A Transportation Management System (TMS) is a digital tool adopted for businesses to streamline their logistics and transportation operations. By centralizing transportation data, it empowers transportation teams to forecast network requirements, optimize routing, manage carrier interactions, and track shipments. TMS software also automates integral processes such as load booking and tendering, facilitates payment and settlement, and offers reporting on vital network Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). An efficient and effective TMS grants shippers both a detailed insight into daily operations and a comprehensive overview of their broader network performance.

The main purpose of transportation management software is to lower costs through improved logistics efficiency, better customer service, and a faster flow of goods to customers. It achieves this by optimizing shipment routing, streamlining shipment consolidation, and providing real-time order tracking.

Key features of a transportation management system include route planning and optimization, load optimization, execution management, freight audit and payment, yard management, order visibility, and carrier management.

A Transportation Management System (TMS) helps optimize and manage the logistics and transportation processes by enabling the following: Data Integration: A TMS gathers data from various sources within the supply chain, including order management systems, warehouse management systems, carriers, and other logistics partners. This integrated approach ensures real-time and accurate data availability. Planning & Decision Making: Using this data, the TMS can plan the most efficient transportation routes, select the best carriers based on cost and service levels, consolidate shipments when possible, and choose the best transportation mode (truck, air, ocean, rail, intermodal). Execution: Once decisions are made, the TMS facilitates the actual transportation process. This includes tendering loads to carriers, confirming shipments, and producing necessary shipping documentation. Visibility & Tracking: A TMS provides real-time visibility into the transportation process. Users can track shipments, get status updates, and be alerted to any potential delays or issues that arise. Settlement: After transportation is completed, the TMS can assist in verifying carrier invoices against quoted rates, assist in managing cargo claims in case of damages, and ensuring that carriers are paid in a timely manner. Reporting & Analysis: TMS solutions typically come with analytics capabilities. These analytics tools generate reports on transportation costs, carrier performance, route efficiencies, and other vital metrics, enabling businesses to identify areas for improvement. Optimization: Over time, using historical data and advanced algorithms, modern TMS solutions suggest improvements in routing, carrier selection, and other areas to continuously optimize transportation operations. Communication: A TMS can help bridge communication gaps by providing a centralized platform where shippers, carriers, and other stakeholders can communicate and collaborate. Automation: Modern TMS platforms include features that automate repetitive tasks, such as load tendering, appointment scheduling, or document generation. This reduces manual work and potential errors. Modern TMS solutions ultimately streamline the complex web of transportation logistics, making it more efficient, cost-effective, and responsive to shifting business and market conditions.

We meet enterprises where they are at. Our TMS modular approach allows us to tailor our module offerings to our customers. This includes data validation to stay on top of data compliance, shipment planning to unlock cross-docking, and optimization engines solutions. Our execution tool enables automated carrier assignment, tendering, and load rating, in addition to leveraging spot market tech offerings to secure best pricing on non-contracted lanes. For visibility, we provide the ability to track freight end-to-end using technologies including EDI, API, Web and mobile portals, plus partnering with third-party providers to track domestic, international, and cross-border freight.

You can customize OLxHub TMS to meet your business’ unique needs. The OLxHub TMS architecture enables configuration of business rules to personalize your experience, including transit calculation, appointment formulas, and routing/rating logic. Our configuration engine can also setup naming conventions on key references to match your ERP, enabling customized order types and business units.

No, OLxHub is not a broker. We are a marketplace connecting brokers, shippers, customs agents and transporters directly.