The current state of affairs
For each transport, more than twelve different paper documents are used: from making appointments and organizing processes to assigning responsibilities and collecting evidence. Currently, about 99% of the documents used in the sector are still paper, according to the transport market 2024/2025 report from Trans.eu. This enormous flow of paper poses a significant barrier to real-time data analysis and process optimization.
As reasons for the low adoption, 25% of respondents from a survey conducted by Odex cite concerns about data security as the number one issue. Over 20% are unaware of the existence of digital solutions and offerings. Additionally, 15% indicate insufficient adaptability and/or lack of experience with using digital tools, followed by implementation costs. However, the 'cost of inaction' is often overlooked: maintaining analog processes in a digital chain leads to hidden overhead.
"We see significant differences in the adoption of e-documents by sector and transport modalities. While aviation and shipping are leading, driven by standardization efforts and the complexity of global trade, road transport is digitalizing significantly slower due to its localized nature and varying regulations," says Gerry Daalhuisen, Senior Director Dock & Yard / Fleet Products at Transporeon. "Large companies often adopt advanced technologies faster than smaller ones, and the B2C sector is adopting change faster than the B2B sector. Some logistics companies choose to limit investments in non-essential digital tools due to reduced freight volumes and revenues, but on the other hand, we also see many companies investing in becoming more resilient due to the current geopolitical and economic situation."
eCMR as the first step towards a paperless sector
The implementation of the digital waybill (eCMR) serves as the fundamental building block for a fully digitized supply chain. Starting in July 2027, the eFTI regulation (Electronic Freight Transport Information) marks a turning point; authorities in all EU member states will then be legally required to accept electronic transport data. This forces the industry to switch to certified eFTI platforms, which not only simplifies enforcement but also creates an interoperable network between shippers, carriers, and governments.
Significant time and cost savings
Whether e-documentation is mandatory or not, implementing paperless processes can yield significant business benefits for transport companies. An example of this can be found in the transition from a paper waybill to eCMR. The entire process, which includes drafting documents, freight inspection, delivery confirmation, and other administrative tasks, currently takes about 23 minutes in the paper-based workflow. When the freight order is processed digitally, this reduces to 9 minutes, according to research by SIRA Consulting Research for the Danish Ministry of Transport. This reduction of over 60% in administrative burdens per shipment directly translates to higher availability of drivers and office staff.
This time saving of nearly a full quarter of an hour results in significant cost savings. Transporeon's calculator makes this clear. With €4.50 per CMR, the annual savings for shippers from the Benelux performing 10,000 shipments per quarter can amount to €38,000, and the entire supply chain can reduce costs by €181,000. In total, the European transport logistics sector can save as much as €1 billion per year, according to the organization eFTI4EU. And this does not even account for the reduction of waiting times at borders due to increased efficiency. For logistics service providers, this means a direct improvement in the EBITDA margin.
Increased transparency, fewer (human) errors
The transition to a digital approach through e-documentation in the transport sector also significantly improves communication, collaboration, and efficiency within the supply chain. It provides data on shipments and enables real-time visibility, keeping all stakeholders continuously informed of the latest transport status. This 'Real-Time Visibility' (RTV) eliminates the need for manual status updates and reduces pressure on customer service departments.
Additionally, this transparency allows issues such as missing products and delays to be identified early, enabling timely interventions. In 63% of respondents from research on the benefits of real-time visibility by Transporeon, this leads to customer retention and satisfaction, and 42% saw a reduction in labor costs due to fewer control calls being needed.
At the same time, digitization through e-documentation in the transport sector minimizes the risk of human errors – such as illegible handwriting or lost documents – ensuring data integrity throughout the chain. This results in a faster billing cycle (Order-to-Cash) and more accurate inventory management, which has a direct, positive impact on cash flow and operational excellence.
E-documentation provides a sustainable competitive advantage in the transport sector
Finally, e-documentation in the transport sector is a more sustainable approach, helping transport companies take significant steps in their sustainability ambitions, for example by reducing paper waste and the CO2 footprint associated with paper processes. With the advent of the CSRD directive (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive), digitally capturing process data becomes essential for accurate reporting of Scope 3 emissions.
Just switching to electronic waybills in the Netherlands with around 40 million CMRs per year, consisting of four pages, already equates to a saving of about 160 million sheets of paper per year - not counting any versions for all stakeholders. Let alone what the transition yields on a global scale.
"The benefits of e-documentation in the transport sector far outweigh the implementation efforts", Daalhuisen states. "It delivers clear operational and financial benefits, such as lower costs and higher productivity, while working towards a sustainable future. Additionally, challenges related to documentation, such as errors and delays caused by it, are seen as the biggest bottleneck in operations by half of the transport logistics players. E-documentation is the answer to that as well."
