The Evolution of the Digitisation of Transport Documents: 2024 vs. 2026
18 Aug 2026
The evolution of the digitisation of transport documents is constant since the announcement of the eFTI Regulation.
This regulation put the entire supply chain on alert by setting a clear direction: the future of transportation document management will be digital.
Its goal is to facilitate the electronic exchange of information between companies and government agencies, reducing administrative burdens, improving the traceability of operations, and increasing the efficiency of logistics processes.
In Spain, in addition to preparing for the implementation of the eFTI Regulation, the government has taken the initiative and, for the first time, has approved a regulation requiring the digitization of a transport document.
This refers to the Digital Administrative Control Document (DeCA), which is scheduled to take effect on October 5, 2026. As of that date, all parties involved in the transportation chain must generate, submit, exchange, and manage this document exclusively in electronic format; the paper version will no longer be valid for inspections and verifications conducted during transit.
This change represents a decisive step toward modernizing the sector, as it drives the adoption of digital tools, improves the quality and availability of information, and promotes greater coordination among shippers, carriers, logistics operators, and regulatory agencies.
Regardless of the source of the regulations, the trend is clear: the digitization of transportation data.
Given this constantly evolving regulatory landscape, FIELDEAS—in its effort to understand the reality of the sector and provide accurate and reliable data to all stakeholders in the supply chain—began conducting sector studies in 2024 in collaboration with the Spanish Logistics Center (CEL).
The first was the Study on the Degree of Adoption of the eCMR in Spain: Challenges and Benefits of Document Digitization in Freight Transport, published in 2024.
With the goal of updating the data from this first study—now that the regulations are more firmly established and the roadmap is clearer—we are preparing a new edition titled II Study: Challenges and Benefits of Document Digitization in Road Freight Transport.
The main difference between the two studies is that, while the first uses “eCMR” as an umbrella term to refer to document digitization in general, the second study does not use this term and instead refers to the electronic transport document.
In addition, in 2025 we also conducted a study focused on dock management, with the aim of analyzing the impact of RDL 3/2022 three years after its implementation.
In all cases, the goal is to address the main concerns and questions that arise in the sector. The goal is to provide clarity on key issues related to day-to-day operations by offering rigorous and relevant information that enables companies to make decisions based on data and a true understanding of the market, moving away from interpretations, uncertainties, or speculation.
The digitization of transportation should not be viewed as an isolated or individual initiative by each company, but rather as a transformation that affects the entire sector.
Its success depends on collaboration and coordinated progress among all supply chain stakeholders—from shippers and logistics operators to carriers, technology providers, and government agencies—ensuring a consistent evolution that is aligned with the new requirements and opportunities presented by the digital environment.
Since we’ll be presenting the main findings of the second study on document digitization in road freight transport in two months, let’s review the findings of the 2024 eCMR study. Will the findings of the 2026 study be the same?
We’ll see for ourselves at the event presentation. Registration is now open.
Only 6% of the companies surveyed had implemented the eCMR at the time the study was conducted, with shippers leading the way at 42.81%.
Due to the challenges of managing change and regulatory uncertainty, nearly 61% of companies were waiting for the eCMR to become mandatory before implementing it.
Now that the DeCA is mandatory, have these figures changed?
Although the existence of barriers was slowing the adoption of the eCMR, 80% acknowledged that they had considered implementing this solution in the future. In fact, 56.4% stated that they intended to do so in the short term, suggesting significant growth potential.
The perception of significant benefits associated with eCMR was high among organizations that had not yet implemented it. Nearly 7 out of 10 of these companies reported high or very high benefits compared to traditional methods.
In addition, 86.4% believed that implementing the eCMR would be beneficial for improving their operations.
42.86% of companies using eCMR believed that greater awareness within the industry is needed for the use of eCMR to become widespread.
In contrast, 35.17% of the companies that had not yet implemented the eCMR believed that the main incentive to do so would be regulatory changes.
So, has the number of companies implementing document digitization increased since the introduction of DeCA?
The study showed that there was a significant gap in knowledge of eCMR regulations between companies that already had the solution and those that did not.
Consequently, it was concluded that the industry needed an outreach and training strategy regarding the eCMR, driven by both the government and the private sector.
In addition, the sector was calling for the harmonization of regulations among European countries.
Although 77.3% of organizations had a technology infrastructure compatible with the eCMR, technical support emerged as a necessary component, as 9 out of 10 companies required it for implementation at various levels.
The benefits highlighted by companies led to an inescapable reality: eCMR is cost-effective, as it requires a moderate investment and has a return on investment (ROI) of two to four years.
In addition, all of the companies that already had this technology in place stated that it is easy for employees and external agents to use.
The high level of fragmentation in the technology tools used by transportation companies—with seven out of ten using as many as 8 or 9 different solutions—highlighted the complexity of their daily operations.
This was reflected in the fact that transportation companies were calling for standardization and interoperability among systems.
The eCMR’s biggest drawback was the lack of a network effect. In this regard, all the companies agreed that the shipper should be the one to lead the change.
Another finding of the 2024 study is that companies appreciate having a technology partner support them throughout the entire eCMR implementation process to address change management and fill gaps in technical knowledge.
These 10 conclusions served to provide, for the first time, data and clarity regarding the digitization of transport documents. This tool has helped companies and government agencies map out their roadmap for the digital transformation of road freight transport.
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16 Sep 2026
Register for the event to present the Second Study on the Digitization of Road Transport Documents