“Custom programming” used to be a buzzword that got tossed around a lot in the early 2000s. Back then, it usually meant paying a fortune for a developer to create a one-off solution onto software that wasn’t built to change. Fast forward to today, and trucking software custom programming has taken on a new meaning and a much bigger role. At Frontline, we’ve leaned into it.
Q7 is already flexible out of the box, with everything a small to mid-sized trucking company needs. But as an operation grows and becomes more complex, that’s where our Plugins come in. These are powerful tools designed to automate, integrate, and streamline the way your business runs.
In This Article
What Is Trucking Software Custom Programming?
In the context of trucking software, custom programming usually means building features that go beyond the foundation system. That might sound like a luxury, but in a fast moving industry where every company runs a little differently, it can actually be a necessity.
A few real-world examples that Frontline has delivered:
- Custom load rating that automatically prices out loads based on multi-variable conditions.
- A safety tracking system beyond Q7’s native safety tools that monitors incidents, expiration dates, unlimited on-the-fly custom categories, notices, and more.
- Tailored automated emailing rules to keep operations running even when you’re not in the office.
- Load scheduling and creating based on multi-variable conditions or feedback from the user.
- Customer permit purchase, billing, and deduction maintenance and reporting.
- Behind-the-scenes deactivation of customers after X length of time has passed since their last load.
- Automated date update routines during EDI import.
These aren’t just bells and whistles. They are tools that save hours, reduce errors, and help trucking companies avoid outgrowing their software.
The Problem With One-Size-Fits-All (and the VC-Funded Race to Build It)
It’s no secret that a lot of today’s trucking software companies are funded by venture capital. On the surface this sounds exciting: big budgets, big teams, big promises. Unfortunately, under the hood it often means dozens of engineers stapling together generic features that never quite fit. As a result, the product looks shiny, but feels disconnected or is just plain confusing. We touch on the ultimate goal of VC-backed trucking software here.
What’s missing from these products is a real understanding of how trucking operations actually work.
At Frontline, we take a different approach. We are a small, focused team that has been working with fleets since before the dot-com boom. With decades of understanding behind us, we know what it takes to keep a trucking operation running smoothly. When something unique and above and beyond the foundation software is necessary, we don’t tend to staple on another layer of complexity. Rather, we write Plugins: lean, powerful, custom programs that provide a specific solution for a specific trucking company for a specific pain point.
Why It Matters to Choose a Software Provider That Can Customize
It’s worth thinking about the fact that not all trucking software providers offer real custom programming anymore. Some rely entirely on their add-on marketplace or claim “that’s not how the system works.” Others might promise the moon, but when it’s time to deliver, they are limited by a platform that was never designed to adapt.
These are a few reasons why having true custom capability behind your software matters:
- Every fleet is different. If your process doesn’t quite fit the system, you shouldn’t have to force it.
- Growth demands flexibility. What works for 20 trucks may not work for 75, but your software should grow with you.
- Integration is king. Whether it’s an ELD, factoring system, or third-party software, your software should play nice.
- Support gets personal. The more your provider understands your operation, the better they can support you long term.
At Frontline, we write these custom programs ourselves. We don’t farm it out and we don’t disappear. And we certainly don’t treat every request like it’s a burden.
What Are Your Pain Points?
When considering trucking software custom programming, a good place to start is to analyze your pain points. Look for a provider that’s built for flexibility by people who know how to shape the software around your business.
Not sure where to start? Think about one repetitive task or frustrating workaround your office deals with regularly. What if that were automated or disappeared altogether? How much time would that save you? Odds are, it’s something a Plugin can handle, and we’d be happy to brainstorm it with you.
Custom trucking software programming is about getting your software to work for you, but only in the places that are necessary. We’ve been doing this for decades and, frankly, we love it! If you have a problem your software hasn’t solved yet, give us a call.
