In celebration of Military Appreciation Month and Memorial Day, we’re highlighting U.S. military veterans who work in trucking all throughout the month of May. Did you know that according to the U.S. Census, an estimated 10 percent of all truckers are military veterans? It’s true! We recently had the opportunity to speak with John DeCillo, a lease operator based out…
Welcome to the latest edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for fleets and drivers. The insights that you see in this and every edition of “Where’s the Freight?” are based on real-world transactions and data from Trucker Tools’ broker, driver and carrier software platforms. With this data, we can predict where demand and rates for flatbed,…
Happy Friday and welcome to the Friday edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free market report for carriers and owner ops. In each and every edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” you’ll find out which markets are projected to see high demand and rates in the coming week and which are likely to see low demand and rates. As we…
If you’re a freight broker or logistics provider on the smaller side, you may still be using Excel spreadsheets to manage customer details, carriers, tracking, operational costs, loads and other key data for your business. While Excel may seem like a no-brainer for your operations, it can’t match the value that real-time algorithm-based technology can offer. Using manual Excel spreadsheets…
Welcome to your mid-week edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for fleets and drivers. In this and every edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” you’ll discover which markets are likely to see high and low demand/rates over the next five to seven day period. This week, demand for reefer and flatbed capacity will remain high in several…
In a recent webinar, Trucker Tools’ VP of Partnerships Matt Silver was joined by Freightflow’s Founder/CEO Butch Peri and Chief Technology Officer Diego Prado. The recent webinar centered on the value of integrated software platforms and how embracing strategic integrations can help freight brokers and 3PLs elevate profit margins and service levels. The group also discussed best practices for identifying…
Welcome to the newest edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight market report for drivers and carriers. Once again, you can expect demand for flatbed capacity to be extremely high to/from Texarkana, Texas, this week as it claims the number one spot in today’s Top Five Hottest Markets list. Over the next week, Fargo, N.D., and Sioux Falls,…
Happy Friday, friends, and welcome to the Friday edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for fleets and owner operators. “Where’s the Freight?” uses data from Trucker Tools’ technology platforms to predict where demand for flatbed, reefer, power only and dry van capacity will be high and low across the United States and Canada in the coming…
When you think about digital load tracking, your thoughts may center on meeting your shippers’ visibility KPIs or the technology’s ability to increase the efficiency of your operations. However, if you’ve thus far been reluctant to implement digital load tracking tech with your drivers and carriers, you may be doing more harm to your business than you realize. One of…
When you think about relationship-building with truckload carriers, you may think it all has to happen in person and face-to-face, but the truth is that the right digital platform can be an invaluable tool in your arsenal when it comes to forming and maintaining carrier relationships. Trucker Tools’ Smart Capacity is designed to connect you with owner operators and carriers…
Happy Wednesday, y’all, and welcome to your mid-week edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight market report for carriers and drivers. In this and every edition of “Where’s the Freight?” you’ll discover where demand and rates for flatbed, reefer, power only and dry van truckload capacity will be highest and lowest over the next five to seven day…
If you’re a regular reader of the Trucker Tools blog, you know that we love talking to folks from across the trucking industry, from company drivers and owner ops to dispatchers and fleet owners. We recently had the good fortune to speak with John DeCillo, a flatbed lease operator running out of Jacksonville, Fla. John’s path into trucking hasn’t been…
Happy Friday, y’all, and welcome to your end of week edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight market report for carriers and owner operators. The freight market predictions that you see in this and every edition of “Where’s the Freight?” are based on real-world transactions from our driver, carrier and broker software platforms. Armed with this information in…
This May 9-10, Trucker Tools will be joining technology vendors, logistics providers, freight brokers and thought leaders at FreightWaves’ The Future of Supply Chain for two days of insightful discussions, exhibits, technology demonstrations and training. Keynote speakers at this year’s event will include Arkansas’ governor Asa Hutchinson, the Oakland As’ Billy Beane, and J.B. Hunt’s Chief Commercial Officer and Executive…
Welcome to your mid-week edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast fleets and drivers. All signs are pointing to a broad decline in demand for truckload capacity, according to data from FreightWaves and a report from Bank of America released last week. At this time last year, truckers and carriers were rejecting more than one quarter (25.76…
Happy Monday and welcome to the latest edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight market report for carriers and drivers. As we look ahead to this final week of April, you can expect demand for reefer and flatbed capacity to remain high in several border and manufacturing/distribution markets, which is no surprise given the time of year. Once…
In this ongoing blog series, we’re introducing you to Trucker Tools’ most valuable resource: our employees! These are the folks working hard behind the scenes to answer your questions, design new technology features and help you make your business more efficient. In this blog, you’ll get to know Tyler Cassidy, Trucker Tools’ Senior Software Engineer who spends the bulk of…
The benefits of integrating software platforms together are numerous for your freight brokerage or 3PL business. Integrated software platforms can increase employee productivity, reduce errors, provide insights about your business, cut costs, help you better understand your customers, and provide flexibility and scalability. That’s why Trucker Tools partners with leading technology providers across the transportation industry, including transportation management system…
In February, we interviewed Shay L. Dixon, co-founder of SCALE Logistics, as part of our blog series celebrating Black History Month. When we spoke with Dixon, she told us about her career in logistics, including how she first got started in the industry working for a manufacturer followed by a stint with a cold chain 3PL to becoming the CEO…
Welcome to your Monday edition of Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for truckers and carriers. With spring officially here, spot market flatbed demand remains high even as spot market demand for other types of capacity has declined in recent weeks. As we look ahead to this coming week, the Texarkana, Texas, flatbed market is expected to see…
Saving money is on everyone’s mind right now with inflation at a 40-year high. As oil and diesel prices surge higher and higher, you may be the feeling the financial squeeze if you’re an owner operator or fleet owner. Given the current situation, it’s more important than ever to use cost and time saving tools in your operations, whether you’re…
Integration strategy augments digital freight management capabilities for growers/shippers of fresh fruits, vegetables, other perishable agricultural products. Incorporates Trucker Tools Smart Capacity® portfolio including predictive freight matching, capacity management, one-click “Book It Now®” automated booking, real-time visibility. Leverages popularity of Trucker Tools “all-in-one” mobile driver app to improve collaboration, drive efficiencies, improve tracking accuracy, timeliness. RESTON, VA and RENO, NV…
Imagine a technology that helps you build long-term, productive relationships with specific carriers, allowing you to build out your carrier network while tapping into highly coveted owner operator and small carrier capacity. That’s the value proposition of Trucker Tools’ Smart Capacity, a comprehensive carrier relationship platform designed to increase carrier engagement and encourage repeat loads with carriers. Unlike other technology…
Being efficient isn’t just for the big trucking companies. For small and mid-sized carriers like you, operating more efficiently can mean the difference between an average year and a good one. Trucker Tools’ free software platform for carriers can be a game-changer for dispatchers exactly because it saves time. With our web-based platform, you can find loads and reloads quickly,…
Owner operators and small fleets running 10 trucks or fewer make up the lion’s share of truckload capacity and since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the greatest increase in capacity has occurred within the small carrier segment. Despite the outsized role that they play in the transportation industry, it’s been relatively difficult until recently for freight brokers like you…
With the price of fuel and other essential goods reaching all-time highs, it’s more important than ever to make informed decisions on each and every load that comes your way. Veteran truckers know that sometimes a rate really is too good to be true if it sends you into a market where you’ll run empty or lose money on the…
Happy Friday, y’all, and welcome to your end of week edition of Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free market report for fleets and drivers. Inflation that began in 2020 and high fuel costs as a result of the Ukraine war are slowing down the consumer market considerably. Still, some markets will see high demand for specific types of capacity over…
At the recent Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky., truckers interviewed by FreightWaves indicated that parking remains the industry’s top challenge. At the end of 2021, the American Transportation Research Institute’s 17th annual Top Industry Issues report also found that parking continues to be a top issue for truckers and carriers like you. The current lack of safe and convenient…
With capacity as scarce as it presently is, you must leverage all of the tools you have at your disposal as a freight broker or logistics company to meet your customers’ needs. Over the last two to three years, digital freight matching technology has emerged as the most efficient way for carriers to find loads and for brokers/3PLs to locate…
Choosing technology for your freight brokerage or logistics company often is one of the biggest decisions you make as a business owner. The right technology-based solution and tech partner can transform your business, helping you increase your profit margins and equipping you with the tools you need to remain competitive today and in the future. Asking the right questions of…
In a recent webinar presented in partnership with FreightWaves, Trucker Tools’ Founder and Chief Customer Officer Prasad Gollapalli spoke about the power of carrier relationship platforms and how they help solve some of the biggest challenges carriers, 3PLs and freight brokers face today. Gollapalli was joined by FreightWaves’ VP of Media Operations Mary Anne Hensley for the webinar to discuss…
We hope you’re enjoying getting to know the talented members of the Trucker Tools team! In this newest blog in this ongoing employee series, we introduce you to Trucker Tools’ Chief Technology Officer, Murali Yellepeddy. Murali has and continues to play a crucial role in Trucker Tools’ trajectory, as he has been with Trucker Tools from the very beginning. Murali…
As we announced this week, Prasad Gollapalli, the founder of Trucker Tools, is moving into a new role as a strategic advisor and Chief Customer Officer. Kary Jablonski, who has served as Chief Operating Officer since 2021, is now stepping into the CEO role at Trucker Tools. We recently caught up with Prasad and Kary to talk with them about…
Freight volume, rates, driver detention, fuel costs, and consumer demand all have risen significantly over the last two years, while CDL school enrollments have declined. That adds up to an extremely tight truck capacity market for freight brokers/logistics providers like you. If you’re like most transportation businesses, you’re presently using a combination of phone calls, email messages and load boards…
In planned transition, Gollapalli to shift to role as strategic advisor and chief customer officer, remains on Board. Current COO Kary Jablonski to succeed Gollapalli as Trucker Tools president and CEO. RESTON, VA – MARCH 31, 2022 – Trucker Tools the leading provider of trip planning, shipment visibility, predictive freight matching and automated booking solutions for the transportation industry announced…
As the number one downloaded app in the transportation industry, Trucker Tools’ free driver mobile app has everything you need when you’re on the road. From connecting you with loads from your favorite brokers to providing you with up to date information on parking, the Trucker Tools app has you covered. With diesel fuel and other goods’ prices recently hitting…
Welcome to the mid-week edition of Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for carriers and owner ops. As always, the market insights you see in today’s edition of “Where’s the Freight?” are drawn from real-world data from Trucker Tools’ driver app, carrier platform and broker platform. Over the next five to seven day period, Dodge City, Kan., will…
All this month in celebration of Women’s History Month, we’ve been shining a spotlight on female leaders within the transportation industry. These women are paving the way for others who someday may consider careers or leadership roles within trucking or freight brokerage. For this final blog in the series, we had the good fortune to speak with Lynette Mathis, the…
If you work in a freight brokerage or logistics business on a carrier sales or operations team, you may think that cold calling carriers is the best (or only) way to source capacity. You’ve likely gotten used to making five, 10 or even 20 phone calls to different carriers just to cover a single load. It’s important to know, however,…
For the second consecutive year, we’re honoring female leaders in transportation throughout the month of March in celebration of Women’s History Month. In this second blog in this year’s blog series, you’ll have the pleasure of meeting Lashanta and Lateasha Witherspoon, co-owners and co-founders of LLG Transportation Consultants, a Dallas-based trucking consultancy business. The sisters founded LLG in 2019 and…
Happy Friday! Welcome to the newest edition of Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for trucking companies and owner operators. As we look ahead to the upcoming final week of March, you can expect demand for power only capacity to be high in several areas of the Southeast and Midwest. In the coming week, demand for reefer capacity…
Throughout the month of February, we’ve been celebrating Black History Month by highlighting Black leaders from across the trucking and logistics industries. We recently had the pleasure of speaking with Fleeting CEO and Founder Pierre Laguerre. When we spoke with Laguerre, he explained that when he first got into the trucking industry, he was surprised to discover that there wasn’t…
Back in early 2020, we first interviewed Tiffini Spencer and Ed Prince, two of the co-founders of Redneckanize, to learn more about the truckers group and how it got started. If you’re not familiar, Redneckanize was founded in 2012 at the Mid-American Truck Show. Since then, it’s become a place where truckers can share industry knowledge with one another, learn…
Happy Wednesday and welcome to the mid-week edition of Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free market report for owner operators and carriers. Over the last week, fuel prices and national average volumes/rates that measure truckload demand have declined, but most experts don’t expect those declines to last long. The Russian oil embargo and springtime construction and produce surges likely will…
All throughout the month of March in celebration of Women’s History Month, we’re honoring female leaders from across the transportation industry, including company drivers, owner operators, freight brokers and logistics consultants. In this second blog in this series, you’ll meet Ingrid Brown. Ingrid has been a commercial driver for 40+ years and for many of those years has been a…
In today’s freight markets, speed and efficiency matter, particularly when demand outpaces available capacity and when freight rates are historically high, as they are now. Optimizing and improving the efficacy of your capacity searches can help you better meet the needs of your customers and keep you ahead of your competition, of which there is plenty. With the digital freight…
Welcome to the Monday edition of Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for trucking companies and owner operators. According to a report released last Friday from FreightWaves, inflation and its impact on consumer spending are likely responsible for declines in national outbound tender rejections and volumes over the last week. Despite these declines, this week you can expect…
Complements Turvo TMS collaboration platform with proven tools that extend value, help 3PLs, brokers streamline operations, improve data accuracy, reduce redundant manual tasks. Leverages all Trucker Tools digital brokerage offerings, including freight matching, capacity management, automated booking and real-time visibility via Trucker Tools mobile driver app. Increases access to capacity, improves carrier engagement, promotes convenience, productivity for drivers, process efficiency…
In this blog series, we’re introducing you to members of the Trucker Tools team. They’re the fantastic folks behind the scenes making Trucker Tools the successful and people-focused company that it is today. In this blog, you’ll get to know Ricky Duddy, Trucker Tools’ Enterprise Sales Manager. Ricky joined the Trucker Tools team seven months ago following stints working for…
Happy Friday, friends, and welcome to your end-of-week edition of Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free market report for owner ops and carriers. Over the next five to seven day period, Ithaca, N.Y., will remain a hot spot for flatbed freight, with flatbed demand projected to be nine times higher this week than it was during this week last year.…
All throughout the month of March in celebration of Women’s History Month, we’re highlighting female leaders from across the transportation industry. For this first blog in our Female Leaders in Transportation blog series, we’re shining a spotlight on Jess Graham, an independent owner operator based out of Atlanta. Jess first got into the trucking industry 10 years ago when she…
If you’re like most freight brokers and 3PL owners, you know that capacity demand and freight rates cycle through ups and downs. It’s no secret that right now is one of those up periods in which freight rates and demand for trucking capacity are very high. If your goal is to expand and grow your business during this up period,…
Happy Wednesday and welcome to your mid-week edition of Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for fleets and owner operators. In the coming week, you can expect high demand for reefer capacity inbound to and outbound from Dodge City, Kan., and Tucson, Ariz., while Billings, Mont., likely will be one of the lowest demand/rate reefer markets in North…
All throughout the month of February, we’re highlighting Black-owned freight brokerage, 3PL, carrier and owner operator businesses in celebration of Black History Month. We recently had the good fortune to speak with Shay L. Dixon, co-founder of SCALE Logistics. Prior to launching SCALE Logistics last month, Dixon was the CEO of Atlanta-based Allegiant Logistics. Dixon got her start in the…
No longer a technology that’s only available and affordable to mega brokers, digital freight matching has become increasingly valuable and accessible to freight brokers and third-party logistics companies of all sizes. Digital freight matching technology notably has emerged as the natural technological successor of load board technology. Unlike many load boards, digital freight matching connects shippers and freight brokers who…
Welcome to the Monday edition of Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free market report for owner operators and carriers. FreightWaves reported on Friday that outbound tender volumes last week were at their lowest levels since the Martin Luther Kind, Jr. Day holiday in January. The cause is likely the high cost of gas and inflation in general, as consumers face…
The Mid-America Trucking Show is back as an in-person, live event this March 24 through March 26, 2022, at the Kentucky Expo Center in Louisville, Ky.! Join the Trucker Tools team and folks from all across the trucking industry for three full days of networking, entertainment, education, technology showcases and more. With 70,000+ attendees, over 1,000 exhibitors, 40+ special events…
Happy Friday, truckers and carriers, and welcome to the Friday edition of Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for owner ops and trucking companies. FreightWaves is reporting today that national outbound tender volumes, which measure national demand for capacity, decreased by three percent over a two-day period this week. Despite the drop, volumes for all types of capacity…
Before the COVID-19 pandemic began, real-time visibility of freight was already a top ask for shippers. Since then, labor shortages and volatile supply and demand have made real-time visibility a true must-have for manufacturers and distributors. It’s such a priority for shippers that your ability to provide real-time visibility can have a significant impact on whether or not a customer…
In an increasingly competitive capacity market, providing carriers with quick and convenient ways to interact and communicate with your freight broker or logistics business is a must. The use of time-saving technologies can help you keep carriers in network and provide an incentive for out of network carriers to do business with your company. Thanks to Trucker Tools’ Broker Advantage,…
Welcome to the mid-week edition of Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free market report for fleets and owner operators. We’ve got lots of new cities in today’s Top Five Hottest Markets list, with Springfield, Mass., claiming the number one spot this week with its power only market. Located in Southwestern Massachusetts, Springfield, Mass., is a distribution point for freight entering…
If you’ve been working in this industry for any length of time, you know that as a freight broker or 3PL business, your ability to meet your customers’ capacity needs hinges on the strength of your carrier relationships. Plainly put, if you can’t get the truck you can’t move the load. Amidst the current capacity crunch, carriers and drivers can…
On Wednesday, March 16, 2022, Trucker Tools will join freight brokers, third party logistics providers and technology vendors from across the transportation industry for FreightWaves 2022 3PL Summit. This virtual event will focus on innovative technologies available to the industry, as well as best practices for freight brokers and 3PLs given current market conditions. Speakers at this year’s 3PL Summit…
Trucker Tools’ CEO and Founder Prasad Gollapalli recently was joined by Ryan Transportation’s Senior VP of Operations Jeff Henderson to discuss “Scaling Up Your Brokerage for Sustained Profitable Growth — in Any Market.” The webinar centered on the lessons learned and successful strategies that Ryan Transportation has deployed during the pandemic to improve carrier engagement, provide reliable service to shippers…
Happy Friday, y’all, and welcome to your end of week edition of Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free market report for owner operators and fleets. As we look ahead to the next five to seven days, you can expect power only demand and rates to be on the rise in Birmingham, Ala., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Cape Girardeau, Mo. This…
If you’re a regular reader of Trucker Tools’ blog, you know that we love talking to drivers, carriers, freight brokers, and logistics company owners from across the trucking and transportation industries! We recently had the pleasure of speaking with Nicole Ward, co-founder and logistics director for Atlanta-based Capital Freight LLC. Nicole also is the co-founder of the first official national…
When you hear about green energy and a more environmentally-friendly vision for the supply chain, you probably think of electric trucks, anti-idle laws and government mandates. We recently spoke with Blackburn Energy’s CEO and Founder Andrew Amigo whose innovative driveshaft-based kinetic energy recovery system takes a different approach to making trucking greener and cleaner. Inspired by his own experience as…
Welcome to the mid-week edition of Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for trucking companies and owner operators. The market insights you see in this and every edition of “Where’s the Freight?” are based on real-world data from Trucker Tools’ driver, carrier and broker software platforms. Looking ahead to the coming week, you can expect to see an…
In this ongoing blog series, we’re introducing you to individual members of the Trucker Tools team. These folks are the engine that makes Trucker Tools run, providing brokers, 3PLs, carriers and drivers like you with what you need to run a profitable business. In this new employee spotlight, you’ll have the pleasure of getting to know Tracy Neill, Trucker Tools’…
If you’re looking for ways to strengthen or grow your carrier network, you’re certainly not alone, especially given recent capacity scarcity. Your freight broker or third party logistics business is, after all, only as strong as its carrier network. Trucker Tools is now offering you a new way to keep carriers engaged with your company and team. Broker Advantage, a…
Happy Monday and welcome to the latest edition of Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free market report for fleets and owner ops. The market insights that you see in this and every edition of “Where’s the Freight?” are based on the real-world transactions between freight brokers and owner operators/carriers that occur on Trucker Tools’ driver, carrier and broker software platforms.…
Throughout the month of February in honor of Black History Month, we’re shining a spotlight on Black freight brokers, 3PL owners, truckers and fleet owners. We recently had the opportunity to speak with Pierre Laguerre, founder and CEO of Fleeting. Laguerre was born in Haiti and came to the United States when he was 15. After emigrating to the United…
Welcome to the Friday edition of Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for trucking companies and owner operators. In this and every edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” you’ll learn where demand and rates are likely to be high and low over the next five to seven day period. Armed with this vital information, you can maximize your profit…
As an operations or carrier manager in a freight brokerage/3PL company, you might be sticking with what you know when it comes to finding and securing truck capacity in the midst of this capacity crunch. Your team may be using load boards or calling/emailing carriers to find out what they have available for capacity. We’re here to tell you there’s…
The technology that you use in your everyday operations functions like the heart of your business. It keeps information flowing and ensures your team and partners have the information they need to make the best decisions in real-time. With Trucker Tools’ newest integration partnership, we’ve teamed up with Simple Truck ELD to bring ELD-based load tracking to freight brokers and…
Welcome to the mid-week edition of Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free market report for owner operators and fleets — and your source for discovering where demand and rates will be high and low in the coming week. This week, you can expect demand for flatbed capacity to increase in markets in Washington and Colorado, while El Paso, Texas, will…
As Brian Work of SupplyChainBrain writes, “In today’s tight transportation market, finding carriers to cover loads has become increasingly difficult. Capacity constraints, labor shortages, rising shipping costs and growing shipping volumes are all expected to continue throughout 2022 (and possibly beyond), making traditional approaches to procurement insufficient. Addressing both short-term and long-term capacity needs requires a more modern and strategic…
Welcome to the Monday edition of Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for fleets and drivers. Looking ahead to the coming week, you can expect flatbed demand inbound to and outbound from Yakima, Wash., to remain extremely high. In fact, the Yakima, Wash., flatbed market once again claims the top spot in our Top Five Hottest Markets list,…
We like to provide you with choices, which is why Trucker Tools integrates with 70+ of the leading ELD providers in the trucking industry. The partnerships that Trucker Tools maintains with ELD providers allow you as a driver or carrier to digitally track loads for freight brokers and 3PLs with your ELD in place of the Trucker Tools app. Getting…
When capacity is tight and drivers and carriers can be choosy, you must leverage all of the tools at your disposal to keep them engaged with your brokerage. Trucker Tools’ Broker Advantage is designed to help you keep drivers and carriers in your network and moving your loads, while streamlining communications between drivers/carriers and your team. With Broker Advantage, you…
Happy Friday, all, and welcome to your end of week edition of Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free market report for owner ops and trucking companies. According to a recent report from FreightWaves, national tender rejection rates that measure demand indicate that dry van capacity is loosening, particularly in larger markets such as Dallas and Memphis. In today’s market report,…
As an owner operator, fleet owner or someone working in a trucking business, your technology options are plentiful. Trucking technology can reduce downtime, increase profit margins and help you grow your business, no matter what the size. In this blog, we examine five of the most impactful technologies available in the trucking industry today. All five of these digital tools…
Happy Wednesday and welcome to the mid-week edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for fleets and owner operators. In today’s edition, you’ll notice that once again, the Dodge City, Kan., reefer market claims the number one spot in our Top Five Hottest Markets list. The Dodge City, Kan., reefer market has scored in our Top Five…
When you’re shopping for a new transportation management system for your freight brokerage or logistics business, it’s important to consider how the TMS’ features and tools align with your current operations. You’ll want to choose a TMS that automates some of your internal procedures and processes, while feeding your team real-time information that can help that team make better business…
If you’re like many small and mid-sized fleet owners, you may break out in cold sweat when you think about filing taxes for your business. Tax planning and filing as a trucking company can be complicated, which is why we recently spoke with Jerome Chavis, owner and founder of NTRC Accounting and Tax Preparation Services for Truckers and Small Corporations…
Happy Valentine’s Day and welcome to the newest edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free market report for owner operators and carriers. As we look ahead to the coming week, you can expect demand for reefer capacity to remain high or to increase in two key Arizona markets. At the same time, reefer demand/rates are projected to be extremely…
Happy Friday and welcome to your Friday edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for fleets and owner operators. In each and every edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” you’ll learn where demand and rates are likely to be high, low, increasing and decreasing over the next five to seven days. The latest Trucker Tools data indicates that…
In honor of Black History Month, we’re shining a spotlight on Black professionals from across the trucking and logistics industries — from company drivers, owner operators and fleet owners to freight brokers, 3PL owners and entrepreneurs. We recently had the good fortune to speak with Nicole Ward, co-founder and logistics director of Capital Freight LLC, an Atlanta-based trucking and logistics…
The strength of your carrier relationships can dictate how successful your freight brokerage or logistics business can be. Good working relationships with carriers can help you better service your shippers, reduce operating costs and improve the overall health of supply chains. Paying carriers correctly and on time, using drivers’ time efficiently and providing consistent loads to carriers can go a…
If you work in or own a freight brokerage or logistics business, you may not know that when your internal processes are more efficient, your operating costs are reduced and your profit margins increase — and who doesn’t want that? Implementing well-designed real-time technology in your operations is one of the most effective ways to not only achieve greater efficiency,…
In this ongoing blog series, we’re highlighting members of the Trucker Tools team — the folks working to make sure our real-time technology delivers, whether you’re a freight broker, third party logistics provider, owner operator or a trucking company. In this most recent employee spotlight, we introduce you to Lindsay Hemmerlin, Trucker Tools’ Director of Customer Success. Before joining the…
It used to be that time and money-saving technology was only available to huge freight brokers and mega carriers. Thankfully, times have changed and now fleets of all sizes and even owner operators have access to technology that can increase productivity and raise profit margins. In this blog, you’ll find out how Trucker Tools’ all-in-one mobile app can help you…
Welcome to the Monday edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free forecast for fleets and owner ops. According to the latest load and truck data from Trucker Tools’ platforms, Dodge City, Kan., once again will be the highest demand and highest rate market over the next five to seven day period. This week, you also can expect flatbed demand…
We recently had the good fortune to speak with Jeremy Becker, Chief Revenue Office for Kirsch Transportation, a woman-owned, family-operated logistics company that’s built its reputation on servicing shippers with short lead times. Kirsch Transportation provides dry van, refrigerated, open deck, intermodal, expedited and hazmat freight services to Fortune 500 companies. Real-time visibility of freight is crucial to Kirsch Transportation’s…
Happy Friday and welcome to your end-of-week edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free market report for carriers and owner operators. In the coming week, you can expect flatbed demand in one Texas market to remain high, and for flatbed demand to increase this week in Northern Ontario. If you run reefer, you’ll want to continue to make Dodge…
All of us who are part of the Trucker Tools team love interacting with owner operators and truckers like you from all around the country. We recently had a question come through the Trucker Tools Facebook page asking about power only trucking and what it is. In this blog, we answer that question and provide you with the basics on…
A little over a year ago, Trucker Tools launched Broker Advantage, a white label digital tool that allows freight brokerage and logistics businesses like yours to customize how carriers interact with your company in Trucker Tools’ free carrier software platform. With Broker Advantage, you can create a digital hub within the Trucker Tools platform where carriers can get information about…
Happy Wednesday and welcome to your mid-week edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ three-times-a-week free freight forecast for owner ops and fleets. Looking ahead to the coming week, you can expect reefer demand and rates to remain high near Nogales, Arizona, a major importation point for produce coming from Mexico, and in cattle farming areas in the U.S. Midwest…
As the owner of a trucking business, you know that the more time, resources and revenue that you devote to running your business, the lower your profit margins and fewer opportunities you have to increase your revenue. If you’ve got a growth mindset for your trucking business in 2022, there are several actions that you can take to reduce your…
Agreement provides access for Trucker Tools users to real-time in-transit tracking data from Simple Truck’s electronic logging devices (ELDs) RESTON, VA – FEBRUARY 1, 2022 – Trucker Tools announced today an agreement with technology and services provider Simple Truck that will enable access to real-time truck location data from Simple Truck ELD units within the Trucker Tools Smart Capacity carrier…
Welcome to the Monday edition of Trucker Tools’ “Where’s the Freight?,” your source for discovering where demand/rates for flatbed, reefer, dry van and power only capacity will be highest and lowest in the coming week. Over the next five to seven day period, you can expect to see demand for reefer capacity to/from Dodge City, Kan., increase significantly, while reefer…
Trucker Tools partners with leading technology companies to make your life easier as an independent owner operator, trucking company owner or a freight broker/3PL. Our newest integration partnership gives you another option for real-time, digital load tracking. With the integration partnership between Trucker Tools and AirIQ, loads can be digitally tracked in real-time not only with the Trucker Tools driver…
Happy Friday, friends, and welcome to the end of week edition of Trucker Tools’ “Where’s the Freight?,” a free market report for carriers and owner operators. The insights that you see in “Where’s the Freight?” are based on the real-time transactions taking place on our broker software platform, free carrier platform and mobile app. With this data, we can predict…
For the last 20 years, the trucking industry’s average deadhead rate has been 35 percent, meaning that most truckers/carriers like you are driving empty 35 percent of the time. While driving empty may not seem like a big deal especially when rates are high as they are now, deadheading represents lost revenue. Wouldn’t you like to see your revenue increase…
In a recent webinar in partnership with FreightWaves, Trucker Tools’ Founder and CEO Prasad Gollapalli spoke with Ryder Freight Brokerage’s VP and General Manager Dave Belter about how technology can improve carrier experience and increase service levels. The webinar, entitled The Technology Mall: Why This Consolidated, Best-of-Breed App Approach Is Helping Brokers Win Over Truckers in a Capacity-Constrained Market, highlighted…
Welcome to your mid-week edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for owner operators and fleets. As we look ahead to the coming week, you can expect flatbed demand to remain relatively low in many markets. In fact, four of the five markets in today’s Five Coldest Markets list are flatbed markets. Today’s forecast also indicates that…
Every quarter for the last two years, we’ve invited thought leaders from across logistics to meet virtually and discuss the state of the industry. We recently invited our panel of experts to return to talk about the historic demand for trucking capacity and whether it will remain elevated throughout 2022. In the most recent webinar, Trucker Tools’ CEO and Founder…
Happy Monday and welcome to this Jan. 24, 2022, edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free market report for carriers and owner operators. As always, today’s edition of “Where’s the Freight?” tells you where you can expect demand and rates for flatbed, reefer, power only and dry van capacity to be highest, lowest, increasing and decreasing over the next…
Software platform integrations are a must-have for freight brokerage and logistics companies like yours. When different technologies can share data, your team members have the ability to access the information they need quickly and provide top-notch service to both your customers and carrier partners. Trucker Tools’ full stack integration partnership with Turvo brings the power of our Smart Capacity platform…
Happy Friday, y’all, and welcome to your end-of-week edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for fleets and owner operators. “Where’s the Freight?” uses the data from Trucker Tools’ platforms to predict where demand/rates for flatbed, reefer, power only and dry van capacity will be highest and lowest in the coming week. Today’s forecast shows our Top…
If you’re a carrier or owner operator, you may use load boards because you think they’re the only technology available for finding loads. It’s important to know that there are more efficient ways to find and book loads with your favorite brokers and logistics companies. Trucker Tools’ load search, available for free in the Trucker Tools driver app and software…
Real-time digital visibility: most shippers want it to better service their customers, understand their supply chains and manage their resources with greater efficiency. As a freight broker or third party logistics provider business, you may have to meet visibility consistency and compliance minimums to even have a conversation with shippers about transporting their freight. After the end of each quarter,…
Happy Wednesday and welcome to the mid-week edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free market report for carriers and owner operators. In each and every edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” we use real-world data to tell you where demand and rates are likely to be high, low, increasing and decreasing in the coming week. In this third week of…
Whether you’re just starting out as an owner operator or you’re a seasoned pro, staying on top of your finances and tax responsibilities is vital when you operate as a small business. When you’re no longer a W-2 employee, you are responsible for paying your own taxes, which is a big change from being a company driver. Even if you’re…
One way that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected organizations is that people are placing more value on company culture and the environment in which they work. As the Wall Street Journal reported a few weeks ago, it’s currently a worker’s labor market in which many have become more discriminating about where and how they’ll work. Half of those polled in…
AirIQ is the latest provider of electronic logging device (ELD) solutions to join Trucker Tools Smart Capacity® platform, expanding access to real-time tracking data from ELDs RESTON, VIRGINIA and TORONTO, ONTARIO – JANUARY 18, 2022 – Trucker Tools is again expanding the information available on its real-time visibility platform with the addition of location data from electronic logging devices (ELDs)…
Welcome to your Monday edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for fleets and owner operators. Looking ahead to the coming week, demand for power only capacity is expected to be high in two key Midwest markets, while reefer demand is projected to remain very high in one Arizona market. If you’re running flatbed, you’ll want to…
In this latest integration partnership, we’re bringing the power of the real-time visibility and digital freight matching of Trucker Tools’ Smart Capacity platform to freight brokers and logistics companies that use Dr. Dispatch’s efficiency-boosting transportation management software. This integration allows Dr. Dispatch TMS users to view and manage Smart Capacity’s load tracking and digital freight matching within the TMS interface.…
Trucker Tools’ Director of Onboarding and Implementation Russ Bennett recently interviewed trucking company owner Je’Ron Hamm for Trucker Tools Talks, our weekly interview series with folks from around the trucking industry. Je’Ron is a former NFL tight end turned trucker turned fleet owner who got his start in the industry doing hot shot. Today Je’Ron’s trucking business Pro-Haul Logistics provides…
It’s January and that means the season of snow, ice and freezing rain is here. For those of you who run through high elevations, Canada and the Northern United States, that often means an extra layer of stress and safety concerns when you’re on the road. Blizzard and winter weather conditions already have shut down several major highways this winter…
Software platform integrations are powerful because they simplify internal workflows for your employees and help them make better, more-informed decisions faster and in real-time. Trucker Tools’ integration partnership with RevenovaTMS combines the power of Smart Capacity’s real-time visibility with RevenovaTMS’ Salesforce.com architecture to create a single platform experience for your team, driving stronger customer and carrier relationships while increasing productivity.…
Welcome to your mid-week edition of Trucker Tools’ “Where’s the Freight?,” a free, three-times-a-week freight forecast for owner operators and fleets. Supply chains continue to struggle to meet demand for goods as recent COVID-19 outbreaks have shutdown manufacturing facilities across China, Europe and the United States. As a result, freight rates and demand for capacity remain high in many markets…
We recently interviewed Holly O’Donnell, a now former owner operator based out of Tennessee who had been team driving arms, ammunition and explosives for the military with her husband, Mark, for the last three years. Before she left trucking to care for her aging parents, Holly spent 25 years working in the trucking industry as a company driver and owner…
Experts across the transportation industry agree that the current capacity shortage isn’t likely to abate in the near future. In fact, most are predicting that the capacity crunch will continue well into 2022. The pressure is on freight brokerage and logistics companies like yours to not only retain your current carrier network, but also to continue to expand and grow…
Happy Friday and welcome to your end-of-week edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for owner operators and trucking companies. As we close out the first full week of the new year, demand for reefer capacity remains high in one Southern U.S. border region, while reefer demand and rates are projected to increase this week in two…
Welcome to your mid-week edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free market report for truckers and carriers. “Where’s the Freight?” tells you where demand (and rates) are likely to be highest, lowest, increasing and decreasing over the next five to seven day period. With this information, you can maximize your profits by avoiding markets where demand will be low…
In a recent webinar, Trucker Tools’ V.P. of Partnerships and Strategic Alliances Matt Silver was joined by InMotion Global’s President and C.E.O. Tim Higham to discuss “Embracing a Partnership Approach To Add High-Value Features to Your TMS.” The webinar centered on how Trucker Tools’ Smart Capacity platform integrates with InMotion Global’s AscendTMS, the benefits that the integration partnership provides to…
If you’re a regular reader of the Trucker Tools blog, you know that we love talking to truckers and carriers from all over North America. We recently had the pleasure of speaking with Holly O’Donnell, a Tennessee-based owner operator who for the last few years has been team driving DoD freight with her husband, Mark. Holly told us about how…
Welcome to the first 2022 edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for owner operators and trucking companies. In this and every edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” you’ll find out where demand and rates for flatbed, reefer, power only and dry van capacity will be high and low in the coming week. In this first week of…
In this ongoing blog series, we’re introducing you to the people who are driving Trucker Tools’ success — our employees! These hard-working folks behind the scenes are dedicated to helping you and your business flourish, whether you’re a freight broker, logistics provider, fleet or owner operator. In this blog, you’ll get to know Atlanta-based Kevin Larson, Trucker Tools’ Sales Manager.…
With rates hitting historic highs in 2021 and capacity tighter than ever, it’s certainly a good time to be in the trucking business. Most experts are predicting that capacity will continue to be scarce in 2022 and that rates will remain elevated for most if not all of this year. As an owner operator or fleet owner, you know that…
In a recent Lunch & Learn webinar with the Transportation Intermediaries Association, Trucker Tools’ Founder and CEO Prasad Gollapalli was joined by Leonard’s Express’ VP of Logistics Troy Wiitanen for a discussion on carrier visibility compliance. Leonard’s Express currently uses Trucker Tools’ Smart Capacity and free driver app to track loads digitally in real-time, receiving real-time digital load location updates…
In a recent episode of Trucker Tools Talks, our weekly interview series, Trucker Tools’ Director of Onboarding and Implementation Russ Bennett sat down with Je’Ron Hamm, owner of Pro-Haul Logistics and CEO of Pro-Haul TV. Before Je’Ron got into trucking, he was a tight end in the NFL, playing for teams such as the New Orleans Saints and the San…
When capacity is tight, it’s crucial to manage your carrier relationships effectively. With the right carrier relationship management technology, you can cover your shippers’ loads faster, reduce your costs and build long-term, productive relationships with high-performing carriers. In this blog, you’ll learn how you can use Trucker Tools’ Smart Capacity to offer a customized, convenient technology experience to carriers, engage…
In a recent FreightWaves webinar, Trucker Tools’ Founder and CEO Prasad Gollapalli and Kingsgate Logistics’ Senior VP of Strategy and Innovation Tom Curee discussed Kingsgate’s approach to digitization and carrier engagement. The webinar, entitled Kingsgate’s Innovative Solution: Keeping Up with Digital Technology, centered on how Kingsgate is using Trucker Tools’ white label carrier portal, Broker Advantage, to offer better service…
With 2021 almost in the rearview mirror, it’s a good time to reflect on some of the biggest trends in trucking of the last year — and what a year it’s been! Demand for truck capacity hit historic highs, as did rates in 2021. Of course it wasn’t all good news for truckers this year, as operating costs also increased…
Welcome to the mid-week edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for fleets and owner operators. As we inch closer to Christmas and the end of peak shipping season, freight volumes in many markets have started to decline, though spot market rates remain higher than they were at this time last year. In the coming week, you…
According to most estimates, the trucking industry currently is short approximately 80,000 truck drivers, which is pushing freight rates higher and making it harder for freight brokers like you to cover loads. While most within the industry agree there’s certainly a capacity crunch, there’s much debate within the industry regarding the cause of the driver shortage. Some attribute the lack…
As a company driver, are you tempted by greener pastures? Are you thinking about which company you’d like to drive for next, given the capacity crunch and tight competition for drivers? Right now many fleets are offering generous sign-on bonuses, higher pay rates, more home time, and richer benefits to attract and retain company drivers like you. We recently spoke…
Welcome to the Monday edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free market report for owner operators and carriers. With the Christmas holiday fast approaching, demand for reefer capacity remains high in many freight markets, including Dodge City, Kan., where demand for reefer capacity this week is projected to be twice as high as last year. In flatbed news, Montreal,…
If you’re the owner of a trucking company or a logistics business, you already know that labor shortages, truck manufacturing delays, detention and the COVID-19 pandemic are making it a difficult time to grow your business. High freight volumes make it a good time to be in the transportation sector, but it can be difficult to expand if you’re having…
Happy Friday, truckers and carriers, and welcome to your end-of-week edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for fleets and owner operators. As we inch closer to the Christmas holiday, consumer retail spending continues to push demand for truck capacity higher across North America. With the growing season over in many parts of North America, produce import…
Welcome to the mid-week edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free market report for trucking companies and owner operators. In this and every edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” you’ll discover where demand for flatbed, reefer, power only and dry van capacity will be high, low, increasing and decreasing in the coming week. With the Christmas holiday just 10 days…
All of us at Trucker Tools understand the power of technology integrations. Integrating Trucker Tools’ tech with other popular technologies makes your life easier as an owner operator or trucking company owner, which is why we make them a priority. Trucker Tools’ ELD integration partnerships allow drivers to digitally track loads with their ELDs, while still providing the freight brokers…
As freight coach and consultant Chris Jolly noted in a recent conversation with Trucker Tools, “You can have a thousand loads on your board, but if you can’t cover them, what is adding a sales rep going to do? Nothing. You need to have a rock solid operation in place so you can have a repeatable and scalable platform to…
In each episode of Trucker Tools Talks, our weekly video interview series, we interview folks from all across the trucking industry for business tips and timely updates on what’s happening in the market. Trucker Tools’ Director of Onboarding and Implementation Russ Bennett recently interviewed Randall-Reilly’s V.P. of Sales and Recruiting Seth Becker for Trucker Tools Talks to find out what…
As a freight broker or logistics provider, you already know that this isn’t your typical peak shipping season. Raw material and labor shortages, port congestion, longer detention times, capacity shortages, unpredictable supply and demand, a rise in online consumer spending and COVID-19 outbreaks are making this an unusual peak season, to say the least. With this in mind, Trucker Tools…
Over the last year and a half, more than 113,000 for-hire trucking applications have been granted federal operating authority, 70 percent of which have been granted to solo owner operators. If you’re one of those newly-minted owner operators, you may be looking for advice on how to make sure you first year as an owner operator is a good one.…
Welcome to your Monday edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for carriers and owner ops — and your source for finding out where rates will be high and low in the coming week. With the Christmas holiday less than two weeks away, spot market demand and rates in many markets across North America are expected to…
With this ongoing blog series, we’re introducing you to the people behind the scenes at Trucker Tools, including folks from the marketing, technology, customer success, customer support, sales and other teams within the company. In this blog, you’ll be introduced to Lan-phuong Dinh, Trucker Tools’ Technology Manager. Before she came to Trucker Tools in 2020, Lan spent 20 years working…
For Georgia-based James Hodge, trucking has been a life-long career. James is a second generation trucker who early on learned a lot about trucking from his father and on his own. In his long trucking career, James has done it all, including driving tanker, asphalt, emulsion, doubles, flatbed, reefers and dry van. These days, James drives trucks and other equipment…
Welcome to the Friday edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free market report for carriers and drivers. Each edition of our free freight forecast uses data from our broker and carrier software platforms to predict where demand for trucks will be highest and lowest across North America over the next five to seven days. In today’s edition of “Where’s…
Some types of technology truly are transformative, capable of fundamentally changing for the better how business is done. Trucker Tools’ Book It Now®, an automated load booking tool that allows owner operators and carriers to book loads digitally, is one of those transformative technologies. Since the pandemic hit the United States in March of 2020, interest in and use of…
If you’re a regular reader of Trucker Tools’ blog, then you know that we love talking to truckers and carriers from all over the country! We recently had the good fortune to speak with James Hodge, a trucker who has been working in trucking for the last 40 years. As a veteran of the industry, James has done a little…
Happy Wednesday, everyone, and welcome to your mid-week edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for owner operators and trucking companies. With the Christmas holiday just two and a half weeks away, reefer demand and rates are expected to remain strong in the coming week for a major meat-processing market in the Midwest and a key produce…
According to data from a supply chain survey conducted last month, transportation capacity including truckload capacity continues to decline, while rates are expected to remain elevated for at least the next year. With the holiday season in full swing, logistics and trucking industries like you can expect capacity to tighten further over the next several weeks as consumers start their…
In case you missed it, we recently released a new version of our free software platform for carriers that connects carriers like you with loads from your favorite brokers. We’ve added several new features to our free carrier platform, including the ability save load searches and publish capacity info to brokers. James Reine, Trucker Tools’ Training Coordinator, recently held a…
Welcome to the Monday edition of Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free market report for owner operators and carriers. As we look ahead to the coming week, you can expect to see extremely low demand for both power only and flatbed capacity in the Brooklyn, N.Y., market, while power only demand is projected to increase in three major port cities.…
In this ongoing blog series, we’re introducing you to the individual members of the Trucker Tools team so that you can get to know the people behind the company. For this third blog in our employee feature series, we interviewed Russell Bennett, who is Trucker Tools’ Director of Onboarding and Implementation. Before coming to Trucker Tools in 2019, Russ worked…
With 2022 fast approaching, you’re likely knee-deep in end of year planning, looking ahead to the new year and determining what should be a priority and what can wait another year. If 2020 and 2021 have taught us anything, it’s that having a strategy that gets you through turbulent times is essential. We recently interviewed Chris Jolly, known online as…
Happy Friday and welcome to your end-of-week edition of Trucker Tools’ Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for owner operators and carriers. With the Christmas holiday just three weeks away, national freight volumes are up significantly and spot market rates continue to soar above last year’s levels. Over the next five to seven day period, you can expect…
As an owner operator, running more efficiently helps you reduce downtime and maximize your take-home pay. That’s especially true this peak shipping season with demand for truck capacity and freight rates at historic highs. With 17+ tools and features designed to save you time and money on the road, the Trucker Tools driver app can be the difference-maker when it…
As a freight broker or third-party logistics provider, you have many technology options at your disposal that you can implement in your business. It’s important to keep in mind, however, that some kinds of technology are more impactful than others. Certain types of technology can truly transform your business, making it agile, efficient and equipped to navigate even the most…
Happy Wednesday, truckers and carriers, and welcome to your Wednesday edition of Trucker Tools’ Where’s the Freight?,” your source for finding out which markets across North America are likely to be the most and least profitable in the coming week. In this mid-week edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” four of our five Rising Markets are power only markets, indicating just…
With 2021 soon coming to a close, now is the time to be thinking about your strategy for ensuring 2022 is a successful year for your freight broker business. According to most industry analysts, current freight conditions including higher than normal rates and extremely tight capacity are here for the foreseeable future. Other factors such as port congestion, a tight…
Welcome to the newest edition of Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free market report for carriers and owner operators. All of us at Trucker Tools hope you had a great Thanksgiving holiday with your family and friends and got some much needed R&R. As expected, demand for truck capacity declined last week due to the Thanksgiving holiday but is expected…
Every month, we survey owner operators, company drivers and carriers to learn more about their challenges, successes and the technology they use in their day-to-day operations. Our most recent survey centered on how drivers and carriers search for and book their loads, a particularly relevant topic given the current capacity shortage. Of those who responded to the survey, 50 percent…
Happy Wednesday, everyone, and welcome to your mid-week edition of Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for owner operators and fleets. The market insights you see in every edition of “Where’s the Freight?” are based on the latest data from Trucker Tools’ software platforms. With hundreds of brokers on Trucker Tools’ broker platform, 175,000 carriers on our free…
Earlier this month, it was reported that 82,000 motor carriers were granted FMCSA authority between Jan. 1 and Sept. 30, 2021, compared with a total of 59,500 for all of 2020. It’s no secret that over the last 12 to 18 months, many company drivers have made the transition to owner operator in order to take advantage of historically high…
There’s a buzz in the industry right now around electric trucks and sustainability. E-trucks require less maintenance, are more reliable, eliminate fuel costs and don’t cause the same air pollution that diesel trucks do. The cost of electric batteries for Class 8 e-trucks, however, and their short range have so far limited widespread adoption of electric truck technology within OTR…
Welcome to this Monday edition of Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free market report for carriers and owner operators. The projections you see in this and every edition of “Where’s the Freight?” are based on real-world data from our broker and carrier platforms. Armed with insights on where demand and rates will be high and low, you can make better…
Last month, we surveyed company drivers, owner operators and carriers like you from across the country to learn more about the technology that you use to find and book your loads. Most of you who responded to our survey identified yourselves either as owner operators or carriers. We asked you what kind of freight you pull, which apps you use…
In a recent webinar entitled Leveraging the Right Tech Partner To Scale Your Brokerage, Trucker Tools’ Founder and CEO Prasad Gollapalli and C.L. Services’ President and CEO Jeff Lantz discussed the strategy and lessons learned by C.L. Services through the company’s digital freight technology implementation. Thanks to its digital strategy and collaboration with Trucker Tools, C.L. Services has been able…
Happy Friday, truckers! Welcome to your end-of-week edition of Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for carriers and owner operators. With the insights provided in “Where’s the Freight?,” you can maximize your profit margins on loads each week by avoiding markets where demand/rates are projected to be low and targeting markets where demand/rates are expected to be high.…
It’s undeniable that the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted and continues to impact the transportation industry. Manufacturing disruptions, port congestion, worker shortages, border closures, lockdowns and new safety protocols all because of COVID-19 have reshaped freight lanes and fundamentally changed the daily operations of many freight brokers and logistics providers. Some of the biggest changes we’ve witnessed are around the use…
If you’re a newcomer to the industry as a trucking company owner, independent owner operator or company driver, you’re no doubt looking for an all-one-technology to help you or your drivers on the road. Look no further! The Trucker Tools mobile app so far has been downloaded by more than 1.3 million drivers and carriers and with good reason. The…
Happy Wednesday, everyone, and welcome to this mid-week edition of Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight market report for owner operators and carriers. “Where’s the Freight?” provides you with projections and insights into where demand and rates will be highest and lowest across North America in the coming week. According to a report released yesterday, U.S. retail sales increased…
If you have been working in transportation for any length of time, you already know that relationships are everything in this industry. While some may see technology and relationship-building as two opposing forces, technology and relationship-building actually can go hand-in-hand. It’s the reason why we’ve designed Trucker Tools’ real-time visibility platform to integrate with the most popular software platforms used…
According to a report from the Washington Post published in June, the transportation industry has the third-tightest labor market in the nation after manufacturing (number 1) and state and local governments (number 2). The logistics industry was already facing a significant talent shortage before the pandemic hit. Declining birth rates, younger candidates without experience and a greater need for technology-based…
Customized platform provides Kingsgate carrier-partners with uniquely “branded” digital freight management tools, support services, enhanced engagement experience. Leverages all Trucker Tool apps, including predictive freight matching, capacity management, automated booking, real-time visibility, digital documents. Delivers productivity gains for brokers and carriers, speeds load booking and acceptance, streamlines online processes, adds ease of use for truckers, small fleet operators. RESTON, VA…
Welcome to a new week, truckers and carriers, and welcome to the newest edition of Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for owner operators and carriers. With Thanksgiving next week and the Christmas holiday less than six weeks away, there is lots of ground to cover in this Monday edition of “Where’s the Freight?” Over the next five…
In the last year and a half, the disruption and volatility caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have redrawn freight lanes, altered supply chains, tightened truck capacity and pushed rates to historic highs. Add labor shortages, port congestion, depleted inventories and rising operating costs to the equation and it’s without a doubt a challenging time to be working in the transportation…
Trucker Tools recently joined innovators and thought-leaders from across the transportation industry for the Transportation Intermediaries Association’s 3PLXTEND Xperience, formerly known as 3PL Technovations. Many of the conference’s panel discussions at this year’s gathering centered on how freight brokers and logistics providers like you can leverage technology to meet the challenges of today’s volatile markets. Trucker Tools’ Chief Technology Officer…
Happy Friday, everyone, and welcome to this end of week edition of Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight market report for carriers and owner operators. “Where’s the Freight?” uses the data from Trucker Tools’ software platforms to predict where demand and rates for flatbed, reefer, power only, and dry van capacity will be high and low over the next…
This already has been an unusual peak shipping season in the United States, with record-breaking volumes at several ports, shortages of trucks and replacement parts, labor shortages, sky-high container rates and fewer new drivers entering trucking due to the pandemic. In truth, the pandemic has created a sort of perpetual peak shipping season in which capacity is scarce, rates are…
In this blog series, Trucker Tools Smart Solutions, we provide freight brokers and logistics businesses like yours with advice on how to overcome some of the biggest roadblocks you face in your day-to-day operations. One challenge that you currently may be facing is how to make your business more self-sustaining. When a business is self-sustaining, its revenue can cover its…
Welcome to your mid-week edition of Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for owner operators and carriers that tells you where demand and rates are likely to be high and low across North America in the coming week. In this Wednesday edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” three of the markets in our Top Five Hottest Markets list are…
To say that the competition level is high in freight brokerage and logistics is an understatement, especially given the happenings of the last year. The pandemic has driven more consumers toward e-commerce and home delivery, pushing truckload volumes and truck rates to record levels in June, July and August of this year. Every week, it seems a new industry record…
We recently released a brand new version of our free software platform for carriers. In this newest version of our free carrier platform, we added a ton of features that are designed to save you time, especially during busy peak season. With Trucker Tools’ free carrier platform, you can search for loads with your favorite brokers, submit digital rate quotes…
Welcome to this Monday edition of Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free market forecast for owner operators and carriers. In this and every edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” you’ll learn where demand and rates are likely to be highest and lowest across North America over the next five to seven days. In today’s edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” the Tucson,…
If you’re the owner of a freight brokerage or logistics business or you work in one, you’ve no doubt heard the buzz in the industry about digital freight matching technology. Digital freight matching technology can reduce the time it takes for you to cover a load by half — and that’s a conservative estimate. With digital freight matching technology, you…
Happy Friday and welcome to your end-of-week edition of Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for owner operators and carriers. With Thanksgiving only three weeks away and peak season in full swing, there’s lots of ground to cover in today’s freight forecast. In the coming week, Edmonton, Alberta, will be a hot spot for both reefer and dry…
Welcome to your mid-week edition of Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free market report for owner operators and carriers. “Where’s the Freight?” provides you with insights into which areas of the United States and Canada will see high and low demand for flatbed, reefer, power only and dry van capacity in the coming week. Over the next five to seven…
With the holidays fast approaching and freight volumes at record highs, you may not be thinking much about theft and cargo insurance — but you should be! In the United States in 2020, full truckload thefts increased by 25 percent and pilferage increased by 35 percent. Despite these increases, it’s estimated that 60 to 90 percent of freight in transit…
Market volatility, unpredictable supply and demand, the capacity shortage, and digital technology are reshaping how shippers, freight brokers, logistics providers and carriers are negotiating contracts. Market turbulence is driving some shippers to move to a mini-bid or quarterly RFP/RFQ process instead of a yearly one, which means a faster turn-around time if you’re responding to an RFP. Real-time visibility platforms…
Happy Monday and welcome to today’s edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ three-times-a-week free freight forecast for owner operators and carriers. In each edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” you’ll discover where demand and rates are likely to be high and low in the next five to seven days. In the coming week, you can expect high demand for power…
This new blog series is highlighting all the good work that the folks working behind the scenes at Trucker Tools do each and every day. For this second blog in the series, we interviewed James Reine, who joined the Trucker Tools team in February as a customer success manager and just recently became the company’s new training coordinator. James is…
If you’re the owner of a trucking company or if you work for a carrier, you already know that competition is fierce for truckers. According to the American Trucking Associations, the industry faced a driver shortage of 61,500 before the pandemic began. Since then, that number has increased by 30 percent to a shortage of 80,000 drivers. We recently spoke…
On Nov. 9-11, Trucker Tools will gather virtually with industry experts and leaders for FreightWaves’ F3 Virtual Experience, a virtual version of FreightWaves’ Future of Freight Festival. FreightWaves’ F3 Virtual Experience will include live discussions and interactive sessions on trucking, air, ocean and rail transportation, as well as technology demonstrations, virtual booths, giveaways and a live announcement of the 2022…
Like many carriers and owner operators, you may be interested in running spot market freight in order to take advantage of historically high rates. If you think that load boards are your only option for finding spot market loads, however, think again. There are more efficient and less expensive ways to find (and book) spot market loads than with load…
We recently released a new version of our free software platform for carriers and couldn’t be more excited! This newest edition of Trucker Tools’ powerful carrier platform has a sleek, user-friendly design and several new features that help carrier dispatchers like you save time and be more productive. The new version of Trucker Tools’ new carrier platform lets you search…
Welcome to your end-of-week edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for owner operators and carriers. In this and every edition of our free forecast, you’ll discover where demand and rates are likely to be highest and lowest over the next five to seven days. This week the Dodge City, Kan., reefer market is projected to be…
Happy Wednesday, everyone, and welcome to your Wednesday edition of Trucker Tools’ “Where’s the Freight?” This free freight forecast uses real-world data from Trucker Tools’ platforms to predict where demand for trucks will be highest and lowest over the next five to seven day period. With these insights, you can make better decisions on loads by avoiding markets where demand…
When your business is self-sustaining, it generates enough revenue to cover all of its expenses, and also does not need outside additional investments in order to expand. Self-sustaining businesses are lean and efficient, capable of maximizing revenue without diminishing the customer experience. In freight brokerage and third-party logistics, the shortest path to making your business self-sustaining usually requires the use…
Welcome to the Monday edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for owner operators and carriers. Our three-times-a-week market report tells you where demand (and rates) are likely to be highest and lowest in North America in the coming week. In today’s edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” our Top Five Hottest Markets list is dominated by power…
Happy Friday, truckers and carriers, and welcome to this end-of-week edition of Trucker Tools’ “Where’s the Freight?” This and every edition of “Where’s the Freight?” provides you with information on where demand for truck capacity will be highest, lowest, increasing and decreasing in the coming week. With this information, you can avoid taking loads into markets where demand (and rates)…
Happy Wednesday, everyone, and welcome to the mid-week edition of Trucker Tools’ “Where’s the Freight?” For this and every edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” we analyze the truck and load data from our software platforms to determine where and when demand for capacity will be highest and lowest over the next week. Today’s freight forecast is showing that demand for…
If you’re a trucker, you already know that driving long hours without moving can lead to muscle and joint stiffness, back pain, hip tightness, sciatica, knee pain, neck tension and other types of physical pain. Staying in a seated position for long periods of time reduces circulation, can shorten muscles, weakens your core muscles and may promote the production of…
Welcome to your Monday edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free market report for carriers and owner operators. In today’s edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” you’ll notice that flatbed markets are heating back up, as three of the five spots in our Top Five Hottest Markets list today are flatbed markets. This week, you can expect high demand for…
In this new blog series, we’re introducing you to the folks working behind the scenes at Trucker Tools. For our first blog in this series, we interviewed Beheshta(Bebe) Bakhshi, who’s been with Trucker Tools since 2018. Bebe is one of the many glue people that keeps Trucker Tools going. She is an executive assistant to the CEO of Trucker Tools,…
Happy Friday y’all, and welcome to your end-of-week edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for owner operators and carriers. In this and every edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” you’ll find out where demand for capacity will be high and low over the next five to seven days in freight markets across the United States and Canada. …
Trucker Tools will join third party logistics innovators and thought-leaders from across the industry Oct. 20-22, 2021, for the Transportation Intermediaries Association’s 3PLXTEND Xperience. The conference, formerly known as 3PL Technovations, will be held in San Antonio at the JW Marriott Resort and will provide freight brokers and logistics providers with the opportunity to learn about new and evolving technologies. …
Happy Wednesday and welcome to your midweek edition of Trucker Tools’ “Where’s the Freight?” In this and every edition of Trucker Tools’ free forecast, you’ll discover where demand for capacity and rates will be high and low over the next five to seven days. Based on the latest data from Trucker Tools’ platforms, we’re forecasting that the Texarkana, Texas, flatbed…
The freight markets today are more capacity constrained than ever. At the same time, transformative technology is rewiring the landscape and changing virtually every aspect of how brokers engage with, conduct business, and support their truckload carriers. The main areas where technology is transforming processes are freight matching, load booking, and tracking. This episode of Talking Logistics with Geoff Turner,…
Welcome to your Monday edition of Trucker Tools’ “Where’s the Freight?,” a free freight forecast that tells you where demand (and rates) are likely to be high and low in the coming week. In today’s edition of our free market report, you’ll notice that the Pendleton, Ore., power only market claims the top spot in our Top Five Hottest Markets…
Trucker Tools’ comprehensive digital software platform contains all the technology-based tools you need to create a self-sustaining logistics business for today and the future. From real-time load tracking and automated load booking to carrier management and digital freight matching, our platform can be used to manage nearly every facet of your operations, while providing benefits to your carrier and shipper…
September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness about depression and suicide, and to have honest conversations about both. Though it’s not often talked about, the transportation industry has the fourth-highest suicide rate among working-age adults. Time away from home, isolation, stress, inadequate sleep, post-traumatic stress disorder, poor diet and other factors all can contribute to…
Five Ways Trucker Tools’ Customer Support Team Can Help You Grow and Build a More Efficient Business
All of us at Trucker Tools recognize that our success as a company depends on the success of our customers. It’s why our robust support services center on seeing your freight brokerage or logistics company succeed and grow not just in the near-term, but for the foreseeable future. At Trucker Tools, we see ourselves as your partner, not just a…
All of us here at Trucker Tools are excited to announce that we’ve released a new version of our free software platform for carriers! This new version of our carrier platform for dispatchers contains all the functionality of the previous version, but with some new features and a brand new, easy-to-navigate design. You can use Trucker Tools’ free carrier platform…
Welcome your Monday edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free market report for truckers and carriers. In this and every edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” you’ll discover where demand for certain types of capacity will be high and low over the next five to seven-day period. With this information in hand, you can maximize your profits by targeting loads…
Happy Friday, all! Welcome to the Friday edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for truckers and carriers. In this three-times-a-week market report, you’ll find out where demand for reefer, dry van, flatbed and power only capacity will be highest and lowest over the next five to seven days. In the coming week, you can expect reefer…
In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, we all hoped that the lockdowns, masks, shortages and outbreaks would cease and that the world would soon go back to relative “normal.” A year and a half later, it seems that the pandemic isn’t going anywhere — and it continues to impact all of us personally and professionally in some way…
Happy Wednesday, everyone, and welcome to your mid-week edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for truckers and carriers. The projections that you see in each and every edition of “Where’s the Freight?” are based on real-world data from Trucker Tools’ app and broker software platform. Through analysis of these transactions, we can predict with accuracy where…
Welcome to your Monday edition of Trucker Tools’ “Where’s the Freight?” This three-times-a-week free freight forecast provides you with information on where demand and rates are likely to be highest and lowest across North America over the next five to seven days. You’ll see lots of familiar names in today’s Top Five Hottest Markets list, with the Texarkana, Texas, flatbed…
Happy Friday, y’all! Welcome to your Friday edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” a free, three-times-a-week freight forecast from Trucker Tools for truckers and carriers. In this and every edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” you’ll find out where demand for truck capacity will be highest, lowest, rising and falling in the coming week. Today’s freight forecast shows that demand for reefer…
The United States’ freight brokerage market size was valued at $1.1 billion in 2020 and is projected to hit $13.8 billion by 2028. Most industry experts agree that two factors are driving this growth: an increase in the number of licensed brokers and real-time technology. To remain competitive in an increasingly competitive freight brokerage market, you must be able to…
The last year and a half has been filled with ups and downs for many in the trucking industry. Truckers have been and continue to be on the front lines, making sure people across the country get the food and supplies they need. As a trucker, you’re dealing with longer wait times and fewer amenities at shipper and receiver facilities…
Welcome to your mid-week edition of Trucker Tools’ “Where’s the Freight?,” your source for discovering where demand for capacity will be highest and lowest over the next five to seven day period. With this information in hand, you can make better business decisions on loads, targeting loads that take you into areas where good-paying loads and backhauls are likely to…
As a business owner, there is nothing better than implementing a technology-based solution and getting a high return on your investment (ROI). When technology is well-designed, it can help you increase productivity, profit margins and customer satisfaction. It also can simplify employee workflows and equip you with the technological infrastructure required for future growth. At the same time, there is…
Yesterday Modern Shipper reported that peak season parcel demand is likely to exceed available capacity by 4.7 million daily shipments. In a recent panel discussion of the current capacity shortage, Logistics Management’s Contributing Editor John Schulz said that the writing is on the proverbial wall when it comes to carriers and capacity. “It’s a carriers’ market and they’re being very…
Welcome to your Monday edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” a free freight forecast from Trucker Tools that provides information on where demand and rates are likely to be highest and lowest over the next five to seven day period. In today’s edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” you’ll notice that once again Texarkana, Texas, claims two spots in our Top Five…
This blog is part three of a three-part series on how to use Trucker Tools’ real-time technology to solve the efficiency problems you face in your business. In this blog, we examine how Trucker Tools’ Book-It-Now automates the load/truck booking process and increases productivity, while providing a better experience to carriers and drivers. When used in conjunction with Trucker Tools’…
Happy Friday, truckers and carriers, and welcome to your Friday edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free market report that helps you maximize your profits by forecasting where demand for capacity will be highest and lowest in the coming week. In this end-of-week edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” you’ll notice that once again, Texarkana, Texas, claims two spots in…
We are happy to announce that Trucker Tools will be sponsoring two charity events during the month of September that aim to lift up and help the people in our local communities who are most in need of assistance. Trucker Tools is a Diamond-Level Sponsor of Choptank Transport Community Foundation’s Third Annual 10 Better Than Par Heroes Edition Charity Event.…
Happy Wednesday, everyone. Welcome to your mid-week edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ three-times-a-week free market report for owner operators and carriers. In each and every edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” you’ll discover where demand for capacity and rates are likely to be highest and lowest in the next five to seven day period. In the coming week, we’re…
Did you know that 80 to 90 percent of freight is uninsured or underinsured? It’s true and in 2020, there were over 1,500 incidents of cargo theft that cost the trucking industry an estimated $250 million. With peak shipping season just underway, it’s a good time to be thinking about the steps that you can take as an owner operator…
Welcome to a special Tuesday edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast that projects where demand for capacity and rates is likely to be highest and lowest in the coming week. More than a week has passed since Hurricane Ida hit the Gulf Coast and the Eastern United States. The flooding and damage caused by the storm…
There is a reason why digital freight matching technology use has risen considerably among freight brokers and logistics companies over the last year. Digital freight matching is one of the most impactful technologies that you can use in your freight broker or 3PL. With digital freight matching, you can locate and secure both in-network and out-of-network faster, which helps you…
Happy Friday, all. It’s time for your end-of-week edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for owner operators and carriers that tells you where you can expect demand for capacity to be high and low in the coming week. Hurricane Ida, which made landfall on Sunday, has left a path of destruction in its wake from Louisiana…
Data silos can kill a business. When your software platforms don’t share data, employee workflows become complicated, your operating costs become inflated and you miss out on potential opportunities for growth. Trucker Tools partners with leading technology developers and vendors from across the transportation industry because we know that software integrations save you time, reduce your costs and provide you…
Trucker Tools will gather with logistics and freight brokerage professionals from across the transportation industry Sept. 12 through Sept. 14 in Dallas for McLeod Software’s 2021 User Conference. The annual event will be held at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center and will include educational sessions, training and exhibits for both logistics professionals and carriers. Trucker Tools’ Vice President…
Welcome to your mid-week edition of Trucker Tools’ “Where’s the Freight?,” a three-times-a-week free market report that tells you where demand and rates are likely to be high and low over the next five to seven day period. In this Wednesday edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” the Edmonton, Alberta, reefer market claims the number 1 spot in our Top Five…
In this Trucker Tools blog series, Level Up Your Trucking Business, we’re providing you with tried and true ways to maximize your profit margins, operate more efficiently and create a solid foundation for your trucking business. With capacity shortages already at record-breaking levels, inventories low and continued congestion at ports, this peak shipping season likely will be an intense one…
Welcome to this Monday edition of Trucker Tools’ “Where’s the Freight?,” your place for finding out where demand for capacity will be highest and lowest over the next week. With this information, you can target loads that take you into markets where demand, rates and good-paying backhaul opportunities are likely to be high. In this final market report for the…
Happy Friday, everyone! Welcome to your end-of-week edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast that tells you where demand for capacity will be highest and lowest over the next five to seven days. In the coming week, you can expect flatbed demand to remain high in two central U.S. markets, while demand for flatbed will be extremely…
At Trucker Tools, we’re all about helping our customers get results. We want you to leverage our real-time digital solutions to your full advantage and use our technology to make your business as efficient and profitable as possible, while making your employees’ jobs easier. That’s why we offer best-in-class support to the freight brokers and logistics companies who implement the…
Detention affects more than just your ETAs. According to the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association’s 2020 Detention Time Survey, detention impacts hours of service, revenue and safety. The OOIDA detention survey also shows that detention time costs truckers up to $1.3 billion/year and carriers as much as $1.6 billion/year. It’s clear to most in the industry that detention is a significant…
There’s a lot of ground to cover in this mid-week edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free market report that tells you where demand and rates are likely to be highest and lowest this week. Today’s Top Five Hottest Markets list has Spokane, Wash., projected to be the highest demand/highest rate reefer market in North America in the coming…
In this blog series, Level Up Your Trucking Business, you get real-world advice and tips for building a strong, self-sustaining and profitable trucking business. With so many company drivers transitioning to owner operators over the last year, we thought it was a great time to talk about how to build an owner operator or small carrier business with a new…
In this blog series Trucker Tools Smart Solutions, we’re providing real-world advice on how you can overcome the greatest challenges you currently face in your freight broker/logistics business. If you’re still using check calls to track loads for your customers, your productivity is a lot lower than it needs to be. Trucker Tools’ digital load tracking can help you reduce…
Welcome to your Monday edition of Trucker Tools’ “Where’s the Freight?,” a free market report for owner operators and carriers that projects where demand for capacity will be highest and lowest over the next five to seven day period. Many freight forecasts look at previous years’ data to predict what will happen in freight markets. What makes “Where’s the Freight?”…
Every quarter for the last year and a half, we’ve brought together experts from across the logistics and transportation industries to get their insights on current market conditions and predictions on what’s to come. We recently reconvened our panel to discuss what’s happening in freight markets and to get our experts’ recommendations on what freight brokers and logistics providers like…
It’s Friday, which means it’s time for another edition of Trucker Tools’ “Where’s the Freight?,” your source for finding out where demand for flatbed, reefer, power only and dry van capacity will be high and low in the coming week. Over the next five to seven days, you can expect power only demand to increase in four different markets across…
In today’s high-demand, capacity constrained market carriers are rejecting sometimes as many as 8 in 10 loads offered. How can brokers stand out and win and secure the critical capacity their customers need? By being ultra-responsive, easy to do business with, and providing effective digital tools that help truckers save time and keep them rolling and generating revenue. Yet deciding…
In this blog series, Trucker Tools Smart Solutions, we’re helping freight brokers and logistics providers like you solve major operational challenges, increase productivity, boost profit margins and create a technological foundation for your business that will serve you well in the future. The biggest challenge right now, of course, is capacity. When capacity markets are tight as they are currently,…
Happy Wednesday, everyone, and welcome to your mid-week edition of Trucker Tools’ “Where’s the Freight?,” your go-to source for freight forecasts and valuable market insights. Lubbock, Texas, which appears in today’s Top Five Hottest Markets list, is projected to be a hotspot for flatbed in the coming week. It’s worth noting that Lubbock, Texas, hasn’t cracked our top five since…
Peak shipping season (August through Thanksgiving) is when consumer demand for back to school and holiday-related goods usually is at its highest. As a result, it’s also when demand for capacity usually is high, supply is often low and freight rates typically are on the rise. The 2020 peak shipping season was anything but normal. A record 3 billion parcels…
According to CargoNet, a theft prevention and recovery network, the number of cargo thefts and the costs associated with cargo theft have gone up considerably over the last year and a half. In the United States in 2020, theft of full truckloads increased by 25 percent and pilferage increased by 35 percent. In the first two quarters of 2021, those…
Welcome to your Monday edition of Trucker Tools’ “Where’s the Freight?,” a three-times-a-week free freight forecast for carriers and owner operators like you. In today’s edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” our Top Five Hottest Markets list is dominated by reefer and power only, as demand for flatbed capacity has cooled over the last six to eight weeks. This week, two…
Not all technology is created equally. Some technology solutions automate and digitize only a portion of your day-to-day activities, which means they only offer limited cost-savings, time-savings and efficiency gains. A true digital platform is a comprehensive one that automates and digitizes most if not all of the most repetitive manual activities in your day-to-day operations. A true digital platform…
Happy Friday, everyone, and welcome to your end of week edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free freight forecast for carriers and owner operators. You can use the information in this and every edition of “Where’s the Freight?” to prioritize loads into areas where demand is likely to be high or rising and avoid loads that take you into…
In this blog series entitled Trucker Tools Smart Solutions, we’re helping freight brokers and logistics providers like you find new ways to increase profit margins, grow your capacity networks and scale your business. It’s no secret that the current labor market is a tight one, which makes it difficult for you to find high-quality candidates. One of the advantages of…
Real-time, digital visibility has become a core service for freight brokers and 3PLs like you. When you can provide real-time load tracking data to shippers, they can better manage their staffing and other resources, identify high-performing partners and gain business intelligence that helps them improve their supply chains. Most importantly, real-time visibility empowers shippers to better serve their customers and…
What makes Trucker Tools’ free market report “Where’s the Freight?” different from other market reports and predictions is that our forecasts aren’t based on previous years’ data. Instead, we use the most current load and truck data from our platforms to predict with high accuracy where demand for trucks will be highest and lowest over the next five to seven…
In this blog series entitled Level Up Your Trucking Business, Trucker Tools is providing you with tips to help you maximize your revenue, build fruitful relationships with brokers and 3PLs, and create a foundation for a successful trucking business. We recently spoke with Barry Fowler, president and founder of Trucker Tax Tools, who’s been helping truckers and carriers with federal income…
Software integrations offer increased productivity, the ability to provide better service to shippers and more opportunities to secure capacity faster. Trucker Tools new integration partnership with Amous International puts all the information that operations teams need in one interface, thereby empowering them to make better decisions faster. With the full stack integration between the Amous transportation management system and Trucker…
Trucker Tools’ CEO and Founder Prasad Gollapalli recently participated in TIA’s semi-weekly Virtual Lunch & Learn to discuss “How To Build a Better Brokerage and Scale Profitability in the Process.” In the webinar, Gollapalli was joined by Leonard Express’ Chief Marketing Officer Mike Riccio to talk about implementing new technology and how brokers can build a better brokerage with technology,…
Welcome to your Monday edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” Trucker Tools’ free market report for owner operators and carriers. More than 165,000 carriers, 1.4 million truckers and hundreds of brokers and 3PLs use Trucker Tools’ platforms. Based on the loads posted and movement of trucks across these platforms, we can predict with accuracy where truck demand (and rates) will be…
GPS-based asset tracking has become a must-have for carriers and asset-based brokers/3PLs. It’s easy to see why. In the United States alone, an estimated $30 billion in cargo is stolen every year. The most coveted cargo includes pharmaceuticals, clothing, consumer electronics and food. GPS-based asset trackers play a pivotal role in helping carriers and asset-based brokers locate and recover trailers…
Happy Friday, and welcome to your end-of-week edition of “Where’s the Freight?” from Trucker Tools. “Where’s the Freight” is a free, three-times-a-week market report that uses real-world data to predict where demand for capacity will be high, low, increasing and decreasing over the next five to seven days. In this Friday edition of “Where’s the Freight?,” you’ll notice that four…
Digital freight matching and load booking automation tools like Trucker Tools’ Book It Now® are changing how brokers and 3PLs do business. That’s not hyperbole, that’s a fact. The COVID-19 pandemic has illuminated just how important both technologies are and will continue to be in the future. Both technologies provide you with the opportunity to scale your business, i.e. grow…
One of the most powerful tools available to brokers and 3PLs like you is digital freight matching technology. Trucker Tools’ digital freight matching platform helps you build carrier networks and increase carrier loyalty as part of your long-term strategy. With Trucker Tools’ digital freight matching and companion driver app, you can offer convenience and efficiency to your current in-network carriers,…
In this and every edition of Trucker Tools’ “Where’s the Freight?,” we reveal where demand for truck capacity is likely to be high, low, increasing and decreasing over the next five to seven days. With this information, you can make better decisions on loads and maximize your profits by avoiding loads that take you into areas where demand will be…
Having options is a good thing. That’s why we’ve made it so you can track loads for a broker with both the Trucker Tools app and with an ELD. Trucker Tools has partnered with 30+ of the most popular ELD providers to make your life easier as an owner operator and, if you’re a carrier, to give your drivers another…
Welcome to this Monday edition of Trucker Tools’ “Where’s the Freight?,” packed with information on where demand for capacity will be high and low over the next week. Today’s forecast shows high demand for both flatbed and reefer capacity in one Texas market over the next week. In the coming week, you can expect San Diego to remain a profitable…
When freight volume surges and available capacity can’t match volume, it can be very difficult to grow your freight broker or logistics business — unless you harness the power of technology like Trucker Tools’. With freight volumes at all-time highs and many drivers getting their own MC numbers to take advantage of spot market rates, we’re in exactly that situation…
As a freight broker business or third-party logistics provider, you’re the “middleman” between shippers and carriers. You really have two customers in shippers and carriers. You’re simultaneously working to find trucks to move your shippers loads, while trying to cultivate good working relationships with carriers and owner operators to move those loads today and in the future. It’s no secret…
It’s March, which means produce season is kicking off in southern Florida and Texas. At the same time, produce imports are flowing into the country across the border from Mexico right now and reefer capacity continues to be in high demand because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Needless to say, it’s a good time to be a reefer driver. Trucker Tools…
There are lots of things that can chew up your time and negatively impact your profit margins as an owner operator. Looking for parking, weigh scales, loads, truck stops and rest areas takes time. So does communicating with brokers by phone, dropping off paperwork, booking loads and reloads, route-planning and calculating your axle weights. Having the information you need instantly…
