The cloud-based supply chain software provider Logistical Labs LLC will integrate its LoadDex LTL freight pricing software with software applications from project44, a Chicago firm that has developed a web tool to instantly connect shippers and 3PLs.

Users of Chicago-based Logistical Labs' LoadDex platform can inspect aggregate pricing information for any given route, allowing them to make strategic shipping decisions by analyzing years of historical, social, and external pricing data in less than two seconds to find the most efficient and cost-effective option, according to the company.

The new integration makes it possible for users to swiftly exchange real-time rating information via project44's Rating API, an application programming interface (API) that enables websites to automatically exchange data. The upgrade will reduce the time it takes for shippers to request quotes from multiple carriers at one time, according to Logistical Labs.

"Users can now access project44's LTL network directly from within the LoadDex interface via API technology to instantly book capacity," Logistical Labs chief product officer Chris Ricciardi said in a statement. "Having all rates and all modes in a centralized location greatly streamlines the rating process for our customers—giving them one source for all of their mode optimization needs."

Project44 has created technology that standardizes hundreds of API connections to LTL carriers. Its secure web service integrates into transportation management systems (TMS), replacing EDI connections with faster, more accurate web service, the company says.

The company has also linked its APIs to the TMS platforms of firms such as MercuryGate International Inc. and McLeod Software Corp., running in the background to accelerate data exchange speed and accuracy.

Project44 recently gained new leadership when it hired C. Thomas Barnes, former president of less-than-truckload (LTL) services at freight broker Coyote Logistics LLC, as its own president.