Shopping for new trucking software is all about asking the right questions. The goal is revealing whether the system being demonstrated actually fits your operation. At Frontline, we love when trucking business owners come to a free demo prepared with thoughtful questions. It usually means they know their numbers, their workflows and what their team really needs.
We rounded up some of the best questions to ask during a trucking software demo. Plus, the kind of answers you should expect if you are talking to a provider who truly understands the trucking industry.
1. How long has your software company been in business?
This question asked during a trucking software demo gets to the heart of the level of stability and trust it takes to achieve a successful business-to-business partnership. Trucking companies don’t want to gamble their operations on a startup that may or may not be around in five years.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
A provider with a proven track record, long-term development history, and a customer base that trusts them year after year.
OUR ANSWER
Frontline was established in 1992, and is family owned and operated to this day. Some of our customers have been with us since the early days. We proudly grow with the ever-changing demands of the industry while simultaneously prioritizing the needs of our customers.
2. Does your trucking software have built-in accounting?
A lot of software platforms claim they “integrate” with accounting systems. Unfortunately, integrations can break, sync errors happen, and suddenly your data is out of balance.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
A trucking software platform with genuine built-in accounting designed specific for trucking. This way, your dispatch, settlements, and financials all tie together seamlessly. As a result, you do not need to maintain a second subscription for QuickBooks, Sage, or another accounting program. The goal is to keep “dispatch and debit on good terms”.
OUR ANSWER
Q7 is a one-stop-shop. You have everything from order management to professional financial reports you can take to the bank all under one hood. Q7 is consistently rated best in accounting for trucking businesses by qualified sources, and we take that honor seriously. Whether your accounting is relatively simple (it is trucking, after all), or if you have complex accounting, Q7 handles it like a champ. Better yet, your accountant can actually understand it.
3. Can the system handle both company drivers and owner operators?
Not every driver is on payroll and your trucking software should reflect that. Having a system that can manage both W-2 employees and 1099 contractors is essential for accurate settlements, tax compliance, and keeping driver relationships smooth.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Flexible dispatch and settlement tools that let you easily switch between or define pay structures, deductions and reimbursements depending on the driver type.
OUR ANSWER
Q7 handles both types of drivers with ease. Define pay structures using dozens of options to fine tune each driver type or individual driver the way you need.
Furthermore, Q7 even handles more complex driver relationships. For example, it automates pay calculations and settlements for employees who drive investor or third-party owned trucks: you produce the employee paycheck, you pay the truck owner their cut of the load revenue, then deduct the truck owner for the employee expenses.
It also streamlines owner operators under the umbrella of a third-party. Create a single pay settlement for the company, but dispatch and show details for the individual trucks or drivers.
4. Does your system include fleet maintenance?
Maintenance is one of the biggest ongoing costs in trucking. Being able to track work orders, schedules, warranties, and part inventories directly inside your software is a huge advantage.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
A built-in fleet maintenance module that connects to your accounting and dispatch. That way, you can see how downtime and repairs really impact your profitability.
OUR ANSWER
Q7 trucking software includes a built-in area dedicated to services, maintenance, and inventory. Record over the road work or in-house services in this area and use custom service schedules for each equipment unit.
5. Does the trucking software handle drop and hook (split loads / relays)?
Drop-and-hook dispatches are efficient for handling long hauls or even broken down trucks, but they add complexity when it comes to billing, driver pay, and reporting. If your software can’t split loads properly, you’ll spend hours reconciling trips on the back end.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Tools within a trucking software program that allow easy splitting of loads across multiple tractors, trailers, and/or drivers while keeping revenue and expenses tied together.
OUR ANSWER
Q7 sports automated dispatch routines for drop-and-hook, empty trailer moves, TONU, and more. If you have a dispatch scenario you need more control over, use the advanced segmenting tool. Revenue and accessorial charges are automatically allocated to each leg of the load so you don’t need to manually calculate anything.
6. How is IFTA and compliance reporting handled?
Compliance is a headache nobody wants to deal with manually. From IFTA to DOT record keeping, your trucking business software should make pulling reports quick, accurate, and audit-ready.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Automated fuel tax reporting integrated with dispatch and accounting, so you’re not manually entering data at the end of every quarter or attempting to find needles in haystacks during an audit.
OUR ANSWER
Frontline included a complete set of IFTA tools from the beginning. A variety of tools are available for getting miles and fuel into Q7, including importing straight from the source (i.e., your ELD or fuel card). From there, you are just a couple of clicks away from generating your IFTA report. When you need more reporting precision, look to the fuel or mileage specific reports.
7. Is the trucking software cloud-based or can it be hosted on our own network?
There is no one right answer to this question since the needs of every trucking business are different. Some want the accessibility of the cloud, while others prefer the control of hosting on their own servers. Not every software provider offers both options.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Flexibility. A trucking software provider worth its salt will let you choose the set up that best fits your operation and data security and privacy needs.
OUR ANSWER
Your data, your choice. Q7 is a desktop application which means it runs off of the power of a computer or server. This makes it a faster and more robust product than the flashy web apps on the market now. Q7 can be served up in two ways:
- Q7 On The Cloud – Hosted on our servers, we manage your data and backups, and you access Q7 over the internet.
- Q7 installed on your network – Manage your own data and backups and run Q7 over your own network.
In both cases, you get the same great product. For our more rural customers who have spotty internet, we suggest a local install so their operations are never stalled out.
8. What kind of reporting and business intelligence is included?
Numbers drive every decision in trucking, whether it’s lane profitability, customer performance, or driver efficiency. If your trucking software can’t give you clear reporting, you’ll be flying blind.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
A wide range of built-in reports, plus the ability to customize and drill down into the numbers that matter most to your operation.
OUR ANSWER
Frontline Q7 includes a wide range of reporting tools. You’ll find a professional income statement, balance sheet, 941 details, and more as part of your standard financial and payroll reports. Better yet, each of these are actually reporting on the general ledger postings, which means you can drill down into the data for a closer look.
In addition to professional business reports, Q7 sports trucking industry specific reporting tools. Lane, driver, and tractor profitability reporting is key to ensuring you’re making the best decisions you can as a business owner.
Q7 is backed by powerful database features, which means you can create your own custom reports when you need something that is more fine tuned to your operation. If it’s programs or features you’re requiring, we can do that, too.
9. What does onboarding and training on Q7 Trucking Software look like?
Even the best software is useless if your team can’t adopt it. Trucking businesses using enterprise-level software like Frontline Q7 need structured training, ongoing support, and a provider that promptly answers the phone when you call.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
A team that doesn’t just “hand you a login”, but walks you through set up, training, and ongoing updates.
OUR ANSWER
Frontline has been in the business of trucking software for a long time. Our team has almost 70 years of experience in trucking, accounting, and software. We know the importance of a dedicated trainer who gets to know your business and your needs. Depending on the complexity of your operation, you could be up and running in a matter of days or a couple of weeks.
We will work with you on creating a go-live plan and transferring your books over to Q7. Support and maintenance are always included – even after you have moved on from the training phase. No need to worry about how many times you contact us.
It is our policy to return calls our emails with actionable answers to your questions within 10-15 minutes.
10. Can the trucking software scale as our fleet grows?
Your business today may not look like your business five years from now. A software system that can’t scale with you will become an expensive roadblock.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Features and pricing that grow with your business, so you are not forced to switch systems once you hit a certain fleet size.
OUR ANSWER
Since Q7 runs off of computing power and a robust backend database, you can store as much data as you like. We don’t charge you per load or per truck, so as your fleet grows, your trucking software expense does not have to increase.
11. How is Q7 Trucking Software priced?
We put this as our #11 because a savvy business owner is thinking about scalability, security, and long-term growth. However, this question does tend to come up in demos because that is what our prospects are there for.
OUR ANSWER
Rather than pricing per load or truck, which results in higher trucking software expenses as your fleet grows, Frontline chooses a different approach. We keep the Q7 foundation software affordable for newer or smaller fleets who don’t require or want the bells and whistles. The foundation system starts at around $200 per month.
For larger or more established fleets who need more, we add on features as necessary. No hard sell. We don’t want you walking away paying for something you don’t actually want or need.
Asking the right questions during a trucking software demo separates the tire kickers from the pros. Whether it’s about accounting, fleet management, compliance, or scalability, the answers you hear should give you confidence that your provider can support your business for the long haul.
To schedule a complimentary Frontline Q7 Trucking Software demo, reach out to us today.
