Subcontractors are the backbone of many transport operations. They extend your capacity, cover routes you can't service yourself, and give your business the flexibility to grow without proportionally increasing your owned fleet.
But managing subcontractors manually — allocating jobs by phone, chasing PODs, reconciling payments at the end of the month — is one of the most time-consuming and error-prone parts of running a transport business.
A Transport Management System changes that entirely. Here's how.
The Problem With Manual Subcontractor Management
When subcontractor management is manual, a few things tend to go wrong consistently.
Jobs get allocated by phone or text. The subcontractor acknowledges, or doesn't. There's no clear record of what was agreed, what was picked up, or what was delivered. When something goes wrong — a missed pickup, a late delivery, a disputed payment — nobody has a clear picture of what actually happened.
Payment reconciliation is painful. Someone has to manually match completed jobs to rates, calculate what each subcontractor is owed, and produce a buyer created tax invoice — a process that takes significant time and is prone to errors that create disputes downstream.
Visibility is limited. Once a job goes to a subcontractor, it can feel like it disappears. Your customers are asking for updates. Your dispatcher is making calls. Nobody has a live view of what's happening or whether the job has been completed.
What a TMS Does Differently
Real-time job allocation
Instead of phone calls and text messages, jobs are allocated to subcontractors directly through the TMS. The subcontractor receives the job with all the information they need — pickup address, delivery address, consignment details and any special instructions.
No back and forth. No missed messages. No ambiguity about what's been allocated.
A controlled subcontractor portal
NAVONE™ TMS gives subcontractors their own portal — a controlled view of exactly what's been allocated to them and nothing else. They can see their allocated jobs, their earnings against each job, and where they need to submit proof of delivery.
It's not about giving subcontractors access to everything — it's about giving them exactly what they need. Their jobs, their earnings, and a simple way to stay aligned with your operation without picking up the phone.
POD submission for non-integrated subcontractors
Not every subcontractor runs their own TMS. For those who aren't integrated, NAVONE™ TMS allows them to attach proof of delivery directly against the job through the portal — without needing a separate system, a phone call, or a manual process.
For subcontractors who do run their own TMS and are integrated with NAVONE™, POD flows through automatically. Either way, your operation gets the confirmation it needs and your customers get the visibility they expect.
Earnings visibility and buyer created tax invoices
Subcontractors can see exactly what they'll get paid against each allocated job — in real time, without having to ask. NAVONE™ TMS handles buyer created tax invoices automatically, so there's no manual payment document production on your end and no end-of-month reconciliation headaches for either party.
Fewer disputes. Faster payments. A healthier subcontractor relationship.
Visibility for your team and your customers
When a subcontractor is allocated a job through NAVONE™ TMS, that job remains visible to your dispatchers. Milestone updates and POD submissions flow through the same system — so your team always knows what's happening and your customers get consistent visibility regardless of whether the delivery is with your own driver or a subcontractor.
That consistency is what professional freight operations look like to customers.
The Result
Transport businesses that manage subcontractors through a TMS spend less time on the phone, less time reconciling payments and less time dealing with disputes. Their subcontractors know exactly what's been allocated to them, what they'll earn and how to submit proof of delivery — without needing to call your office.
And their customers get consistent visibility across every job — regardless of who's making the delivery.
Want to see how NAVONE™ TMS handles subcontractor management?
Contact Us at info@navareglobal.com
