Third-party logistics provider (3PL) Cerasis Inc. said today it has partnered with logistics technology vendor Pierbridge Inc. to add multi-carrier parcel shipping management to Cerasis' transportation management system (TMS) product.

Eagan, Minn.-based Cerasis added the capability to the Cerasis Rater, a web-based TMS that now allows shippers to manage all their over-the-road transportation modes through a single web-based pOréal, the firm said.

In order to give shippers more transportation choices, the Cerasis Rater now provides multi-carrier parceloptions including the large parcel carriers UPS Inc., FedEx Corp., and the U.S. Postal Service, as well as regional parcel carriers such as LSO and same-day delivery services such as Deliv. The platform will also continue to support shipments in the less-than-truckload (LTL) and full truckload (FT) transportation modes, Cerasis said.

Cerasis' TMS also allows shippers to generate real-time comparisons between multi-carrier parcel shipping and multi-carrier LTL shipping based on variables like cost and transit time, the company said.

Cerasis Rater's new multi-carrier parcel shipping capability is powered by Marlborough, Mass.-based Pierbridge's Transtream technology, which automates cartonization, rating, routing, shipping, tracking, and returns for hundreds of carrier services, according to Pierbridge.

"Controlling shipping costs is now a board-level concern, especially with the growth of eCommerce," Pierbridge CEO Bob Malley said in a statement. "Our partnership with Cerasis will provide Transtream users with more choices to ship anywhere, from anywhere, by any carrier. Cerasis transportation management system technology, expertise, and brokerage services will be a very welcome addition to Transtream's portfolio of carrier services."