Do you submit your paperwork electronically?

Mike

Well-Known Member
This is a completely new thing for me, but with Crete we scan all of our paperwork through TransFlo.

A long time ago, I worked for companies where we mailed trip envelopes in via Fed Ex or Trip Pac, but for the past few years it has all been turned in at the terminal after a trip, until now.

Scanning paperwork is a completely new thing for me, and after one trip into the truck stop to have this done at the fuel desk, I realized it wasn't the thing for me. Luckily, with TransFlo, you can also send in your paperwork via fax, or even better, you can scan the paperwork in yourself if you have a scanner and a computer, via their software.

I immediately pursued that last option, since I already had a laptop, and as soon as I was at home, I made a trip to Best Buy and bought me a scanner. Let me tell you, it doesn't get any better than this. I can make a delivery, and the next time I shut down for a few hours, all I have to do is spend a minute scanning the paperwork (from the sleeper), and all my paperwork is in the hands of payroll.

I love this!
 
I have also just started doing transflo. I wasn't sure about scanning thru the transflo web site. Have you had any problems or delays with scanning it yourself? We also need to scan PO receipts and most times we need to copy and darken the print on a Xerox and then go back to the fuel desk. Can you pre scan your documents and look at them before you send them thru TransFlo?
 
This is a completely new thing for me, but with Crete we scan all of our paperwork through TransFlo.

A long time ago, I worked for companies where we mailed trip envelopes in via Fed Ex or Trip Pac, but for the past few years it has all been turned in at the terminal after a trip, until now.

Scanning paperwork is a completely new thing for me, and after one trip into the truck stop to have this done at the fuel desk, I realized it wasn't the thing for me. Luckily, with TransFlo, you can also send in your paperwork via fax, or even better, you can scan the paperwork in yourself if you have a scanner and a computer, via their software.

I immediately pursued that last option, since I already had a laptop, and as soon as I was at home, I made a trip to Best Buy and bought me a scanner. Let me tell you, it doesn't get any better than this. I can make a delivery, and the next time I shut down for a few hours, all I have to do is spend a minute scanning the paperwork (from the sleeper), and all my paperwork is in the hands of payroll.

I love this!

well i don't run the road like that anymore, but if i have to for whatever reason, i'm glad to see new things are happening. yes, finding a FedEx or UPS or whatever box isn't always easy, and none of us stop at truckstops every day. i ask though, are you able to send a duplicate copy to say your e-mail to check to see that the delivery was done of the transaction? or does the device send you a "confirmed" message...??
 
Can you pre scan your documents and look at them before you send them thru TransFlo?

Yes. When you scan the documents, you see each one of them. For things like tolls and scale receipts, we are required to write the amount to ensure it is seen.

i ask though, are you able to send a duplicate copy to say your e-mail to check to see that the delivery was done of the transaction? or does the device send you a "confirmed" message...??

Yes.
When you submit the paperwork, a confirmation number pops up, and you also get an email with the confirmation number. You can also go online to the transflo site and view the documents. It has to be the best system I have ever used for paperwork.
 
Yes.
When you submit the paperwork, a confirmation number pops up, and you also get an email with the confirmation number. You can also go online to the transflo site and view the documents. It has to be the best system I have ever used for paperwork.

well then this is good. it ensures that a driver got his/her paperwork in so that at week's end, a paycheck is deposited as well. i certainly do remember the "overnight" box drops. but also, i do remember the "honor system" that they pay on as well.

modern technology.........

what will they think of next....??
 
Having the scanner in the truck is especially helpful when delivering on a Friday evening if you want to get that load paid on your next check. Our cutoff time is Friday at Midnight (midnight in the time zone you are delivering), so as soon as I get the bills signed, and before I leave the consignee, I quickly scan the paperwork, or if they wont let me stay for that 2 minutes, drive to the nearest place that I can stop.
 
using transflo is very nice. i have always had the opportunity to use it and have only used the mail in way at one company. i hated mailing it in. always seemed to be behind on money. but with transflo, they had there paperwork and i got my money. When i was with JB (go ahead and laugh), they had the occassional crap of saying they lost it or it wasn't sent in. i would give them the code from the scan and that was that. so i suggest you might want to keep them in the truck for at least the previous 30 days.
 
Just a quick note, you can send and recieve faxes right from your truck also. I use RapidFax.com. Costs me $7.95 month and comes with an 800 number. They use your email account for storage. I save way more than the cost in just fue by not having to case down a fax machine. I can confirm a load right from my truck, while still on the phone with the shipper. If a person puts all these new gizmos to work, makes life easy on the road. I do ALL my paperwork directly from my truck.
 
If a person puts all these new gizmos to work, makes life easy on the road. I do ALL my paperwork directly from my truck.

With today's technology, there is no reason that you can't do just about everything in the truck like this. I had the same fax setup in my truck as well.
 
Yes it wont be long before trucks come with builtin
Computers and scaners or at leased you can order them
That way.
 
How much does it cost to scan and send the documents from the truckstop using this Transflo?


Price varies but let me give ya some gooood advice. When you hand that paper work to the clerk. FOLLOW THEM and do not take your eyes off of it. You think I'm crazy for saying this, just wait till they lose it and blame you for being crazy. This happened to me last month I believe.
 
How much does it cost to scan and send the documents from the truckstop using this Transflo?

If you drive for a company, it shouldn't cost you a dime. The company I was with when we used this made sure it didn't cost us anything, and the truck stops were required to keep paper for us to tape receipts to, and the tape to use. We had to provide absolutely nothing when we took our paperwork into the truckstops.

I just didn't like taking my paperwork into the truckstops so I put a scanner in my truck and submitted it online from there.
 
That sounds awesome. Can you give me an idea (some details) on what kind of paperwork I will be dealing with as far as what is turned in?
 
depending on what company u go with i knw usa uses the scan sheets u need scale reciepts and a expense voucher to verify all u spent during the week for scales toll and such the bills and ur log sheets i knw this cuz i do the scanning of the paperwork for my bf i try to mainly do it from the terminals as they have the scanning machines available for free as well. what does the scanner cost at best buy.
 
Yes it wont be long before trucks come with builtin
Computers and scaners or at leased you can order them
That way.

I'm from Sweden, and it's quite common in Europe with so called Fleet management systems with all these functions integrated. These are rather expensive ofc, but since we have another type of trucking culture with not as many owner-operators ( :headscratch2:, is that when you own your own truck?) as in the States these are funded by the trucking company.

I don't know if I make myself clear, but in general very few ppl own their own truck in Europe, so the fleet management systems are bought by the employer.
 
Our company does that scanning thing. They've actually gone so far as to put scanners in their trucks and they show up on the Driver Tech (they took out the old Qualcomms).

It is handy and I can see why they do it from a business sense.

But I kind of see it also as more work for me that I am not paid for.

And someone in the office must have lost their job.
 
Really? I thought of it as less work. Filling out the information is basically the same as doing a trip report, and now, instead of having to take the stuff and putting it in a mailbox (trip pack), you can do it in seconds from the truck.

Not to mention, if you are delivering near payroll cutoff, you can get paid for the load on that payroll cycle instead of having to mail the paperwork in and waiting til the next cycle to get paid.
 
Really? I thought of it as less work. Filling out the information is basically the same as doing a trip report, and now, instead of having to take the stuff and putting it in a mailbox (trip pack), you can do it in seconds from the truck.

Not to mention, if you are delivering near payroll cutoff, you can get paid for the load on that payroll cycle instead of having to mail the paperwork in and waiting til the next cycle to get paid.

We used to just fill out the forms and mail them in.

Now we have to fill out the forms, scan all the paperwork, and still mail them in. Now we have to scan our logs as well.

Unless you have a scanner in your truck it may mean getting in line at the fuel desk and holding up the line while they scan your trip paperwork. Some places like TA have the scanner available for the driver to do it his/herself. The scanner at the Flying J is the glass top kind, not the feeder kind and takes even longer.

I've never had a problem getting paid for my trips.

I don't see it being easier or better for me.
But I do understand how it is better for the company.

I'm not complaining. Just expressing my feeling on the matter.
 
Ok, if you are having to scan them, AND mail them, that provides no benefit to the driver at all.

I had a scanner in my truck, and simply scanned the paperwork from there while waiting for my next load or whatever. Once scanned and verified, all the original paperwork got thrown in the trash, we didn't have to mail it in. A company that makes you do both isn't really taking advantage of the system and it's purpose.
 

Create an account or login to comment

You must be a member in order to leave a comment

Create account

Create an account on our community. It's easy!

Log in

Already have an account? Log in here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Top