Beurtvaartadres – eCMR Digital Waybill

From Paper Waybills to Digital Information Flow

The CMR waybill has been an integral part of the transportation process for many years. But while planning, vehicles, and communication are becoming increasingly digitized, a paper waybill still regularly requires manual administrative work.

That is why Rietveld is collaborating with Beurtvaartadres, a specialist and knowledge partner in the field of transport documents since 1927.

With the eCMR digital waybill, the traditional CMR becomes available in digital form. By integrating this solution with Rietveld’s onboard computer, the driver can incorporate the digital waybill into his daily workflow.

As a result, data no longer needs to be re-entered on paper each time, and information about a shipment becomes available more quickly to the parties involved.

Moving forward together with expertise.

Beurtvaartadres: From Paper to Data

Beurtvaartadres holds a unique position within the Dutch transportation sector. The organization has been supporting companies with transport documents since 1927 and is now also helping the logistics chain transition from paper documents to digital data.

The eCMR is a key part of this.

An eCMR contains the same information found on a traditional CMR consignment note, but in digital form. This makes information more easily accessible to the carrier, shipper, and consignee and provides greater insight into the progress of a shipment.

The eCMR on the onboard computer

The added value for Rietveld’s customers arises when the digital waybill is integrated into the driver’s workflow.

Using Rietveld’s onboard computer, the driver can work with the digital waybill while carrying out a transport.

This brings trip execution and transport documentation closer together.

The driver has digital access to his information, and the administrative department no longer has to wait for a paper waybill to be returned to the office from the truck.

Less paper in the cab

A paper waybill passes through several hands during a shipment. In the process, a document can be filled out incorrectly, damaged, become illegible, or get lost.

With a digital waybill, the information is immediately available digitally.

Beurtvaartadres lists the following benefits, among others:

less chance of errors;
faster access to information;
fewer physical document flows;
easier archiving;
less administrative work;
better overview.

With a digital waybill, signing also doesn’t have to follow the same physical document flow as with paper. This can help reduce wait times.

Real-time information for the logistics chain

Digitization turns the waybill into more than just a document that travels with the driver.

According to Beurtvaartadres, parties in the supply chain can use the eCMR to see where the cargo and packaging are located. As a result, the carrier, shipper, and end customer have faster access to information about the shipment and the expected delivery.

This reduces the need to call drivers or dispatchers in the meantime for a status update.

In this way, the digital waybill contributes to better information exchange between the various parties in the transport process.

Faster Transition from Delivery to Administration

With a paper-based process, administrative processing cannot begin until documents have been returned to the office or manually digitized.

With the eCMR, information is recorded digitally right away.

This means the organization can move forward more quickly with processes related to a completed trip.

For example:

verification of the delivery;
administrative processing;
retrieving transportation information;
sharing information with relevant parties;
digital archiving.

Beurtvaartadres emphasizes that digital waybills can therefore save both time and physical archiving space.

A single digital workflow for the driver

Drivers are having to deal with an increasing number of digital processes throughout their workday.

That is precisely why we believe it is important for solutions to be consolidated on the onboard computer as much as possible.

Integrating the eCMR with the onboard computer creates a logical digital workflow around the trip.

The driver doesn’t have to rely on a separate paper-based process for each step. This brings the transport order, communication, and digital transport documentation much closer together.

This provides a clearer overview in the cab and reduces administrative tasks while on the road.

Legal Framework for the Digital CMR

A digital waybill must, of course, be more than just a digital copy of a paper document.

In 2008, a supplementary protocol was added to the international CMR Convention. This protocol provides the legal framework and standard for the electronic recording of a CMR waybill.

A large number of countries have now ratified this eCMR protocol. In these countries, the eCMR can be used as an alternative to the paper CMR under the applicable conditions.

This aligns with Beurtvaartadres’s expertise. The organization specializes in legally compliant transport documents and supports the logistics sector in the transition from paper to digital data exchange.

What does this integration mean for your organization?

For drivers

Fewer paper documents in the cab
Digital waybill available during the trip
Easier handling of transport information
Less manual paperwork

For dispatchers

Faster access to information
Greater insight into the status of shipments
Fewer inquiries to drivers
Digital information from the field

For the administrative staff

No more manually digitizing waybills
Documents available faster
Easier to search and archive
Lower risk of lost or illegible documents

For customers and supply chain partners

Faster information exchange
Greater transparency regarding the shipment
Digital availability of shipping information
Less reliance on paper-based document flows

The power of collaboration

Beurtvaartadres combines years of expertise in shipping documents with digital solutions for the logistics chain.

Rietveld ensures that digital processes align with daily operations in the vehicle.

By connecting the eCMR to the onboard computer, the digital waybill is placed exactly where a significant part of the transportation process takes place: with the driver on the road.

This is how we connect office administration with operations on the road and help transportation companies advance in their transition from paper to data.

Why choose Rietveld?

At Rietveld, we look beyond just the onboard computer.

An on-board computer actually becomes more valuable when the driver has access—from a single interface—to the information and applications they need throughout their workday.

That’s why we integrate our solutions with specialized partners such as Beurtvaartadres.

The result is less duplication of work, less paper, and a digital flow of information between the driver, dispatch, administration, and other parties in the logistics chain.