Axis TMS Review: Is It Right for Your Trucking Company?

For businesses with more than 150 trucks, Axis TMS offers a 12-month agreement tier and a 36-month agreement option. Both come with full access to all of its features plus branded software interface and mobile apps, a dedicated server with data backups, server setup support, and a hardware package (which includes a tablet with mount and 4G LTE service).

Completing trucking business requirements in order to secure necessary permits and comply with regulations can be challenging and confusing. With Axis TMS, you get a team of experts (with over 26 years of experience in the trucking industry) who can help manage and handle these processes. However, you have to pay extra for compliance and regulatory services.

*Includes quarterly submissions of tax documents for “use tax” imposed on services and purchases bought in one state or municipality but used and consumed in another state or municipality.

Payroll is designed for drivers but can accommodate staff workers as well. You have the option to designate pay by mile, hour, load, and gross percentage. You can set up deductions (such as for benefits), although the system automatically captures on-road deductions from fuel cards. Aside from designating vacation and holiday payments, you can assign different pay rates for different jobs—driving vs breakdown, for example. It even lets you run driver payroll on a weekly, biweekly, and monthly basis.

Axis TMS’ payroll module lets you program vacation and other pay for drivers.
(Source: Axis TMS)

While Axis TMS sends pay stubs to employees, it does not handle direct deposit or check creation. It will prep and send the year-end tax reports but does not process payroll taxes. However, if you use QuickBooks, then Axis TMS can integrate with its payroll or accounting software to handle these tasks and track your spendings.

With Axis TMS, you can set up shipments and dispatch schedules, including multiple shipments on a contract or split shipments with cross-docking. You can set up a dedicated lane and let the system create orders for you from the queue. The software also enables you to view truck availability and send dispatch notifications automatically through text.

During a run, you can monitor the shipment for real-time status, estimated time of arrival, shipment delays, and more. The software will send customers notifications about delays if desired. Drivers can also send documents through the mobile app, which you can approve or decline, email to the customer, or attach to an invoice.

Axis TMS’ dashboard gives you an overview of your fleet.
(Source: Axis TMS)

If you manage interstate shipments, it’s vital that you keep accurate information on fuel consumption by location for IFTA reporting. Axis runs reports by truck or fleet and includes gas or diesel pumped by state and mileage by state. You’ll need to connect your fuel card and telematics provider to the system, but it only takes a click. Axis supports most fuel cards and devices, but you can contact its sales team to ensure you are covered before purchasing the card/device.

Stay compliant with Axis TMS’ IFTA reporting add-on.
(Source: Axis TMS)

Other ways Axis helps you stay compliant is by monitoring and maintaining records on affirmative action, driver safety, driver qualification (as required by the Department of Transportation), employee checks, and truck maintenance. Its Document Resource Center lets you store these, along with insurance documents, company policies, and government forms.

Axis TMS offers truck management tools that include GPS locations, odometer and speedometer readings, and a real-time map view. The system similarly monitors trailers, including dropped and hooked status. You can chat with the driver through the mobile app as well.

Axis TMS lets you view and manage truck and trailer data with ease.
(Source: Axis TMS)

In addition to truck monitoring, the maintenance module allows you to create schedules for regular maintenance and repairs based on date or mileage. You can record costs, upload documents, and run reports. This helps you keep compliant with regulations as well as ensure your fleet is running at top efficiency.

The Axis TMS Driver app lets drivers respond to carrier dispatch. While on duty, the app sends location updates to the company. Users can see order offers, check in and out of stops, scan and load documents and photos (and fax them if needed), update a status, make cash advance requests, or send out breakdown alerts, maintenance requests, and more.

Its user interface is also bright and clean, plus it’s relatively easy to use. You can find a knowledge base online with illustrated articles and some training videos. We did find the list thin, but the search feature pulls up articles, so if you don’t see the answer to your question, use the search bar. Also, some of the articles only tell you what a feature does, not how to use it.

The Axis TMS Driver app is free to download, but requires an Axis TMS subscription to access its features.
(Source: Axis TMS)

If you work with multiple carriers, the freight brokering module makes it easy to track and assign shipments. The dashboard lets you know how many loads are active, awaiting bids, or have new bids. You can scroll down the spreadsheet-like form to see the details, including miles and bids. It sends out confirmations upon awarding a contract.

It can also match orders to carrier trucks that are available, making it easy to know where to send an offer. You can also view carrier trucks to see their status on the map in case you want to personally invite one to take on a job. The module lets you manage costs, invoices, documents, and more.

With Axis TMS, drivers can bid on a job and match loads to carriers.
(Source: Axis TMS)

Axis TMS’ billing module allows you to approve driver documents and generate invoices once a job is done. Auto-sorting of paperwork makes it easy to track all the items you need and sends an alert if you are missing something. You can set custom charges or recurring rates for jobs. Invoices can be sent individually or in batches, and the system tracks how long before each is paid.