‘All required information with one click of the button’

As a relatively small road carrier (25 units), VETRA is a forward-looking business. Frank Baudet is Development & Innovation Manager of the PAX Groep, of which VETRA is a business unit: “VETRA is continuously improving. Running a paperless office as far as possible is one of the ways in which we set ourselves apart. Waybills, invoices … everything is digital. We can present all the information a customer requires at the touch of a button. And ultimately this gives us more time to advise them personally.” Portbase services align seamlessly with this way of working. “We have integrated pre-announcement via Road Planning within our own transport management system. Before we actually schedule a container we can always simply check the current status on screen. We don’t need to consult all kinds of other systems first. It works brilliantly.”

Recently, VETRA also started using the Portbase Notification Import Documentation service within its own transport management system. Any customs documentation required in order to collect containers can be forwarded to the terminals electronically. When the containers arrive, no further papers are required. Baudet: “Previously, drivers first needed to come by our office in Rotterdam to collect the documents. Even though our office is easily accessible and en route, it still took an extra 15 minutes. Now customs documentation is registered from our system at the touch of a button and the driver can drive straight to the terminal.”

What’s more, the transporter considers our submission of customs documentation to be an additional service. “Customers have, after all, already supplied us with the customs information. For us it’s not that difficult to take care of registration at the terminals. People no longer need to do this themselves. That’s how we offer added value for our customers.”