Managing every order detail has become essential for tanker fleets to combat rising operating costs. According to the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), fleets’ average cost per mile hit a record $2.27 in 2023, with continued increases in 2024.
Every minute and mile counts, especially in a challenging economic environment where simple load planning errors spell the difference between profit and loss.
Traditionally, fleets have toggled between different applications to manage functions in the order lifecycle. This fragmented approach is time-consuming and prone to mistakes. Fortunately, recent advancements offer tanker trucking fleets an all-in-one order management platform to unlock substantial savings with greater accuracy and automation.
This article explores how tanker fleets can scale their operations to accelerate growth in ways they never thought possible with a comprehensive order management system. For instance, a system can accurately forecast customer demand and inventory levels, automatically generate bulk liquid commodity orders, and determine the most efficient driver-load-equipment assignments and route plans.
With these capabilities, time savings of 15% to 25% can be expected in the quote-to-cash order lifecycle, along with superior financial results by reducing deadhead miles and increasing revenue.
The All-in-One Solution: TrueLiquid by TrueTMS
In March 2024, TrueTMS launched TrueLiquid, a new order management platform explicitly designed for tanker fleets. Since then, TrueTMS has added new capabilities that provide a comprehensive order management system.
This innovative, cloud-native platform integrates multiple critical functions into a single, streamlined system to:
- Accurately forecast customer demand and inventory levels
- Optimize bulk liquid commodity orders
- Determine the most efficient load and route plans
Unlike traditional systems, where multiple applications must be run within and outside a transportation management system (TMS), TrueLiquid consolidates all three features in a single platform. This eliminates time and money using different applications while significantly reducing errors and enhancing visibility.
Key Features of TrueLiquid and TrueTMS Updates
The latest updates to TrueLiquid include three powerful tools that maximize efficiency and profitability for tanker fleets:
TrueCast. This fully integrated forecasting model uses historical or live tank-level readings to predict customer demand. The model also considers trailer compartments and capacities to determine optimal delivery times and quantities.
Accurate forecasting starts the order management cycle, enabling fleets to predict customer order needs and reduce the risks of drivers returning with excess product or customer runouts from over or under-ordering. This powerful tool also helps fleets consolidate order volumes, maximize delivery efficiencies, and reduce deadhead miles.
The system provides:
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- Multi-commodity forecasting that allows handling multiple commodities per location and optimizes delivery based on trailer capacities.
- A forecasting simulator that enables fleet administrators to input variables and simulate orders without creating actual ones, allowing for parameter adjustments to meet specific needs.
- A comprehensive user dashboard that shows a holistic view of orders, high-level trends, and real-time exceptions to plan loads and stay ahead of changing conditions.
TrueSource. This is a sourcing extension designed specifically for fuel haulers. The tool reviews daily pricing and associated costs, including driver pay and routing time, to identify the lowest-cost commodity to purchase from suppliers. TrueSource automates the sourcing process, removing the need for additional software.
Dynamic Planning. This feature acts as a “first pass” resource scheduling option, reducing planning time and enabling dispatch users to “manage by exception.” By reviewing resource locations and determining the most efficient plan for drivers, Dynamic Planning helps fleets optimize resource allocation.
The Road Ahead: Enhancing Operations with TrueTMS
The combination of TrueCast, TrueSource, and Dynamic Planning allows fleets to accurately forecast required commodities, source the best suppliers, and plan efficient dispatches—all from a single platform.
This fully integrated system benefits more than load planners. It synergizes functions and visibility across departments. For example, salespeople and customer service reps can utilize demand and capacity insights to identify and act on growth opportunities. Meanwhile, accounting and finance can analyze commodity buying patterns and fine-tune sourcing strategies. The possibilities don’t stop there.
With the combined tools, TrueLiquid offers a significant leap forward for companies that do not currently have a TMS by streamlining processes and improving coordination across departments. For those with an existing TMS, TrueLiquid presents an opportunity to unify operations under a single, comprehensive system.
By leveraging the power of the fully integrated order management platform, tanker trucking fleets can sharpen their competitive edge and drive profitable growth by offering better service while reducing costs.
Whether you haul fuel or food-grade liquids in bulk, discover how TrueTMS with the TrueLiquid extension delivers an all-in-one order management platform that can elevate your bottom line. See for yourself. Contact TrueTMS today for a personalized demo.
