Transfix rolls out its debut standalone software offering

Earlier this week, New York-based Transfix, a logistics technology services provider that streamlines shipment data to better help shippers make informed decisions to optimize time and revenues, introduced its debut standalone software offering, which it meshes with its existing digital brokerage platform.

Entitled Fleet Planner, the company said it is a free, online tool that provides small- and mid-sized carriers access to a centralized platform for various tasks, including managing fleets, streamlining operations, and scaling their business, among other tasks.

Transfix Co-Founder and Chairman Drew McElroy told LM that Fleet Planner caters to a critical need in the small-to-midsize carrier market, as, these carriers account for a vast majority—and increasingly important segment—of the American trucking industry.

“They face the same complexities as much larger carriers, but we’ve found that tech solutions for navigating those complexities, streamlining operations and enabling scale have historically been inaccessible,” he explained. “We developed Fleet Planner to fill that gap in the market. This is a first of its kind, free, online tool that gives small and mid-sized carriers a centralized platform for managing their fleets, streamlining their operations, and ultimately scaling their business.

And in addition to being free of charge, McElroy explained that Fleet Planner can also be leveraged by both carriers who do and do not already work with Transfix today.

“Our mission has always been about delivering simple, smart, and sustainable freight solutions powered by tech and people—and better supporting carriers is at the heart of that mission,” he said. “Fleet Planner is very much a user-inspired product, and we’ll continue to add capabilities and integrations tailored to fit the needs of these carriers.”

As for the customer benefits of Fleet Planner, McElroy prefaced his reply by observing that Transfix considers its customers to be both its shippers and carriers.

“That said, while Fleet Planner is built for carriers to use, it will absolutely benefit shippers as well,” he said. “Freight success ultimately relies on access to the best possible network of carriers. Right now, shippers are chasing capacity—and we’re entering into what promises to be a huge fourth quarter with the holiday season around the corner.

And with outbound tender volumes at all-time highs, he added that it is essentially a carriers’ market, making it easier than ever for them to reject loads in favor of more attractive rates and lanes.

“So, a network of reliable carriers is more critical—yet harder to find—than ever for shippers,” he said. “Fleet Planner caters to the needs of carriers, easing the time consuming, tedious, and often fragmented organizational process of managing fleets, assigning loads, and communicating load details with drivers. And for shippers, this is hugely impactful.”

Taking that a step further he noted that more efficiency and better visibility and communication among carriers yields greater likelihood for on-time pickups, faster, more proactive exception management, and seamless deliveries.

“Our focus on building the industry’s best carrier network is a win: win for both shippers and carriers,” he said. “Through deep partnerships and technology products, we are able to empower carriers while simultaneously creating a best-in-class virtual carrier network for shippers. Plus, the insights that Fleet Planner will ultimately deliver will help drive better visibility and reliability for both carriers and shippers alike.”

When asked what Fleet Planner provides for small and midsize carriers that was previously missing, McElroy said that—like Transfix’ other transportation offerings—it was customer-inspired and a way for the company to help make things easier for carriers and provide them with a product that is customized to their needs, free of charge.

“Today, dispatchers of these small and mid-size fleets are often left relying on pen and paper and spreadsheets to organize information and keep operations running smoothly,” McElroy noted. “This can lead to siloed views of their businesses and massive inefficiencies that can cost them thousands and thousands of dollars a year. They also run the risk of missing loads, hurting critical customer relationships and wasting truck capacity, all of which impacts the bottom line and can ultimately put them on the path to business failure. Fleet Planner gives dispatchers a modern, online tool for streamlining manual processes and communication, and improving organization-wide visibility.”

As an example, he said early Beta users are saving hundreds of hours of time that has been traditionally spent on administrative tasks, but more importantly, the support and visibility is giving them greater peace of mind. And, now, they can focus their time and effort on more strategic opportunities to increase asset utilization, and with that, earn more money even if their truck and load volumes stay the same.

“This is ultimately about helping carriers better run and build their businesses,” he added.  

When asked about the competitive advantages of Fleet Planner, from a Transfix perspective, McElroy plainly stated that Transfix builds innovative transportation solutions—inspired by the needs of shippers and carriers—that are reshaping the future of freight.

“We started with our digital freight marketplace and a focus on building the best network of carriers available to shippers today,” he said. “Developing products to help carriers better run and ultimately grow their businesses is a natural extension of the way we’ve always partnered with them and why we’ve been able to build the network of carriers we’re known for today. As our first standalone software offering, Fleet Planner is a big milestone for Transfix. It’s a big step toward furthering our vision of building the world’s most intelligent and trusted logistics network, and toward ultimately enabling more automated global shipping and the frictionless flow of goods.”