Who can build a custom TMS for a transport company in the Netherlands?
There are roughly three types of parties that do this. First, domain-specific logistics software companies: they speak the language of the sector, but often deliver a configurable package that they 'tailor to your needs' rather than genuinely rebuilding from scratch. That is not necessarily bad, but it is a different thing from custom development. Second, generic custom developers: they build what you ask for, but sometimes lack the domain knowledge to translate your processes accurately into a system that still holds up three years from now. Third, software operating partners: parties that build the system entirely from scratch, with AI embedded at the core, and then remain responsible for running it in production. Bonsai falls into this last category. We build domain-specific core systems, including TMS, entirely from scratch for transport companies where off-the-shelf packages no longer fit. The client becomes the owner of the code, the data, and the system.
What does a custom TMS actually solve?
The biggest advantage is not a single feature but the pile of small frictions that disappears. Order entry that is now retyped by hand from emails or PDFs is read in automatically. Rate calculations that now live in a separate spreadsheet sit in the system itself. Customer portals, charter integrations and trip planning with specific constraints are built the way you need them. And AI sits at the core rather than as a separate plugin. Think of route suggestions based on your own historical data, or spotting deviations in loading times. That kind of intelligence only works well when it sits at the core of the system rather than as a shell around it.
When is a configurable package better than fully custom development?
The honest outcome of a good conversation is sometimes: you do not need custom development. A configurable TMS package is a good fit when your processes are relatively standard, your fleet is manageable and you have no unusual integrations with customer or government systems. If you also want to get started quickly and are willing to adapt your way of working to the package, custom development is over-engineering. The same applies if your organisation is still changing a lot: you would be building a system on a process that will work differently tomorrow. Custom development becomes the smarter choice when you recognise one or more of the following: your operation has unique route structures, pricing agreements or contract forms that no package handles well; you need multiple transport modalities or combinations of road transport, refrigerated transport and hazardous goods in a single system; you want deep integration with customer portals, on-board computers, customs software or your own warehouse systems; or you are a mid-sized to large carrier where the licence costs of a standard package will eventually exceed the cost of a one-off build.
What does a custom TMS cost and how long does it take?
Public prices are scarce, but there are reference points. Dutch logistics software company RiWEB states on its own site €60,000 to €120,000 for a TMS for 10 to 30 trucks, and €200,000 to €350,000 for larger operations with multiple depots, multimodal transport and complex customs (checked on 1 October 2026). At Bonsai, a custom core system (Bonsai AI Digital Twin) starts from €50,000, with a lead time of four to six months. The range is wide because the complexity of integrations and the amount of exception logic in transport differ greatly from company to company. Set that against what it costs today: not just the licence for your current package, but also the hours planners lose to manual work, the errors that follow and the complaints about slow status updates. That is your business case. Ask every party for a milestone plan with go/no-go moments, so you do not find out months in that the scope has grown.
Where do companies get stuck with a custom TMS?
Most problems arise not during the build but in the preparation. Companies underestimate how much implicit knowledge sits in their operation without ever being written down. Planners know how to put a trip together, but have never phrased it as a rule. Digging that out takes time, and if you skip it you build a system that is technically correct but not used in practice. A second pitfall is ownership. Who decides on changes later? Who manages the integrations? If those roles are not assigned before the build, the system quickly becomes outdated after go-live.
A sound build process prevents that. Involve planners and operational staff from the start: they know which rules really apply on the work floor, including the unwritten ones. Build in milestones with go/no-go moments, so you are not stuck halfway in a project heading the wrong way. And agree upfront that the code, data and system stay with you, not with the builder.
5 questions to ask a potential development partner
Before you sign, you want answers to these five questions. One: will I own the source code and the data, or will I be tied to your hosting after delivery? Red flag: a vague answer or 'we will sort that out later'. Two: have you previously built a TMS for a carrier with comparable modalities and client structure? Ask for a reference you can call yourself. Three: how are your milestones structured and what are the go/no-go criteria for each phase? Red flag: a single delivery at the end. Four: who manages the system after go-live and what are the costs? Red flag: the development partner has no operations team and refers you to third parties. Five: how do you capture and validate my domain logic, such as exception rates, specific client agreements, and regional regulations? Red flag: 'you fill that in yourself through the configuration'.
When does Bonsai fit and when does it not?
Custom development from Bonsai fits when you are a mid-sized to large transport organisation where standard packages have become too rigid, your integration needs are complex and you want to own what is being built. We build AI-native: not as a marketing claim, but because we embed order intake, document processing and planning support at the core of the system. We work with milestones and go/no-go moments, and the client always owns the code and the data. Custom development does not fit if your budget is below €50,000 or if you mainly want to configure an existing package. If you are not after custom development but do want a modern TMS with AI built in, Samurai TMS is the route: SaaS from €30 per active truck per month, live in weeks, for hauliers and forwarders with roughly ten to two hundred trucks. If you do not want to replace your core system at all but do want to automate specific processes, such as order intake or document processing, we deploy AI Workers around your existing systems.