around.

Removal companies

Local removal services

Inventory workflows, a quotation tool, photo documentation of household goods, and scheduling around lift shafts and parking permits. Compact bespoke development that pays for itself quickly through higher quote conversion.

Not yet sure about a large project?

Test your idea first: a working prototype in 1 day

With OneDayBuild, we turn your idea into something tangible in one day for €1,150, so you can see whether further development is worth the investment. Decide to go ahead with the full build? Then we credit the full cost.

Explore OneDayBuild →

How a transport software project works.

1

Introduction & workflow review

We spend a morning at your office, shadow a planner and speak with a driver. We map out your order intake, planning, dispatch, documents and invoicing, and highlight where your current TMS (or spreadsheets) fall short.

2

Scope, architecture & integration plan

A workshop with your planning team and IT, plus interviews with several drivers and shippers. Outcome: a scope per sprint, an architecture sketch, and an integration overview for your TMS, telematics (Trimble/Zenze/OBC), accounting and, where relevant, WMS or customs.

3

Build in sprints, live-tested on your own journeys

A working build every two weeks. First the planning core, then the driver app on a test vehicle, then the customer portal for one pilot shipper. We scale up once it holds up in production on real transport orders, with no big-bang rollout.

4

Rollout to the fleet and ongoing management

A phased rollout to your drivers and customer base, training sessions for planning and dispatch, and ongoing management covering OBC API changes, security and further development. You stay in control, and we stand by.

Frequently asked questions.

What transport companies usually want to know before we start, and what we honestly tell them.

Will you replace PTV, Transics or Easytrans?
For a large fleet running standard distribution or general road haulage, we rarely recommend custom work. Those packages have been refined over decades of industry experience and perform well. We come into the picture where your workflow differs: ADR, cold chain, car transport, multimodal, or your own customer portal and driver app. Where possible, we integrate with your existing TMS rather than replacing it. Honest advice in the first conversation, even if the answer is that a standard package is good enough.
How feasible is real-time visibility on our journeys?
Entirely feasible for the vast majority of the fleet. Existing telematics units (Trimble, Zenze, and OBC units from DAF, Volvo and Mercedes) provide GPS position, fuel consumption, engine data and reefer temperatures via API. We poll or stream that data, plot positions on a map, calculate ETAs from current speed plus traffic data, and geofence loading and unloading addresses to trigger automatic status changes (departed, en route, arrived, unloaded). For special assets without OBC, we usually fit an inexpensive GPS tracker. Coverage is not a problem in Western Europe; data access from your telematics provider sometimes is, as some manufacturers restrict API access or require additional licences. We check this in sprint one so that you have no surprises at the rate level.
Does the driver app work offline?
Yes, offline-first is standard for us. Route lists, consignment notes, proof of delivery, photo evidence, signatures and expense claims are all available locally and sync as soon as the network returns. For international transport through dead zones (the Balkans, Scandinavia, long tunnels) this is essential: the driver never stops because the app needs data. We resolve synchronisation conflicts deterministically, using a versioning strategy per record.
Which telematics and TMS systems can you integrate with?
We have worked with Trimble, Zenze, and the common on-board computer units in trucks. On the TMS side: Transics (Wabco), PTV, Easytrans, Centric Logistics and Asbroek. On the accounting side: Exact, AFAS and Twinfield. If your vendor offers an API or a file-based interface (CSV/XML/EDI), we can integrate, sometimes via a direct API and sometimes via a middleware layer we build. We see automating logistics processes as an integration challenge: keep manual re-keying between systems to an absolute minimum.
How do you handle AETR, driving hours and ADR compliance?
We read driving hours from the digital tachograph via the OBC. We alert planners as soon as a driver approaches a driving-time limit and can rearrange the schedule accordingly. We build ADR checks in at order level: we match the load's class against the driver's and vehicle's certification, and block invalid combinations. For AEO customs and NEN cold-chain transport, we deliver the corresponding audit trail. Compliance rules are configurable, because legislation changes and you shouldn't need a new release every time.
What about a customer portal and e-CMR?
In most projects, a customer portal is valuable: your shippers see live order status, download e-CMR documents, view invoices and can submit claims. That significantly reduces incoming calls to your planning team. We support e-CMR under the additional protocol to the CMR Convention, digitally signed by the consignor, driver and consignee, with evidential value legally equivalent to paper. For track-and-trace systems, we build similar flows at shipment level.
What determines the cost of a custom transport platform?
Four main factors determine the scope of a project. First: scope. Adding a single branch module to a TMS is a different beast from a full end-to-end platform covering planning, dispatch, app, portal and invoicing. Second: the number of integrations. One telematics integration versus eight integrations with on-board computers, accounting, WMS, customs and subcontractors. Third: industry complexity. General distribution is fairly straightforward, whereas ADR chemicals or multimodal forwarding have their own rule logic per order type. Fourth: compliance and audit trail requirements. NEN cold-chain standards, AEO and GDP for pharma each demand their own level of auditability. We work in sprints with a fixed sprint budget, provide a reliable price range after the scoping phase, and you can steer or stop at sprint boundaries. No surprises afterwards.
Do you also work on fleet management apps or order management?
Yes. A transport platform often touches adjacent systems: fleet management for maintenance and costs, order management for the sales side, or a dedicated subcontractor portal for charters and return loads. We build these modules separately or integrated, depending on where your operation benefits most.

Talk to us about your transport software.

A free, no-obligation half-hour introductory call. We listen to your planning flow and the points where your current TMS falls short, and we give direction you can use, even if our advice is 'stick with standard'.

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