We’re not here to dwell on the recession. Instead, we’d like to take a forward-focused view of how brokers and 3PLs can use automation and other innovative strategies to survive and thrive now and long into the future. In a changing industry, we want you to be equipped with this guide and its potential tools.  Brief insights about brokerages since 2022  I swear, we’re not going to dwell on the recession. But a couple of quick, high-level data points will help put the brokerage sector in better context.  In late 2022, there were 31,235 active freight brokerages registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. In July 2024, that number was 26,653, meaning approximately 1 in 7 brokers has closed since the start of the downturn. Additionally, active brokerages were down 11.6% year-over-year from July 2023 to July 2024.  Those statistics point to a broker market that will feature increased levels of competition today and in the years to come. You’ll have a better chance of success by employing the right tech and business approaches.  Let’s look on the bright side with automation and AI  Enough of the bad news – we’re here to help you survive and thrive. Automation and artificial intelligence can help brokers improve operational stability and increase efficiency. Better yet, a slowdown – even one that may be ending soon – presents a great opportunity for brokers and 3PLs to invest in tools that will have them off and running once the boom times return.  Why, then, is automation powered by AI so important for brokers to use at this time? The following reasons are crucial:  The industry, including carriers and their drivers, is much more likely to embrace new technologies than it once was. With the largest portion of the workforce now belonging to the digital-native millennial generation, it’s no longer concerning for freight professionals to work with tech-forward brokers.  Technology, including AI, has become more accessible. That said, there’s still an adoption gap for AI across the supply chain. Recent research found that only 23% of supply chain professionals have integrated AI into the supply chain, but more than 80% believe tech advances will significantly change the industry in the next five years.  Automation can help accelerate common back-office processes while still providing accurate information. No longer does a team in an office have to pour over every data field, bill, or invoice by hand.  How automation alleviates common broker pain points  Merely investing in automation without a keen eye for the problems you want to address might not get you very far. However, there’s no shortage of broker challenges that AI can tackle.  Manual data entry: If a broker is doing all or most of its data and indexing by hand, not only does it use many manhours, but it will also inevitably run into issues with basic human error. Even if the data entries are over 99% accurate, that 1% can lead to major issues.  Duplicate invoicing: When including internal invoices and those from carriers and factors, many brokers end up seeing at least 20% duplicates. If there’s no way to quickly delineate the duplicates, you’re going to end up with a lot of unhappy partners.  Exception processing: Inconsistencies are bound to occur in the day-to-day running of a brokerage. Employing a tool that makes them visible as soon as possible means fast attention can be paid to them.  Struggles with business scalability: Someday, a roaring market will return. When that day comes, you want to be able to take advantage of increased demand with confidence – which might not be possible with outdated manual processes.  Missing documents and billing requirements: Assume your invoices are ready and accurate, but a crucial document is missing that will delay billing. You need to know what needs to be resolved for cash flow.  Associated fraud risks: Double brokering and other forms of fraud are arguably the costliest headaches for brokers today. AI won’t stop bad actors from trying out scams, but it can help show actionable insights to make it less likely and more addressable.   Automation for brokers can solve these issues by:  Increasing billing speed  Boosting cash flow  Improving days sales outstanding (DSO) and days payable outstanding (DPO)  Enabling 24/7 processing  Increasing data extraction accuracy  Improving business scalability and stability  Reducing fraud risks  But automation can’t be a one-size-fits-all proposition. It pays to work with a company that has a strong reputation for creating solutions for brokerages of various sizes, understands the ins and outs of how this sector of freight works, and has plenty of current happy customers to talk to. It’s also crucial to partner with a vendor who is accustomed to working with many different document types and can train an automation platform for the specific differences in how a brokerage employs documents.  Unlocking new sources of revenue and better carrier relationships  The core purpose of freight brokerages and 3PLs isn’t going to shift considerably. The name of the game is brokering loads. But there are other sources of revenue brokers can take advantage of. Let’s look at fuel as an opportunity.  Research shows that as much as 30% of the value of a given load is in the cost necessary to move a load from point A to point B. This cost is obviously crucial for fleets, but it can be prohibitive at times for small carriers and owner-operators. Additionally, it can be difficult for these small carriers to access the fuel card and fuel discount programs available to massive fleets.  Traditionally, a broker wouldn’t receive any part of the revenue from a fuel discount program or would have to go through a fuel advance platform that is hard to manage. But today, a broker can capture part of this revenue stream without much friction or financial bureaucracy.  By using digital or virtual fuel cards, brokers can share the discount amount – up to 50 cents per gallon in some cases – with their carrier partners. Unlike plastic fuel cards that may easily be forgotten about or lost by drivers, a digital fuel card is pre-approved for a certain amount and uses a one-time PIN. Both brokers and carriers can add cash flow easily with this arrangement, creating a win-win situation.  There are additional ways brokers can forge stronger bonds with carriers, including:  Adopting technology with an eye towards next-generation drivers who are quick and natural learners with new tools and devices.  Tools, such as a portal, to validate information or documentation for accelerated payment.  Familiarizing partners with your billing and invoicing processes.  Adding incentives and savings for carriers.  Survive and thrive with automation and forward thinking  Today’s freight economy still presents its fair share of challenges, but there are also significant opportunities for brokers willing to embrace automation and innovative strategies. By leveraging AI-driven solutions, brokers can streamline operations, enhance efficiency, and build stronger relationships with carriers, positioning themselves for success even in fluctuating markets.   As the industry continues to shift, those who adapt and invest in technology will not only survive but thrive, unlocking new revenue streams and ensuring long-term stability.  To take advantage of automation and tools like virtual fuel cards at your brokerage, reach out to a member of our sales team and learn more today. 

In an era where most people are close to a smartphone all day, it’s easy to think of notifications as something synonymous with the phone or another mobile device. But on the road, commercial truck drivers see notifications via highway signage. Important signage notifications might include construction in an area, upcoming lane closures, or estimated mileage or minutes to a popular destination or exit.  Make no mistake, these traditional ways of highlighting road conditions are useful to everyone on the road. But for fleets, these “analog” notifications are one-way communications. They don’t always give a driver the best picture of road conditions, and they don’t produce data for fleets to analyze.  For example, what if the speed limit on one stretch of highway isn’t clearly marked? What if that same stretch of highway is a common place for speeding citations? You need something more significant and actionable than the usual black-and-white speed limit signs and orange road safety indicators.  In this case – and many more – it’s crucial to have actionable safety insights that help both the driver and fleet operate as safely as possible. In this blog, we’ll focus on in-cab safety notifications and automated driver coaching as ways to encourage safer driving behavior and improved fleet safety performance.  In-cab notifications  Due to the nature of their jobs and the size of their vehicle and cargo, commercial drivers have many more things to be concerned about than a commuter or road tripper, including:  Rollover risks  Low bridge clearances  Steep mountain grades  Cargo theft risks  High speeding violation areas  Parking availability  An in-cab safety notification platform that’s integrated with a truck’s telematics capabilities can warn and inform drivers about the above-listed items on a driver’s smartphone or tablet via a noticeable full-screen notification as they approach the area. It can also let drivers know about more traditional over-the-road conditions such as:  Weather alerts  Sudden or unexpected slowdowns   Construction zones  Road closures  Crucially for fleets, notifications can also be customized to specific geofenced areas. For example, if a carrier or private fleet has noticed that a usual pickup/drop-off location or yard is a common speeding or incident area, it can geofence the zone and alert drivers to be careful. Additionally, in-cab notifications produce extensive data-driven insights for fleets to see where drivers are adhering to various warnings – customized or not – and where they might need improvement.  Automated driver coaching  If a driver needs improvement and to improve his or her safety standards, it’s much better to be proactive about it. Only acting after a driver has had a ticket or an accident usually leads to increased insurance costs and, potentially, a lower carrier safety rating.  At the same time, traditional driver coaching is both time-consuming and inefficient for driver and fleet. And if all drivers – even the safest – are forced to do a one-size-fits-all coaching program, a fleet risks frustrating its drivers and creating retention issues.  With an automated driver coaching platform, a fleet can take every driver’s existing behavior into account with telematics when starting a new coaching program. If a driver has issues with harsh braking and cornering but not speeding, he or she doesn’t have to be assigned lessons related to speeding.  Automated driver coaching also means that drivers can access lessons on any device whenever they’d like. Fleet managers have complete visibility on the lessons drivers have completed, what they have yet to complete, and driver performance before and after the lesson.  Drivewyze, Predictive Coach, and Transflo are your partners for improved safety insights  Through Drivewyze’s groundbreaking Safety+ product using in-cab notifications, drivers have better information about road conditions and safety concerns. Fleets using Safety+ have reduced accidents by 22%. Transflo Mobile+ features a seamless integration with Safety+, so drivers can take advantage of both platforms’ capabilities simultaneously and without distractions.  Predictive Coach offers automated and tailored driver coaching using existing telematics data and is Transflo’s newest partner in its mission to provide existing customers with the most important tools in transportation technology. During an independent, third-party study, Predictive Coach was found to decrease risky driving events by 73%.  Interested in learning more about Transflo, Drivewyze, and Predictive Coach? We invite you to join us for an exclusive webinar on August 21, “Top 3 Ways to Turn Data into Safety Insights,” where all three companies will discuss how fleets can take steps toward improved safety and operational efficiency.  

Depending on your perspective, 10 years – an entire decade – can be a really, really long time. In the tech space, however, entire industries are born and collapse in even less time. For apps and services to stand the test of time, they need to solve real problems in the marketplace, be laser-focused on the user, and constantly be innovating to stay competitive. With Transflo Mobile+ marking its 10-year anniversary in the supply chain mobile technology space, it’s safe to say the odds have been beaten.  Since its launch on June 20, 2014, Transflo Mobile+ has simplified the lives of millions of professional truck drivers by putting all their essential on-the-road tasks into a single, easy-to-use application. From document scanning and Hours of Service to navigation, load management, and more, Transflo Mobile+ has helped keep drivers safe by reducing app switching and keeping focus where it belongs: on the road.   With over 3.2 million downloads across the iOS and Android app stores, Transflo Mobile+ has proven to be a timesaving and profit-driving asset, both in and out of the cab, for thousands of carriers across North America. Mobile+ has been a driving contributor to annual Transflo averages of nearly 1 billion scanned documents, 65 million+ loads processed, and well over $100 billion in freight spend.  To celebrate 10 years of in-cab transportation innovation, let’s dive into the history of Transflo Mobile+, explore origins, major milestones, and where the app is going in its second decade.   Origins and launch  In 1991, Transflo entered the transportation technology space as Pegasus Imaging (later: Pegasus TransTech) with a focus on document management systems and truck stop document scanning solutions. While it would take another six years for the Transflo brand to be introduced, that delay was practically nothing for an industry chronically stuck on an endless supply of paper, manually processing every analog page and task.  Modern (and mobile) computing, full digitization, and advanced processing technology would come to most of the transportation industry later than other sectors of the economy. To help with that initial wave of supply chain modernization, Transflo Mobile was launched in 2011 as a scanning application, dedicated solely to capturing trip documents.  In 2014, after developing the app further and acquiring document shipping and scanning service TripPak, Transflo Mobile rebranded to Transflo Mobile+ to better reflect its burgeoning additional capabilities.  In 2014, after incremental app developments, and the acquisition of TripPak, Transflo Mobile finally earned its “+” badge. Transflo Mobile+ was born, and this new branding better reflected its growing capabilities and marketplace value as the everything app for truck drivers.  The first years   Between bill of ladings, proof of deliveries, invoices, and fuel and toll receipts – the trucking industry is so paper-dependent, it’s no wonder it was slow to adopt new technologies. With a critical focus on document scanning, Transflo Mobile+ carved out a clear path of innovation by solving a specific problem for drivers and carriers: document digitization.   Before the widespread adoption of smartphones, clunky and expensive in-cab computer systems were used for dispatch and communications with carriers. Transflo Mobile+ consolidated two-way communications, load workflows, and document scanning and processing all into a single app on a single device. This modernization of communication standards delivered dramatic efficiency gains to carriers and brokers. Drivers were able to spend less time processing paperwork and more time with their families.  “Communication is communication, whether it’s on a $3,000 in-cab computer, or whether it’s on a phone, and we knew it was inevitable that we were going to strip the utility out of the in-cab unit related to communication and put it on the phone,” said Frank Adelman, Transflo CEO and President from 2013 to 2022. “The economics just weren’t even close.” Transflo Mobile+ saw its first major update in October 2014, rolling out safety tools, enhanced communication features, and improved load management capabilities. By the time Mobile+ turned a year old, it had already reached version 1.5, boasting fully customizable workflows, improved messaging, and carrier-specific communications.  Milestones and integrations  In its early years (as it is today), Transflo Mobile+ was a powerful app that helped millions of drivers and carriers streamline and simplify day-to-day workflows, but it truly became a one-stop shop for professional truck drivers when it integrated essential telematics and other critical services used across the industry.  A crucial date in this process was Sept. 29, 2016, when Transflo entered the telematics market more than a year in advance of the electronic logging device (ELD) government mandate in December 2017. This telematics solution integrated directly inside Transflo Mobile+, meaning that drivers could easily log hours without switching apps or distracted driving.  With the new ELD hardware paired with Transflo Mobile+, fleet managers could gain insights on truck maintenance, driving behavior, location status, and more.    In March 2018, Transflo announced Mobile+ integration with Drivewyze, enabling drivers to bypass hundreds of weigh stations across North America and receive vital in-cab safety alerts. By this time, Mobile+ had surpassed 1 million downloads across iOS and Android app stores. Also in 2018, Transflo announced a partnership with CoPilot Truck, integrating truck-friendly routing, navigation, scheduling, and loads compatibility.  Relaunch and growth  Although users didn’t know it at the time, 2018 was a massive year for Transflo Mobile+ behind the scenes. Despite a significant user base, the app was still missing out on a majority of the 4.1 million professional truck drivers in North America. That year, a UI designer – and Transflo’s current Director of Product Experience, John Karl – was brought onboard to to redesign Transflo Mobile+.   “It took about three months to completely redesign Mobile+, from the top down. I did a small amount of competitive analysis with existing apps, but it was important to me that I approached the project with fresh eyes,” said Karl.    In those three months, Karl developed five different prototypes to present to the executive team in the first half of 2018. When walking the executives through his designs, Karl got only as far as the second concept before the company had found the new look – and guiding philosophy – for the future of Transflo Mobile+. Not long after, the company ran an ad in Transport Topics to showcase the new prototype – a revolutionary design language complete with the core “dial” elements that exist to this day.  By late 2019, the redesigned Transflo Mobile+ launched, setting the stage for tremendous growth in the following years.   Recent years and what’s next  Since the redesign, Transflo Mobile+ has continued to add new features that build on the app’s core philosophy as a “mobile operating system for professional truck drivers.” Recent additions include:  Fully digitized electronic Bill of Lading (eBOL) and electronic Proof of Delivery (ePOD) workflows.  Improved app security, multiple fleet profiles, and enhanced user experience.  A next-generation scanning engine and offline document uploads.  Improved route optimizations and telematics integrations.  In the coming months and years, the product team behind Transflo Mobile+ will continue to focus on customer input to refine the user experience, enhance functionality, and emphasize user-friendly, “outside the box” design. For more information on how Transflo Mobile+ can streamline and simplify your drivers’ workday, contact us here. 

Even though December 18, 2017, was less than seven years ago, the era of backlash against the mandate might as well be a lifetime ago. And yet, recent developments have reminded the industry that some still run afoul of federal compliance rules – and that the ELD mandate won’t stay static forever.  In this blog, we’ll look at the reason a federal safety authority recommends tightening ELD rules, how ELD regulations might change, and what those developments could mean for carriers.  Why the NTSB wants the FMCSA to tighten ELD requirements  On August 28, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued a report from a fatal accident involving a tractor-trailer and a bus that killed three bus occupants on Interstate 64 in Virginia in December 2022.   The NTSB said driver fatigue contributed to the collision, which isn’t too rare for fatal accidents. However, the Safety Board found that the Illinois-based carrier “created fictitious driver accounts in the electronic logging device system and enabled drivers to operate their vehicles for hours in excess of federal regulations.”   After an investigation, the driver of the tractor-trailer was found to have repeatedly exceeded Hours of Service limits before the wreck. The carrier who helped create the inaccurate HOS logs was fined by the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Administration and given a conditional safety rating.  The NTSB endorsed the FMCSA modifying ELD software requirements to include an audit log with date, driver login time, who logged them in, names of those who edited the log, driver’s license numbers, and active driver list changes. The Safety Board said in the crash report, “a data-entry tracking history in ELD software can increase accountability and transparency and can deter motor carrier personnel from making false entries aimed at circumventing HOS regulations.”  ELD changes were probably on the way regardless  Earlier in the summer, before the NTSB’s report on the fatal Virginia crash, the FMCSA disclosed that it would likely revise ELD rules in June 2025. While the FMCSA is considering several changes, including items related to ELD malfunctions, the process of removing devices from the approved list, technical specs, and how ELDs are certified, the most controversial item will likely be if the FMCSA decides to mandate ELDs for pre-2000 engines.  Currently, trucks with engines manufactured before 2000 are not required to have ELDs, regardless of whether the truck has a glider kit to put an older engine and transmission in a newer cab and chassis. Skeptics of mandating ELDs for glider kits with pre-2000 engines believe that the relatively small number of those vehicles on the road do not cause a threat to road safety.  What do these possible changes mean for carriers?  A mid-2025 regulation changing the pre-2000 ELD exemption will mean more to small carriers or owner-operators and not larger carriers at scale who are likely running newer equipment. The changes that the NTSB wants to see from the FMCSA could add another layer of oversight to compliance and HOS processes in fleets.  Yet, a key takeaway from the tragic Virginia wreck is that carriers must be above board with their safety and compliance standards at all times and at all levels of leadership. The CEO and HOS manager at the carrier found at fault each denied knowing about the ELD scheme. Even if taken at face value, they were still responsible for the carrier’s non-compliance. By falling afoul of the rules, the carrier will have a lot of work – and cost – to prove that it has competent safety standards in place going forward.  The accident and possible audit changes to ELDs show exactly why the rules exist in the first place – to keep everyone on the road safe, not just carriers and their employees. When carriers cut corners, the consequences affect lives and business operations. Fleets that take safety and HOS compliance seriously – and have for years – may have new ELD rules to comply with in the coming years, but they will also be well-positioned to adapt, ensuring the safety of their drivers and everyone on the road remains a top priority. 

When commercial vehicles get towed while hauling freight, jobs and commerce are at stake. For carriers and brokers of many sizes, one missed load or incomplete trip can be margin-shattering at best and catastrophic at worst.  But on top of those pitfalls, towing companies may charge over six figures to move a tractor-trailer. And while $200,000 towing bills are not typical, the vast majority of carriers – 82.7% – have reported being overcharged by towing companies, according to a 2021 study by the American Transportation Research Institute.  Predatory towing fees and exorbitant bills have been an issue for several years in the trucking industry, but 2024 has seen states, the federal government, and industry groups take steps to protect carriers.  What’s been done this year to fight predatory towing?  In Florida, the state House and Senate unanimously passed legislation that requires towing companies to provide a rate sheet that lists all fees related to vehicle recovery, removal, or storage. Florida Trucking Association President Alix Miller called the passage “a huge victory for trucking in Florida, the trucking industry nationally, who have seen invoices as high as $200,000, and the motoring public, who fall victim to predatory towing companies.”  In April, Tennessee passed a law cracking down on towing companies that went so far as to boot or tow trucks with drivers on-site or in the cab.  Bills mandating greater price transparency and banning the process of nonconsensual towing have been filed in Missouri and North Carolina.  But proposals from the federal Department of Transportation (DOT) have garnered the most attention this year on the towing regulation front.  As part of the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) crackdown on “junk fees” and push for national towing transparency, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), which is part of the DOT, sought input on how it could effectively address the problem of predatory towing.  Groups that supported federal rules on predatory towing include the American Trucking Association and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, while towing industry associations and various small towing business spoke out against DOT/FTC rules.  But it was the American Property Casualty Insurers Association (APCIA) – who has a role in the industry through underwriting carrier insurance policies – that posed an especially effective argument for FMCSA towing rules. The APCIA mentioned that “towing and recovery companies have historically sued both state and local governments to invalidate any attempts to regulate the industry,” affirming the need for federal rules.  How can individual carriers push back against predatory towing companies?  But what if a truck has a wreck or breaks down in a place that doesn’t have transparent pricing and rules about towing? In that case, it pays to be prepared and have relationships with towers you can trust or that come recommended by your insurance company.  It’s also imperative that a fleet shares the name of preferred reputable towing companies with its drivers so they can inform law enforcement about the tower to be used. This will help the highway patrol or other authority on the scene to keep other, possibly predatory, towers from swooping in.  By not having to worry about towing when an accident happens, carriers can begin to put the pieces back together with dash cam footage that helps exonerate a driver from being at-fault and prevents a costly insurance rate increase.  You can help combat predatory towing, no matter where your fleet resides or travels  The trucking industry is making strides in combating predatory towing practices, but there’s still work to be done.   By staying informed, building relationships with trustworthy towing companies, and ensuring drivers are prepared for emergencies, carriers can better protect themselves from exorbitant fees. As regulations evolve, proactive steps will help fleets focus on what they do best — keeping freight moving safely and efficiently. 

One restaurant has an a la carte menu, while the other is all-you-can-eat. With everything else being equal, you and yours are probably picking the all-you-can-eat option, right?  Dining options and document scanning for carriers don’t have too much in common with each other. But when deciding on what to purchase, you probably want the option that provides the greatest value.  Carriers that are still relying on transactional document scanning are sacrificing value with every load.  In this blog, we’ll look at why switching from a transactional document scanning model to a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model with unlimited scanning on Transflo Mobile+ offers several key benefits for freight carriers:  1. Cost Savings A SaaS model with a fixed subscription fee provides predictable, flat-rate pricing, eliminating the variable costs associated with per-scan fees in a transactional model. Unlimited scanning also reduces the need to track individual scans, minimizing administrative needs.  2. Scalability With an unlimited scanning arrangement, carriers can take one step in scaling operations without worrying about increasing scanning costs. Knowing that you’ll pay one scanning fee regardless of load volumes accommodates growth efficiently. Additionally, the ability to scan unlimited documents allows for flexibility during peak periods or unexpected surges in demand.  3. Improved Accessibility and Convenience Transflo Mobile+ enables drivers and staff to scan and upload documents from anywhere in one app, improving real-time data capture and reducing delays in document submission. Drivers can capture and send documents immediately after delivery, reducing the time and invoice lag between document creation and processing. Offline scanning capabilities also mean that scans will send as soon as a data connection allows – even if a driver is delivering to a remote area.  4. Enhanced Efficiency and Productivity for Everyone Unlimited scanning simplifies back-office processes, allowing drivers and administrative staff to focus on more critical tasks rather than managing scan limits. Moving away from transactional scans via Transflo Mobile+ reduces the reliance on physical paperwork, minimizing the risk of lost documents and streamlining data entry into digital systems.  5. Faster Document Processing Documents are instantly uploaded to cloud storage or other servers, enabling faster processing and reducing delays in invoicing and payment cycles. Once uploaded, centralized storage ensures that documents are instantly accessible to all authorized personnel, speeding up decision-making and operations. 6. Improved Compliance and Accuracy Digital scanning helps maintain accurate, timestamped records, simplifying compliance with regulations and customer or fleet requirements. Additionally, the top-of-the-line scanning engine in Transflo Mobile+ reduces errors associated with manual data entry and document handling, leading to more accurate and reliable records than with comparable scanning platforms.  7. Data Security and Backup SaaS platforms like Transflo Mobile+ offer advanced security measures, such as in-transit and data-at-rest encryption and access controls, to protect sensitive information. These measures reduce the risk of data loss and ensure that documents are easily retrievable.  Switching from a transactional document scanning model to a SaaS solution like Transflo Mobile+ offers freight carriers significant benefits, including cost savings, scalability, and enhanced efficiency. By adopting unlimited scanning, carriers can focus on the most important operational aspects of their business – and not on the number of scans they have left.