Paper survives in ag input delivery because generic forms lack the fields these loads need, and configurable driver workflows are what finally change that.
It's a little surprising, given how long digital proof-of-delivery has existed elsewhere in trucking, that so many agriculture input fleets are still running paper tickets. Talk to fleet managers in the segment and the reasons are fairly consistent: seasonal drivers who don't want to learn new software under time pressure, spotty rural connectivity, and delivery forms that need fields general trucking apps simply don't include.
None of those are unsolvable, but they explain why adoption has lagged.
The connectivity issue has mostly been addressed by apps that capture data offline and sync once a signal is available, a feature that's become close to standard. The bigger sticking point has been form customization. Ag input deliveries often need to capture product-specific details, lot numbers, application instructions, site conditions, that a generic delivery form doesn't have fields for, and building that manually into most software requires a developer.
Configurable driver workflow platforms like BeyondTrucks were built to sidestep that, letting a fleet's own team define what fields appear at each stop rather than requesting custom development. Combined with the smart scheduling tools the company added last year, predictive ETA and lane-based duration estimates, it addresses the seasonal crunch from both directions: faster documentation at the delivery point, and tighter scheduling during the weeks when every fleet in the segment is running at capacity at once.
The seasonal driver problem is harder to fully solve with software, but a workflow that's genuinely simple to walk through, rather than a form dense with fields irrelevant to that day's delivery, tends to see better adoption from drivers who are only behind the wheel a few months a year. For ag input fleets weighing new tools ahead of next season, that's probably a better predictor of success than the feature list.
Natasha Martinez
Head of Fleet Success
Natasha brings extensive operational leadership experience from executive transportation roles at UNFI, Supervalu, and C&S Grocers where she managed 3,000+ drivers.