The verdict in three sentences
For a fleet of 55 vehicles, a SaaS TMS at 40 to 80 EUR per vehicle per month means 26,400 to 52,800 EUR a year, with no control over the roadmap. A custom TMS costs 70,000 to 140,000 EUR in France and 90,000 to 170,000 EUR in Amsterdam, where developer rates are higher, and pays off when your flows (subcontracting, groupage, EDI industrial clients) do not fit standard boxes. The real financial lever is not the licence: it is cutting empty kilometres from 22% to 15%, worth more than 100,000 EUR a year on a fleet this size.
What a TMS must do for a Benelux or northern France haulier
Lille and Amsterdam both sit on dense corridors towards Belgium, Germany and Paris, with many empty return legs unless planners actively hunt for backhauls. The essential building blocks:
| Module | Function | Estimated impact (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Order intake | Manual entry, EDI import and client portal | 3 to 5 minutes saved per order |
| Planning | Driver, truck and trailer assignment, Gantt view | Load factor +6 to 10 points |
| Telematics | GPS position, fuel use, delay alerts | Customer calls halved |
| Tachograph | Data download, driving and rest times | Avoided fines of up to 1,500 EUR each |
| e-CMR | Electronic consignment note signed on mobile | Invoicing on day 1 instead of day 8 |
| Invoicing | Client rates, fuel indexation, surcharges | DSO down by 10 to 15 days |
| Reporting | Cost per kilometre, margin per client and lane | Loss-making lanes found within 1 month |
e-CMR is accepted in France, the Netherlands and most neighbouring signatories of the protocol, which removes the end-of-month paper chase.
Off-the-shelf or custom: 5-year comparison
| Criterion | Off-the-shelf SaaS TMS | Custom TMS (Lille) | Custom TMS (Amsterdam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial cost | 5,000 to 15,000 EUR setup | 70,000 to 140,000 EUR | 90,000 to 170,000 EUR |
| Recurring cost | 40 to 80 EUR per vehicle per month | 12,000 to 25,000 EUR per year | 15,000 to 30,000 EUR per year |
| 5-year total (55 vehicles) | 137,000 to 279,000 EUR | 130,000 to 265,000 EUR | 165,000 to 320,000 EUR |
| Time to go-live | 1 to 3 months | 5 to 7 months | 5 to 7 months |
| Telematics integration | Partner devices imposed | Your existing devices via API | Your existing devices via API |
| Specific business rules | Limited to configuration | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Data ownership | Vendor | You | You |
Over 5 years the costs converge. The decision is about how specific your operation is: a standard full-truckload carrier should stay with a market product, while a haulier with groupage, subcontracting and EDI clients gets more from a tool built around its workflow.
A custom TMS plan over 5 to 7 months
| Phase | Duration | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|
| Operations audit | 3 weeks | Map of flows, rates and interfaces |
| Orders and planning | 8 weeks | Working Gantt planning board |
| Telematics and tachograph | 5 weeks | Vehicle data integrated |
| e-CMR and invoicing | 6 weeks | Invoice raised from the signed delivery |
| Pilot on 10 vehicles | 4 weeks | Field fixes, planner training |
Mini case study
Thomas runs a haulage SME near Lille with 55 vehicles, each covering about 100,000 km a year, so 5,500,000 km in total. At 22% empty running, that is 1,210,000 km without freight. At 15%, it drops to 825,000 km: 385,000 fewer empty kilometres. At a variable cost of 0.55 EUR per km (diesel, tyres, maintenance), the theoretical gain is 211,750 EUR a year. Taking a cautious half, 105,000 EUR, a custom TMS at 110,000 EUR plus 18,000 EUR yearly maintenance pays back in about 14 months. A comparable Amsterdam fleet on a 140,000 EUR build reaches payback in roughly 17 months.
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FAQ
How much does a custom TMS cost for a 55-vehicle haulier?
In 2026, budget 70,000 to 140,000 EUR in France and 90,000 to 170,000 EUR in the Netherlands, depending on EDI, telematics and e-CMR, plus 12,000 to 30,000 EUR a year of maintenance. A first scope covering orders, planning and invoicing starts around 70,000 EUR.
Can we keep our current telematics boxes?
Yes, as long as the provider exposes an API, which most do in 2026. Integration usually takes 2 to 4 weeks of development.
Is e-CMR legally valid?
Yes, France and the Netherlands have ratified the e-CMR protocol, and the electronic note has the same value as paper. It lets you invoice on day 1 instead of after a week on average.
How does a TMS reduce empty kilometres?
It shows planned empty returns 24 to 48 hours ahead and suggests backhauls, internal or from freight exchanges. Moving from 22% to 15% within 12 months is realistic.
Is tachograph data integrated?
Files are downloaded and analysed automatically to check driving and rest times. This avoids fines of up to 1,500 EUR per offence.
Let's scope your project. Tell us about your fleet, flows and current tools, and we will price a TMS between 70,000 and 170,000 EUR with a 5 to 7 month plan. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
