AscendTMS will incorporate advanced visibility from project44 to extend real-time transportation tracking to more small and medium-sized business (SMB) carriers and shippers. project44 and InMotion Global Inc., the maker of AscendTMS software, announced an agreement to help SMB carriers become fully digital with the thousands of global shippers using project44.
project44 Supports TMS with In-Transit Visibility
Transportation management systems (TMS) are typically used to plan shipping, identify carriers for shipments, and then tender those loads to carriers. project44 provides advanced real-time visibility functionality to TMS providers so those systems can monitor transportation shipments in progress, calculate times-of-arrival based on real-time data, and provide alerts about delays. project44 already works with more than 60 TMS providers.
The agreement between project44 and InMotion Global puts AscendTMS cloud-based software in the hands of any carrier, broker, or shipper for free, with a direct and automated connection to project44’s vast network of shippers. AscendTMS is currently used by more than 35,000 carriers, brokers, and shippers, in more than 20 countries.
Automated Carrier Onboarding
This agreement allows any carrier using AscendTMS to automatically onboard their entire fleet with project44. Integration with the project44 platform means that the carrier has no need to ever manually update project44 of any changes to their drivers, tractors, or trailers. Because AscendTMS and project44 platform are constantly exchanging information, shippers using the AscendTM are kept informed about shipment status, even if the carrier changes trucks, trailers, or drivers after the load has been tendered and is in transit.
AscendTMS Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tim Higham said shippers and carriers should be able to realize savings from having shipment visibility throughout the life of the load. “Additionally, participating AscendTMS carriers get a live feed back into their AscendTMS account from project44 showing their real-time truck and trailer locations, no matter the Electronic Logging Device (ELD) vendor being used in that specific equipment,” Higham said. “This is highly beneficial to carriers running a mix of different ELD vendors within their fleet, which is very common for fleets running a mix of company drivers, owner operators, or leased equipment.”
Small Carriers Gain Equal Footing on Visibility With Big Carriers
project44 founder and CEO Jett McCandless said that the agreement with AscendTMS will give wider access to in-transit visibility for small carriers, which represent an estimated 90 percent of the trucking market. “The only way digital freight becomes a reality for everyone is by providing that 90 percent of the market with proven digital freight tools, like AscendTMS and project44,” said McCandless “so they can realize the same digital efficiencies as the top 10 percent of the market.”