TA system offers total control over transports

Put simply, a TA system is a computer system that is used to book transports with a carrier, print shipping documents, and track shipments.

Many carriers have their own TA systems that can only be used to book that particular carrier. The basic version is typically free, while customers pay for more advanced functions.

There are also independent TA systems, with which most major carriers are affiliated, which are good for companies that engage several different carriers.

To make a booking with a TA system, the customer logs in and enters all relevant information pertaining to the shipment, such as address, weight, size, the transport service to be used and how to provide notification about the delivery. All information is submitted to the carrier electronically via Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). The system also creates a freight document, which the customer prints and attaches to the shipment prior to pick-up.

But entering information manually is not particularly feasible for large companies. That is why it is common to link the TA system with other systems, such as e-commerce and ordering systems. A transport order and freight document are then automatically generated in the TA system as soon as a new order enters the order system. Another option is to import the order list into the TA system, for example at the end of the day.

The TA system also offers the advantages of being able to check that the postal code is correct, that the transport service exists for that postal code, and what the notification requirements include. Mistakes could easily be made if those checks were performed manually.

Another advantage is traceability: it is usually possible to track the delivery all the way to the recipient. Some companies analyze their TA system history to see if the transports have maintained a high level of delivery quality, and to determine the most common reasons for errors and deviations.