A truck or transport operator needs two kinds of software working together. The first is transport operations software, which creates lorry receipts (LR or bilty), trip sheets and freight bills, and tracks each vehicle's income and expenses. The second is accounting software, which keeps GST-compliant books. TallyPrime and BUSY are the most common accounting choices for transporters, usually with a transport add-on or a dedicated transport billing app on top. Zoho Books and Vyapar suit smaller operators who want simple, mobile-friendly billing. Fleet platforms such as Fleetx and LocoNav add GPS, fuel and trip data that feed into costing.
If you run a freight forwarding, courier or customs business rather than your own trucks, read our separate guide to freight forwarding and courier billing software. This article is for fleet owners, transport contractors and goods transport agencies.
What a transport business needs that generic billing software lacks
Standard GST billing tools invoice a product at a price. Transport billing is built around consignments, vehicles and trips:
- Lorry receipt (LR/bilty/consignment note): consignor, consignee, origin, destination, packages, weight, freight basis (per tonne, per trip, per kg), paid, to-pay or to-be-billed.
- Trip sheet: vehicle, driver, route, start and end kilometres, diesel issued, tolls, driver advance and bhatta.
- Freight bill: several LRs consolidated into one invoice for a client, often monthly.
- Vehicle-wise profit and loss: freight earned minus diesel, tyres, maintenance, driver pay, EMI and insurance for each truck.
- Broker and market vehicle payments: hire charges, advance at loading and balance on delivery, with TDS where applicable.
- Party-wise outstanding: transporters often extend credit, so tracking receivables by client and by LR is critical.
- Detention, loading and unloading charges added to bills.
GST points transporters must handle
Goods transport agencies (GTAs) have specific GST rules, including the option between forward charge and reverse charge mechanism (RCM) depending on the service and the recipient. Your software should:
- Let you mark each bill as forward charge or RCM, with the correct invoice notes.
- Apply the right tax rate for the option you have chosen.
- Keep the declarations and records your CA needs.
- Produce data for GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B.
- Generate e-invoices once your turnover requires it.
- Handle e-way bill details linked to consignments.
GST rules for GTAs have changed more than once, so confirm your rate and charge mechanism with your CA each year. Software only applies the settings you give it.
Comparison: software used by transport businesses
| Software | Role | Fit for transporters | Pricing (official, ex-GST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| TallyPrime | Accounting, GST, inventory | Most widely used by CAs; transport LR and trip features are usually added through third-party add-ons | Silver ₹22,500 lifetime or ₹750/month |
| BUSY Accounting | Accounting, GST, billing | Strong GST and multi-company features; check for transport modules or partners | Subscription editions from ₹5,000/year |
| Zoho Books | Cloud accounting | Custom fields and templates can handle LR and vehicle numbers for small operators | Free plan; paid from ₹749/month billed annually |
| Vyapar | Mobile and desktop billing | Simple invoicing and party ledgers for small fleet owners | See vendor site |
| myBillBook | Mobile billing | Quick GST bills and payment reminders | See vendor site |
| Fleetx | Fleet management | GPS, trips, fuel and expense tracking feeding cost data | Quote-based |
| LocoNav | Fleet telematics | Vehicle tracking and fleet reports | Quote-based |
| Trukky | Truck booking platform | Finding loads and trucks, not accounting | Not applicable |
TallyPrime, BUSY and Zoho Books prices are from their official pricing pages, as summarised in our accounting software price comparison. Transport-specific add-ons are priced separately by their developers.
Option 1: Tally or BUSY with a transport add-on
This is the most common setup for established transport companies. Your CA already knows the accounting software, and a transport module adds LR entry, trip sheets, freight billing and vehicle-wise reports.
Good for: operators with their own accountant, multiple branches and a need for full books and audits.
Check before buying:
- Does the add-on post entries directly into your ledgers, or does it rely on manual import?
- Can it handle to-pay, paid and to-be-billed LRs?
- Does it support market (hired) vehicles and broker payments?
- Is there a mobile app for branch staff or drivers?
Option 2: Dedicated transport management software plus accounting
Dedicated transport ERP or TMS products manage the whole operation (booking, LR, dispatch, POD, billing and fleet costs) and export to Tally or another accounting system. They suit larger fleets and transport contractors with many branches. See our logistics software list. Ask vendors for a demo using your actual LR format.
Option 3: Simple cloud or mobile billing
Owners of one to five trucks often do not need a full transport ERP. A tool like Zoho Books, Vyapar or myBillBook can:
- Add vehicle number, LR number, origin and destination as custom fields on invoices
- Track party-wise outstanding and send payment reminders
- Record diesel, toll and maintenance expenses by vehicle using tags or cost centres
You lose dedicated LR and trip sheet screens, but you gain simplicity and low cost.
Add fleet data for true trip costing
Fuel is usually a transporter's largest expense. Fleet management software such as Fleetx or LocoNav records actual kilometres, idle time and fuel events. Combining that data with freight income shows which routes, clients and vehicles actually make money.
How to choose accounting software for a transport business
- Write down your documents: LR, trip sheet, freight bill, hire slip, POD. Make sure the software produces each one in your format.
- Decide who enters data: head office only, or branches and drivers too? That decides desktop versus cloud and mobile.
- Confirm GST handling for your GTA option (forward or reverse charge) with your CA.
- Ask for vehicle-wise and trip-wise profitability reports.
- Check driver advance and settlement tracking. Unreconciled advances are a common leak.
- Check TDS on payments to brokers and hired vehicle owners.
- Plan data migration of opening balances and outstanding LRs.
- Pay for a pilot month on one branch or a few vehicles before a full rollout.
For driver attendance, trip allowances and payroll, see our guide to HRMS and payroll for logistics companies.
FAQs
Which is the best accounting software for a transport business?
Established transporters most often use TallyPrime or BUSY with a transport add-on, because their CAs already work in them. Small operators can manage with Zoho Books, Vyapar or myBillBook using custom fields for vehicle and LR numbers.
Can Tally make lorry receipts (bilty)?
TallyPrime is accounting software and does not have a dedicated LR module by default. Transporters usually use a third-party Tally add-on or a separate transport billing app that posts entries into Tally.
What is a trip sheet in transport accounting?
A trip sheet records one vehicle's journey: route, driver, kilometres, diesel, tolls, advances and freight earned. It is the basis for trip-wise and vehicle-wise profit.
Does transport billing software handle GST reverse charge?
Good transport billing software lets you mark each freight bill as forward charge or reverse charge and prints the required notes. Confirm the correct option and rate for your business with your CA.
What is the difference between logistics accounting software and freight forwarding software?
Transport accounting software is built around trucks, LRs and trips. Freight forwarding software is built around shipments, airway bills, bills of lading and customs. See our freight forwarding and courier software guide.
