Vehicle Logistics & Transport Management for Car Dealers
Every vehicle you purchase needs to reach your location eventually – and every transport costs money. AutoPult brings order to your vehicle logistics: from commissioning the freight forwarder through live tracking to precise cost allocation per vehicle. No more Excel spreadsheets, phone calls, and forgotten transport invoices.
The Transport Workflow: From Commissioning to Delivery
Select Carrier
Choose the right partner from your carrier database. AutoPult shows pricing, delivery times, and ratings at a glance.
Commission Transport
Create the transport order directly from vehicle management. For multiple vehicles, AutoPult automatically bundles group transports.
Follow Live Tracking
Track the transport in real time on the map view. Automatic status updates for pickup, intermediate stops, and delivery.
Receive Vehicle
Upon arrival: condition check with photo documentation, record transport damage and assign to the carrier. AI assists with damage detection.
Allocate Costs
All transport costs automatically flow into the vehicle cost calculation and accounting. For group transports, costs are distributed proportionally.
Carrier Management & Order Management
In AutoPult, you manage all your carriers and transport service providers centrally. Store framework agreements, price lists, and contacts – so you can immediately select the right partner for every new transport.
Carrier Database
Contact details, price lists, framework agreements, and historical ratings for every transport partner. Compare quotes objectively and choose the best partner for each route.
Automatic Order Creation
Create transport orders directly from vehicle management. AutoPult generates the order form in the carrier’s format and sends it via email or API.
Plan Group Transports
Purchasing multiple vehicles at an auction or in one region? AutoPult automatically bundles them into group transports. Total costs are distributed proportionally across individual vehicles.
Historical Transport Data
All past transports with costs, duration, and reliability. Use this data for better negotiations with carrier partners and more precise calculations.
Live Tracking: Always Know Where Your Vehicles Are
Once a transport is commissioned, AutoPult activates live tracking. On a clear map view, you can see in real time where your vehicles are and when they are expected to arrive.
ETA Calculation with Historical Data
AutoPult calculates the estimated arrival time based on the route, traffic conditions, and historical data from your carrier. This allows you to better plan reconditioning appointments and sales meetings. Has a customer already purchased the vehicle? Automatically send tracking updates via WhatsApp or email – this boosts customer satisfaction and reduces follow-up inquiries.
Accurately Record Transport Costs per Vehicle
Every transport incurs costs that increase the landed cost of your vehicle. AutoPult automatically allocates all transport costs to the respective vehicle and updates the profit calculation in real time:
- Shipping costs: Main transport charges, surcharges, toll fees
- Transfer costs: License plates, insurance, driver
- Ancillary costs: Storage fees, delay surcharges, loading and unloading fees
- Ferry costs: For transports over water (e.g., from Scandinavia or the UK)
- Insurance: Transport insurance per vehicle
All costs automatically flow into accounting and are transferred to your tax advisor via the DATEV interface. For EU imports, transport costs are also factored into the import VAT calculation.
Delivery Planning & Schedule Management
Coordinate pickups and deliveries efficiently with the integrated scheduling tool. AutoPult shows you at a glance which vehicles are expected when and what capacities are available at your locations.
Pickup Planning
Define pickup windows at the seller’s location. AutoPult automatically coordinates with the carrier and sends confirmations to all parties. You are immediately notified of delays.
Delivery Planning
Schedule delivery dates at your location or directly to the end customer. The calendar displays capacities and prevents bottlenecks during vehicle intake.
How much do you spend monthly on transports? Which carrier is the most reliable? Where are the potential savings…
Analytics & Logistics Controlling
How much do you spend monthly on transports? Which carrier is the most reliable? Where are the potential savings? AutoPult provides the answers with detailed analytics and interactive dashboards:
- Transport costs per month, quarter, and year – with trend indicators
- Average cost per vehicle by country of origin and route
- Carrier ranking by cost, punctuality, and damage rate
- Comparison: Own transport vs. carrier with break-even analysis
- Cost development over time with forecast for next quarter
- Utilization analysis for group transports: How many slots remain empty?
Negotiate with Data
With analytics from AutoPult, you go into your next negotiation with your carrier armed with concrete numbers. You know the average costs per route, the punctuality rate, and the damage rate. This gives you a strong negotiating position and typically leads to better terms.
Own Transport vs. Carrier: Making the Right Decision
Many car dealers face the question: Is having your own transporter worthwhile, or are external carriers more cost-effective? AutoPult provides the data foundation for this decision with detailed comparative calculations:
Calculate Own Transport
Record all costs of your own transporter: acquisition, insurance, maintenance, fuel, driver salary, and downtime. AutoPult calculates the cost per transport and automatically compares it with external quotes. At what volume does own transport become worthwhile? AutoPult provides the answer.
Carrier Benchmarking
Objectively compare the performance of your carriers: average transport duration per route, punctuality rate, damage rate, and price per kilometer. Use this data for better terms in your next contract negotiation.
Document and Process Transport Damage
Transport damage is frustrating, but it happens. AutoPult makes documentation and processing as simple as possible:
- Condition check on arrival: Photograph the vehicle upon delivery. AI image recognition automatically compares with pre-transport photos and flags discrepancies.
- Damage report: Create a digital damage report with photos, description, and cost estimate – directly in the vehicle file.
- File a claim: A claim to the carrier is generated from the damage report with one click – with all supporting documents attached.
- Claim tracking: Track the status of every claim through to settlement. Reimbursements are automatically posted in the vehicle cost calculation.
Digitize Your Vehicle Logistics
Transport costs under control, live tracking on the map, precise calculation per vehicle – all in one system.
Customer Delivery: Transport Directly to the Buyer
Not every customer picks up their vehicle at the dealership. More and more buyers expect delivery to their doorstep – especially in online sales. AutoPult also supports end-customer delivery:
- Capture delivery address: The customer address is pulled from the CRM and automatically inserted into the transport order
- Tracking link for customers: The buyer receives a personal tracking link via WhatsApp or email and can follow the status of their vehicle in real time
- Delivery confirmation: Upon handover, the handover protocol is created digitally and signed by the customer – with photos of the vehicle condition
- Transparent delivery costs: Delivery costs can be charged to the customer or offered as a complimentary service – both correctly posted in accounting