Digital freight matching uses web- and mobile-based transportation marketplace platforms to execute real-time matches between a shipper’s freight and carriers’ available capacity.

What is Digital Freight Matching (DFM)?

Digital freight matching (DFM) allows shippers, brokers, and 3PLs to find trucks and drivers with available capacity to transport truckload and less-than-truckload (LTL) freight shipments.

Digital freight matching applies machine learning, robotic process automation, and API-based technology to help shippers, brokers, and 3PLs find the right truck for a load quickly.

Predictive digital freight matching offers capabilities beyond a traditional load board, freight marketplace, or antiquated load match software.

Difference Between a Load Board and Digital Freight Matching

Freight matching platforms rely on automation to execute load matches. A load board depends on brokers, 3PLs, or shippers seeking carriers to use their resources to connect with a driver and their transportation capacity.

Conversely, digital freight matching streamlines the process and connects truckers to customers in real time.

Automated freight matching pairs a freight load’s unique characteristics (origin and destination, pickup/drop off schedule, type of cargo, weight, etc.) with trucks that meet requirements.

What is a Digital Freight Network?

A digital freight network is an internet-based freight marketplace. A Digital Freight Marketplace connects shippers or digital freight brokers with carriers to load match freight shipments with available transportation capacity. Digital freight networks offer a transactional alternative to contract transportation procurement for shippers seeking carriers.

Digital freight brokers, third-party logistics providers, and shippers use a digital freight network in a cost-efficient manner that is governed by demand and availability of freight capacity. Digital freight networks allow carriers and drivers to limit empty miles and backhauls by filling available capacity in real time.

A digital freight marketplace benefits when numerous and diverse participants interact in the digital freight network regularly.

What is Digital Freight?

Digital freight describes the execution of a shipment by a digital freight broker, often using technology to automate the manual tendering, booking, and shipment execution processes.

What is a Digital Freight Broker?

A digital freight broker can be a traditional freight broker or third-party logistics provider (3PL) with a brokerage operation. Digital freight brokers connect shippers with truck drivers. An application programming interface (API) accelerates digital freight brokers’ ability to connect a freight shipment with the appropriate capacity.

List of Digital Freight Brokers

Access a list of digital freight brokers participating in an extensive freight matching network. Find a partner in the digital freight matching category of transportation technology partners.

Leading digital freight companies include Amazon Freight, Banyan Technology, C.H. Robinson, Convoy, Emerge, Loadsmart, Redwood Logistics, Surge Transportation, and Uber Freight.

Learn more about the state of digital freight networks.

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Benefits of Digital Freight Matching in a Digital Freight Network

LSPs and shippers seeking carriers instantly access capacity using freight matching in a digital network.

Benefits of a digital freight network include:

Access multiple modes – parcel, LTL, partial truckload, truckload, intermodal, and final mile.
Book loads immediately, dynamically priced based on market conditions.
Increase in-house fleet size with selective outsourcing to other carriers.
Tender fewer loads in the spot market by consolidating and maximizing unused capacity already under contracted capacity.
Grow your company with scalability by relying on expanding networks that offer diverse freight and the specific equipment needed to move it.
Improve collaboration by using increased data access to manage assets within active, profitable lanes and delivering a real-time response to bids.

How MercuryGate Helps You Streamline Your DFM

MercuryGate has the industry’s largest digital freight marketplace, comprised of shippers, carriers, brokers, and 3PLs. The range of this network provides nearly unlimited access to capacity and helps MercuryGate users achieve on-time service goals when there is a capacity shortage.

When capacity in the market is loose, the network provides an ecosystem that enables competitive rating that results in significant cost savings for shippers. The digital freight network also helps capacity providers match empty equipment with immediate demand and remove unnecessary empty miles throughout their transportation network.

MercuryGate connects your transportation management system with our network of digital freight partners. Seamless integrations allow shippers, brokers, 3PLs, and carriers to share data securely across systems. This enables APIs and automated protocols within the TMS to follow a sequential tendering process that finds capacity and executes each shipment. With more loads booked autonomously, shippers and logistics services providers move more loads cost-effectively in an extended market.

By providing visibility into capacity with guaranteed rates, MercuryGate’s Digital Freight Marketplace offers users extensive options for finding capacity at competitive costs so they can keep products moving and trucks full. Further, our Digital Freight Marketplace solution uses embedded analytics that delivers the critical information and insight needed to make the right procurement decision based on MercuryGate’s extensive $100 billion freight network.