Electronic documentation in transport

Several associations of transporters and loader companies, as well as specialized technological platforms, have recently set up a working group to promote the use of Electronic Road Transport Documentation (DET).

In addition to the currently much-needed health security, electronic documentation provides an important and long list of advantages to all those involved in the supply chain, which is why these associations will promote and enhance the use of TED.

In a document published by the group of participating associations, the advantages of its use are mentioned. Here we collect them:

1- Information in real time

Both the company that contracts the transport, the one that carries out the transport and the recipient have valuable information in real time such as the location of the merchandise, the location of the truck or the incidents that may arise during the journey.

2- Traceability and security

The Electronic Documentation of the Road Transport (DET) cannot be manipulated since in each transaction the date, time and place are registered, making it impossible to modify it later. These characteristics make it constitute a proof of digital delivery with full legal validity.

3- Recognition of the public sector

Electronic documentation is valid and accepted in any inspection that may occur on the road, both in traffic and in transport.

4- Visibility of the entire chain

From the departure of the merchandise to the arrival at its destination, all the agents involved in the process are reflected in the electronic document: shippers, senders, carriers and recipients. In this way, total transparency of the supply chain is ensured, promoting efficiency and competitiveness.

5- Prevents litigation due to incidents

As it is an unalterable document that reflects all the transport details, it allows acceptance reservations to be completed by attaching files, litigation due to different interpretations or incidents is avoided.

6- Integration with other systems and platforms

DET is easily integrated into different user management systems (ERP, TMS, etc.). Thus, for example, the transport order is automatically generated on the software platform and the carrier receives the information for the transport of the goods through his mobile device. And the recipient can receive the merchandise using its own integration with the platform.

7- There is no physical contact

Its use allows the elimination of paper documentation, as well as physical contact between the signatories of the document, thus guaranteeing that the requirements of social distancing, necessary in health emergency situations such as the current one, are met.

8- Legally comparable to the paper document

The modification of the Regulation of the Law of Ordination of Land Transport by Royal Decree 70/2019 opened the possibility that the control documentation that carriers must carry in their vehicle can be done by electronic means, provided that the supports and applications used to transform their content into signs of legible writing.

9- Efficiency and cost savings

The use of TED has an impact on greater agility in transport processes and an improvement in the management and control of logistics flow. Accessing the transport situation from any mobile device allows better planning and therefore a more efficient organization of the supply chain. There are studies in which it is estimated that the use of TED can reduce administrative costs by up to 70%.

10- Valid in 25 countries

Electronic documentation is valid in the following 25 countries that have already ratified the protocol: Belarus, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iran, Lithuania, Latvia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Moldova , Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

11 -Reduced implantation times

Implementation of this technology is quick and easy. Systems are usually designed to be pay-per-use, based on the number of TEDs issued in a given period.

12- High return on investment

To use the DET, it is not necessary to purchase any software or hardware. Any mobile device is enough, so the investment is practically zero.

13- Faster billing

The delivery at destination is registered in the system at the moment of the signature of the reception and acceptance by the recipient, from that moment on, the billing can be done.