drayOS by PortPro is a cloud-based transportation management software (TMS) specifically designed for managing drayage operations or those that involve short-distance transport of goods. It offers plenty of features, such as container tracking, dispatch management, and route optimization. It also integrates with QuickBooks Online, allowing you to sync important data, such as invoices and driver settlements, between the two systems. You can get a free demo of the platform and request a custom quote once you’re ready to purchase.
drayOS Alternatives
drayOS Pricing
The PortPro website does not disclose drayOS pricing information, but it indicates that there are two available products: drayOS and drayOS Track. drayOS includes basic features, like customer and dispatch management and load tracking, while drayOS Track provides additional functionality, like real-time container tracking, vessel scheduling, and per-diem monitoring.
We recommend that you contact the provider directly to obtain a customized quote. You may request a free demo to explore the features of the available products.
drayOS Features
Container tracking, available in drayOS Track, allows you to monitor the status and location of containers in real time. This means you can track the movement of each container completely from the moment it leaves the port until its arrival at the destination. You also have access to real-time vessel estimated time of arrivals (ETAs)—helping you plan container pickups and deliveries in advance.
Container tracking with ETA (Source: PortPro)
To help you reduce dwell times, drayOS Track lets you track container availability—allowing you to identify which containers are ready for transport and which are awaiting pickup. The program also provides crucial information, such as “last free day” and “cut-off day,” so that you can prevent delays and avoid unnecessary charges.
Once your containers are unloaded, drayOS allows you to update the status of containers to indicate that they are now empty and ready for return. This will help dispatchers plan and schedule the return of these containers so that they are sent back to the designated port within the required timeframe.
drayOS allows you to create a new load easily using the load entry form found on the dispatch page. To record a load, you must provide the required details, such as the type of load you wish to create, such as import or export, and the customer you are billing for the load. Also, you must indicate the port from which the containers are coming out and the delivery locations for the load.
Once created, you can track the load in real time. You can even provide your customers with a link or access to the customer portal so that they can track the load themselves. They can view the current location of the loads using a map with pins or moving assets.
Client-facing portal in drayOS (Source: PortPro)
drayOS allows dispatchers and managers to track all tendered loads within the system. The dispatch dashboard shows a list of all the loads, along with the status and details of each load. From here, dispatchers can identify quickly which loads are being transported, which have reached their destinations, and which are still awaiting pickup from the port or terminal.
With drayOS, dispatchers can quickly determine which drivers are available and match them with suitable loads. Once assigned, dispatchers can use the dispatch board to track the current locations of the assigned driver and the load progress easily. They can customize the dashboard based on how they want data to be displayed.
Dispatch management board in drayOS (Source: PortPro)
drayOS uses geofencing technology to provide instant updates on each driver’s load status. Dispatchers receive notifications directly on the dispatch board so that they don’t have to bother the driver for status updates.
One of the best features we like is that the system records “auto arrive” and “auto depart” events as drivers reach their destinations or depart from specified locations. This way, drivers or dispatchers won’t have to manually enter this information, allowing them to focus on other important aspects of their jobs.
To further help your drivers increase their efficiency, the drayOS mobile app provides step-by-step instructions for every stage of the drayage process, including pickups, routing, and drop-offs. The app also offers optimized routes based on real-time traffic and location data.
drayOS provides a centralized customer database where you can store and manage customer-related information, including contact information, address, and billing preferences.
It has better customer management features than most similar software—thanks to its customer portal. The customer-facing portal allows your customers to track the status and location of their drayage shipments. They can completely customize their portal based on their liking, such as adding their logo and changing the colors.
Additionally, you can set up customized load status notifications based on the specific needs of your operations or the preferences of your customer. For instance, a customer may prefer to receive real-time notifications only for shipments that experience delays.
Another key strength of drayOS is its built-in invoicing feature. You can create and customize your invoices by uploading your company logo and selecting the colors, format, and content. You may also check with your customer whether they want you to add documentation, rates, or itemized statements to their invoices.
We are impressed with drayOS’s invoicing feature because it automatically calculates rates of your drayage loads—meaning you don’t need to enter or update rates for each shipment. drayOS lets you define rates based on various parameters, such as distance, weight, container size, or specific services requested by your customers. The system then calculates and applies the appropriate rates for the given load based on the predefined rates.
drayOS allows drivers to prepare settlements easily for proper compensation and reimbursements. Using dispatch records and geofencing data, the platform calculates the total load pay and total deductions for each driver.
What’s more, using the drayOS mobile app, drivers can prepare and submit their settlements from their mobile devices. The system captures important payment details, including the total load pay and total deductions. Drivers and dispatchers can also keep a PDF copy of the settlement for reference purposes, and dispatchers can forward it to their accountant through email for bookkeeping purposes.
Driver settlement processing through the drayOS mobile app (Source: PortPro)
While you can create and send invoices within drayOS, it doesn’t serve as full-fledged accounting software. That said, it offers integration with QuickBooks Online to help trucking companies sync their financial and operational information.
By using drayOS with QuickBooks Online, you can sync relevant data, including invoices, customer details, payment information, and driver settlements. QuickBooks generates invoices based on the data entered in drayOS, including the customer details and associated payment information.
If you are currently using QuickBooks Online along with QuickBooks Payroll, you can push driver settlements to QuickBooks Online to manage driver compensation. QuickBooks will record relevant settlement data, such as driver earnings, deductions, and reimbursements. You can then use this data to process payroll in QuickBooks Payroll and pay your drivers by check or direct deposits.
If you don’t have a QuickBooks Online account yet, head to our QuickBooks Online review to see if its accounting features are suitable for your trucking business. You may also want to read our QuickBooks Payroll review if you want integrated payroll features inside QuickBooks.
Note that as a part of its security measure, drayOS disconnects from QuickBooks automatically every 100 days. You will then need to reauthorize the integration to re-establish the connection.
Compliance is a critical aspect of the trucking industry, and drayOS recognizes this by helping companies stay on top of their fleet management and driver record maintenance. The system allows you to store and manage information about your fleet, including registration details, vehicle size and type, vehicle information number (VIN), and maintenance schedules.
drayOS sends timely notifications and reminders related to safety inspections, maintenance schedules, and registration renewals. This way, fleet managers can prevent vehicles from operating with expired registrations—avoiding potential legal and compliance issues.
Additionally, drayOS helps trucking companies store and track drivers’ credentials, certifications, licenses, and other qualifications required for specific tasks. Managers will be notified when a driver’s documentation is about to expire, allowing them to renew their driver’s credentials on time.
Using the drayOS mobile app, fleet managers can conveniently update fleet credentials, including license information, directly from their smartphones or tablets.
Fleet record maintenance for compliance (Source: PortPro)
Per-diem charges (the daily allowance paid to drivers for expenses incurred during their trips) can be difficult to manage and track. When you upgrade to drayOS Track, you’ll be able to use the per-diem auditing feature to protect your trucking company from unfair per-diem charges.
The system uses congruent container tracking, meaning that it synchronizes the data related to containers used during trips. It uses the info generated from detailed change logs and historical reports of per-diem charges. These per-diem charges are accurately linked to specific trips and containers for precise tracking of driver expenses.
drayOS provides various types of reports that cover critical KPIs, including loads, profitability, driver pay, and margins. There are readily available reports available, but you can create customized reports based on your unique requirements if needed.
We like the drayOS admin dashboard because it allows carriers to personalize the displayed KPIs based on their business priorities. For example, you can set up a report that tracks the number of days it takes to terminate an empty container after unloading—helping you track equipment turnaround times better.
drayOS admin dashboard (Source: PortPro)
One of the most important reports available is the load master report, which is specifically designed to track the status of live loads, such as en route or completed. It also displays other important information, such as the cut-off day and last free day, helping you better analyze the load’s journey.
drayOS provides additional reports that provide meaningful insights into various operational aspects of your business. These include equipment utilization, driver-related activity, revenue, pay details, and customer performance.
When integrated with QuickBooks Online, you can generate essential financial reports, including profit and loss (P&L) reports, balance sheets, and cash flow statements.
drayOS Ease of Use & Customer Service
While drayOS is generally easy to use, some users may find the dashboards overwhelming due to the amount of information displayed. However, the popup entry forms are easy to complete. As you use the software, you will appreciate the comprehensive information displayed, such as the KPI on the reporting dashboard.
Unfortunately, we didn’t find a way to contact PortPro’s support team—which may indicate that it has no dedicated customer support. As an alternative approach, you can rely on self-guided resources for any assistance you may require. The problem is that there is very limited information on the FAQs page, and the blog page has no published posts as of this writing.
On a positive note, we appreciate that it has a Feature Request tool that allows you to request software changes or enhancements you would like to see in the system.
drayOS Reviews from Users
Based on recent positive drayOS reviews, we found that users are happy with the system’s user interface and features. One explained that it allows them to create a new load easily and assign it to a driver through the mobile app. Another user commented that the system protects them from old detention or demurrage fees with historical port records.
Meanwhile, we came across very few negative comments, including the lack of A/P features and the inability to search consignee names on the load board.
As of this writing, here’s how drayOS is rated by popular review websites:
- G21: 4.2 out 5 based on around 5 reviews
- Capterra2: 4.8 out of 5 based on about 10 reviews
FAQs
drayOS is designed for drayage carriers or those that manage short-distance transportation of goods. These may include port trucking companies, drayage logistics providers, and even ecommerce companies providing local delivery as part of their services.
Yes, drayOS integrates with QuickBooks Online, allowing you to sync essential data, such as invoices, customer information, and driver settlements.
drayOS offers premade and customizable reports to track important business metrics, such as loads, profitability, driver pay, and customer performance.
Bottom Line
If you require dedicated drayage software for your trucking business, drayOS by PortPro is a great choice. Its features are custom built for container movement tracking and management within portals, rail yards, and short distances. However, if your trucking business heavily relies on long-haul or interstate operations, then you need a more robust TMS like Q7, Tailwind TMS, or Rigbooks.
