Manhattan develops TMS module for 'Uber for Trucking' segment

Supply chain technology provider Manhattan Associates Inc. said today it has added capabilities to its Transportation Management System (TMS) that are designed for shippers and motor carriers who want to tender and transport loads without the use of a third-party provider such as a freight broker or a 3PL.

The app platform, called TMS 2017, is part of the Atlanta-based company's Supply Chain Solution suite, Manhattan said. At the same time, Manhattan unveiled an updated "carrier management" suite of decision support tools for truckload carriers to help them reduce overhead costs and improve utilization, efficiency, and profitability.

The new technology is Manhattan's response to the trend toward the so-called "Uber for Trucking" model, named after the San Francisco-based ride-sharing pioneer which has launched its own freight operation, where shippers can procure and transact capacity with carriers other than their primary partners, and can do so using a smartphone app that links directly with carriers.

Most small truckers do not have the high-end IT infrastructure of their larger counterparts, making tendering, procuring, and tracking shipments through traditional means more difficult, according to Manhattan.

Manhattan said its "TMS 2017" platform will be integrated with MacroPoint, a global freight platform that provides shippers with real-time visibility of freight they have entrusted to third-party carriers. This integration gives users immediate access to one million drivers and over two million connections to electronic truck-tracking devices in cabs.

Earlier this month, Canadian IT company Descartes Systems Group Inc. said it would buy Cleveland-based MacroPoint LLC for $107 million in a cash-stock deal that Descartes said will give it a strong position in the truckload visibility market.