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ORDERS - Toll cost calculation

Overview of the factors we use during toll cost calculation

Arynne Hargreaves avatar
Written by Arynne Hargreaves
Updated this week

Introduction

We use PTV for our route and toll cost calculation. The logic is slightly different for the toll cost calculation on the order and on the trip.

A default Order Routing Profile can be configured in Transport Services and the Vehicle Category. When creating an order, sequential logic is used to check the configuration, and determine the correct vehicle type for routing and subsequently toll calculations.

Terminology

  • PTV
    A routing and toll cost calculation engine used to determine distances, travel times, and toll charges based on vehicle type and route.

  • Routing Profile
    A set of rules in Qargo that define how routes and tolls are calculated for a given vehicle type. Can be configured at the organisation, transport service, or vehicle category level.

  • Vehicle Category
    Classification of vehicles in Qargo (e.g., Van, Rigid, Semi-Truck) that determines the applicable routing profile and toll calculations.

  • Order
    Represents a customer shipment request. Routing and toll costs at the order level are determined by the configured routing profile, before the trip is created.

  • Trip
    Operational execution of an order, where resources such as drivers, tractors, trucks, vans, and trailers are assigned. Toll calculations at this level are based on the actual resource vehicle type.

  • Organisation Settings
    A global configuration in Qargo that defines the default routing profile to be used when no specific profile is set in Transport Services or Vehicle Categories.

  • Transport Services
    A configuration area in Qargo where routing profiles can be defined per transport service, influencing toll and routing calculations at the order level.

  • Resource
    Operational unit used in trips, including driver, tractor, truck, van, and trailer. The resource type determines the vehicle profile applied to the trip.

  • GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight)
    The total weight of a vehicle, including its maximum payload, used to classify vehicles into categories (e.g., Van up to 3.5t, Rigid 7.5–12t, Semi-Truck up to 40t).

  • Axle Configuration
    Details about the number and arrangement of axles on a vehicle or trailer. In some regions, toll costs depend on axle configuration in addition to vehicle category.

  • Subcontractor Resource
    External resources (e.g., subcontracted drivers or vehicles) assigned to trips. If limited information is available, toll calculation falls back on organisation-level routing profiles.

  • Fallback Profile
    The routing profile applied when no specific vehicle or service-based routing profile is configured. Defaults to the Organisation Settings profile.


Configuring Routing Profiles

1.) Validate routing in ORGANISATION SETTINGS

  • Navigate to CONFIGURATION>'Organisation settings'

  • From the 'Routing' Panel, validate the default vehicle profile set

    • Update to appropriate profile if required

    • SAVE the profile

πŸ“š This is used in both Orders and Trips as a fall back (if required).

2.) (Optional) Set default routing in TRANSPORT SERVICES

  • Navigate to RATES>Order Input

  • From the left-hand menu, select Transport Services

  • Select the Transport Service to update.

  • Navigate to the 'Cost & Toll Calculation' section

  • Select the appropriate Routing Profile from the drop down

  • Save the profile.

You can set a routing profile for each Transport Service offered. Profiles can be unique to each service.

3.) (Optional) Set default routing in VEHICLE CATEGORIES

  • Navigate to RATES>Order Input

  • From the left-hand menu, select Vehicle Categories

  • Select the Vehicle Category to update.

  • Navigate to the 'Vehicle Type' section

  • Select the appropriate Routing Profile from the drop down

  • Save the profile.

πŸ“š Configured routing profiles for transport service & vehicles apply to ORDERS ONLY (routing and tolls).

If no optional profiles are set, the default will be to use the Routing profile from the organisation settings.

Qargo vehicle profile and the equivalent PTV category

Routing Profile Category

PTV Routing Category

Description

Car

EUR_CAR

up to 1.77t GVW

Van

EUR_VAN

up to 3.5t GVW

Rigid

EUR_TRUCK_7_49T

3.5t - 7.5t GVW

Rigid

EUR_TRUCK_11.99T

7.5t - 12t GVW

Semi-Truck

EUR_TRAILER_TRUCK

up to 40t GVW

Toll cost on orders

Qargo uses logic that is based on the configurations, that checks for the vehicle type to include when creating an order.

  • In the order, under General Info, the Route details will display the default vehicle profile

    • This is based on the configured routing profile set up

    • Toll calculations will be based on the vehicle profile included here

Order logic workflow to set vehicle profile

‼️ Routing profiles need to be set in the transport service or vehicle category BEFORE the order is built. Updates to these will not update the vehicle profile on the order.


Toll cost on trips

Once a Resource is assigned to a Trip, the vehicle type associated to the resource is used to generate the routing and the toll.

πŸ“š Vehicle type is set when adding a new resource and can include Tractor, Truck, Van and Trailer.

Qargo vehicle profile and the equivalent PTV category

Routing Profile Category

PTV Routing Category

Description

Van

EUR_VAN

up to 3.5t GVW

Rigid (Truck 3.5 - 7.5t)

EUR_TRUCK_7_49T

3.5t - 7.5t GVW

Semi-Truck (Tractor &/or Trailer)

EUR_TRAILER_TRUCK

up to 40t GVW

πŸ“š This does not impact the routing associated to the order, which will still show the default used (if any), when the order was originally created.

Use case 1: Own resources

  • Own resources, including driver, vehicle and trailer.

  • Vehicle profile defaults to Semi-Truck based on the vehicle & trailer resources

Use case 2: Subcontractor Resource (Driver)

  • Assigning a subcontractor resource (driver) with own internal trailer

  • Vehicle profile defaults to Semi-Truck, based on the trailer resource assigned

    • Assumption that a Semi is required to haul the trailer

Use case3: Subcontractor trip - no trailer

  • Assigning subcontractor only, with no additional resources

  • Vehicle profile defaults to the 'Organisation Settings' routing profile as actual vehicle resources are unknown.

Trip workflow Logic is based on resource type. Where multiple resources assigned (ie: Truck & Trailer) it will take the highest weight resource to calculate route and toll.

Resource type

Qargo Vehicle profile

Subcontractor Resource

Tractor

Semi-Truck (up to 40t GVW)

As per Qargo vehicle profile

Trailer

Semi-Truck (up to 40t GVW)

As per Qargo vehicle profile

Truck

Rigid (3.5t - 7.5t GVW)

As per Qargo vehicle profile

Van

Van (up to 3.5t GVW)

As per Qargo vehicle profile

Driver only

Vehicle profile selected on organisation settings

As per Qargo organisation settings

Generic Subco

Vehicle profile selected on organisation settings

As per Qargo organisation settings

Example:

  • A trailer and a tractor will take β€œSemi-Truck (up to 40t GVW)”.

  • A truck Rigid (3.5t - 7.5t GVW) and a trailer (Semi-Truck (up to 40t GVW)) will take β€œSemi-Truck (up to 40t GVW)”

  • A driver (Vehicle profile selected on organisation settings) and a tractor (Semi-Truck (up to 40t GVW)) will take Semi-Truck (up to 40t GVW)

To change the vehicle profile used in the trip, you will need to change the resource.

πŸ“š Users can change the time to recalculate if another vehicle profile is selected on organisation settings. This will update the order to reflect the change.

  • In some regions tolls can also be calculated based on the 'AXLE CONFIGURATION' specified in the resource profile.

    • Typically applies to Trailers, but could also be applied to Tankers if used.

🧰 Complete this in the resource profile to help with accurate toll calculations.

πŸ“š Where toll rates vary depending on time of day, use enforced time windows in the order to ensure the correct rate is used in the calculation.

Additional information

PTV also has an overview of the toll systems by country that they have, you can see it here. They also have a map with the toll sections.

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