Sara Blair

This post by today Andrew Silver about whether Uber Freight's new Broker Access is essentially double brokering is worth a read: https://lnkd.in/eVm7q9wv I wrote about the new product today (https://lnkd.in/e5NcSaBC) but let me be absolutely clear. I am not neither for or against the product. I know some people believe a media outlet merely writing about a subject constitutes advocacy (or tacit advocacy) but I don't see it that way. My job, at its core, is to help readers of our publication do their jobs better. Writing about a development in the market - even if it's untested, or a repackaged idea that's been around for ages, or if it's controversial - is part of that process for me. Andrew has forgotten more about brokerage than I'll ever know, but I will say that it's pretty important we clear up the nomenclature in the industry. Some people in the comments to his post said Uber Freight is offering co-brokering. Andrew insisted it is double brokering. The way I understand it is Uber is essentially opening a door to a house that many brokers will never have the resources to build themselves. Will that house ever belong to those other brokers? No, but without giving their customers access to it, maybe they lose the business to another broker anyway. I do think that, as a broker using this product, you have to know that the data you supply can and will be used in some way - perhaps for you, perhaps against you, perhaps in service of another product. That's really up to Uber and brokers using Broker Access to put in black and white with one another. One other thing I'd address: some on the thread, including Andrew, suggested that Uber should get out of the brokerage game and focus on software for other brokers. The argument against that is that a large diversified company - with brokerage, MTS, and software - is better able to ride out different parts of the freight cycle. There's also the argument that a large 3PL can essentially road-test software better than a standalone software company could. Again, I make no judgments on any of this - that's certainly not my role - but rather am eager to hear from the market their thoughts on this as it lives in the real world.

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I haven’t posted much on LinkedIn in a bit, but June marks a big milestone for me and my Omnichannel Fulfillment team that I want to celebrate – it’s the one-year anniversary of Flexport's acquisition of Shopify Logistics/Deliverr Inc. As I reflect on this past year, I am overcome with deep gratitude and pride for all the team has built, transformed, and accomplished for merchants in such a short period of time. Integrating two robust businesses and navigating through complexity and ambiguity was no easy feat. On June 6, we closed the acquisition, and a mere 90 days later we launched the first-ever #supplychain product that married international freight services, domestic omnichannel and #ecommerce fulfillment, and trade and financial services. This rapidly evolved the legacy Deliverr Seller Portal into the first platform to connect a customer’s supply chain from factory floor to customer door – now known as Flexport’s Omnichannel Seller Portal. This consumer-grade product lowers the barriers for merchants of all sizes to not only manage their end-to-end logistics in one spot, but make #omnichannel growth achievable by all. We knew from the beginning that our operations, customer service, and execution had to be world-class. We acquired a fragmented network of 50+ warehouses operated by a myriad of 3Ps. This model was a drain on our profitability, and prevented us from consistently driving the quality our customers expect. We designed a new operating model and invested in consolidating our network to five strategically placed hubs that Flexport will own and operate. This rapidly improved our unit economics, but also allowed us to take the reins on performance. We improved our Dock-to-Stock speed, making customer inventory available twice as fast. Our On-Time-Shipping is 99%, and our On-Time-Delivery is 97%+. With this consolidated network, our five hubs now represent more cumulative square footage than we had before, allowing us to co-locate multiple services under one roof for faster processing and scale 5X during Peak, all while maintaining (and in some cases increasing) the speed of delivery. To help merchants grow, Flexport now integrates with more than 30+ eCommerce platforms and #B2B retailers including Shopify, Amazon, Walmart, Costco Wholesale, Target, Nordstrom, and our newest addition SHEIN. Ultimately, this gives merchants flexibility/optionality in how they serve customers with the simplicity of one inventory pool. Since we launched in September, we received substantial interest from merchants, with over 25K sign-ups to the Portal. Thousands of merchants have entrusted us with their goods, booking tens of thousands of shipments, and moving tens of millions of units through our network this past year. We’re on track to crush prior records this Peak, growing alongside our diverse merchants, making fulfillment a long-term profitable growth engine for Flexport. In just 1 year, we learned a ton, built a lot, and delivered even more.

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I work with logistics providers that have been in business 100+ years. I also built much of Flexport’s infrastructure over six years. The gap is more narrow than you expect. The main challenge we saw in the industry was that shippers wanted their freight providers to be proactive to challenges that arose. When Section 301 tariffs were announced, we wanted to make sure our clients and other applicable shippers were aware of the changes. When Ever Given crashed into the Suez Canal, we solutioned with both affected shippers, existing and net new. Knowing Flexport, they definitely reached out to every east coast shipper in advance of the ILA / USMX negotiations. At the core of what we built was a central command system. We indexed each shipper with their tradelanes, suppliers, and commodities shipped. In cases where we didn’t have perfect data, we guessed. When new disruptions arose in the industry, we referenced our database for relevant shippers so that sales could provide relevant messaging ASAP. Even if we reached out to shippers incorrectly or reached out to shippers who had a good go-forward plan, we were guaranteed to find shippers who felt abandoned during a crisis. Anyone can build the underlying infrastructure. This data is publicly available. Most companies have great subject-matter experts who want to help. You just need to put them together. Challenges are solved by people, not systems. But the systems should help your people allocate time to those who have the most need.

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The recent news of RXO acquiring Coyote Logistics has made me reflect on my time at Coyote, the first company I worked for and the most transformative experience of my career. I joined Coyote as part of a team of 30 employees, all driven by a shared vision and determination. Over the years, we worked tirelessly, scaling the company to an incredible $1.8 billion valuation when acquired by UPS. It was a journey of challenges, learning, growth, and immense satisfaction. To this day, I still consider myself a Coyote—a part of the pack. Everywhere I go, I encounter former Coyotes who have become leaders at great companies or founders themselves. This strong network is proof of the culture we built and the continuing spirit of Coyote Logistics. There's always a sense of pride in what we built together, the camaraderie we shared, and our impact on the industry. I want to thank Jeffrey Silver and Marianne Silver for having such a significant impact on all of us. As RXO embarks on this new chapter with Coyote, I feel a mix of nostalgia and excitement for the company's future. Once a Coyote, always a Coyote. #logistics #transportation #innovation #acquisition #growth #culture

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🚛 **Addressing the Elephant in the Room: The Cash Cows of Driver Recruiting** 🐄 In the world of driver recruiting, we often hear about the so-called #CashCows - those recruitment firms and agencies thriving on a constant churn of drivers. But let's face the truth: their methods are often not just ineffective but sometimes deliberately neglectful when it comes to addressing the real issues of driver turnover and retention. Why does this happen? 🤔 🔹 **Short-term Gains Over Long-term Solutions**: Many of these agencies focus on filling seats quickly rather than ensuring long-term satisfaction and retention of drivers. It's a cycle that benefits their bottom line but does nothing to solve the underlying issues. 🔹 **Lack of Genuine Engagement**: Instead of fostering a supportive and engaging work environment, these recruiters rely on superficial incentives and promises that rarely materialize into real benefits for drivers. 🔹 **Resistance to Change**: There’s a noticeable lack of innovation and adaptation in their approach. Rather than evolving to meet the changing needs of drivers, they stick to outdated practices that no longer serve the industry effectively. It's time to challenge the status quo and demand better. Drivers are the backbone of our logistics network, and they deserve more than being treated as mere numbers. We need to prioritize: ✅ **Effective Communication and Support**: Building real relationships with drivers and understanding their needs. ✅ **Sustainable Incentive Structures**: Offering genuine benefits that contribute to driver satisfaction and retention. ✅ **Innovative Recruitment Strategies**: Embracing new technologies and methodologies to create a more dynamic and driver-friendly recruitment process. Let's push for a future where driver recruitment is about more than just filling vacancies - it’s about creating careers and building a stronger, more reliable workforce. 💪 #DriverRecruiting #Logistics #DriverRetention #Innovation #SustainableRecruiting ---

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Drivers' pay dropped 7.4% in Q2, with company drivers' weekly pay falling to $1,602 from $1,730. 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞:   • Prolonged freight recession affecting demand   • Reduced miles and lower revenue per truck day   • Less demand for drivers across multiple sectors While some segments, like lease-purchase transportation, have seen slight pay increases, most of the industry faces significant adjustments. 𝐀 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧  The freight recession has been more severe than anticipated, with reduced volumes and increased competition lowering rates. Both small and large carriers are struggling with profitability, leading to pay cuts for many drivers. The length of this downturn remains uncertain, adding further challenges. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝  Many companies are using this time to rethink their strategies. However, retention efforts need to go beyond generic approaches. Here’s what companies are finding success with: ✅ Improving driver communication: Open lines of communication can go a long way in retaining drivers. Regular check-ins, feedback sessions, and creating a sense of community help drivers feel valued. ✅ Enhancing benefits and well-being support: Offering flexible schedules, improved healthcare, and mental health resources are essential for long-term retention. When drivers know that their well-being is a priority, they are more likely to stay with a company. ✅ Right-sizing fleets and managing workloads carefully: While trimming fleet sizes can boost efficiency, it’s crucial to balance workloads to avoid driver burnout. Companies that have managed to create a better work-life balance are seeing improved retention rates. 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐬  For smaller carriers, these strategies can be tough due to limited resources. However, small changes like offering long-haul bonuses or more flexible home time can help keep drivers motivated. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠-𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤  As trucking evolves with automation and tech, companies must invest in driver training and fleet adjustments to stay competitive. 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥-𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠  Supporting mental and physical health through wellness programs and time off is key to preventing burnout and keeping drivers motivated. With the market still uncertain, companies must focus not just on cost-cutting but also on how they can actively support and motivate their drivers through this challenging period. In an uncertain market, companies should focus not only on cost-cutting but also on supporting and motivating their drivers during these tough times.  #logistics #supplychain #trucking

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Foundationally, our freight tech company is different from why most got started. Our “why” and mission are different from most… and it is ok to be different. I have felt the pain directly of buying freight tech and being burned by freight tech companies that got into our industry for the wrong reasons. Lets face it because they saw a trillion-dollar price tag... We started with our mission of disrupting a monopoly in the EDI space with unlimited messaging built around a freight network of TMS platforms and🚀To unlock a scalable way for logistics companies to integrate with their shippers. We backed into how to make it financially viable, but we knew something had to change. Change is scary, but if your pain is great enough it is worth it and that's why we felt like something had to change. Our “why” is the most important thing about Bitfreighter and our common theme that ties everyone at Bitfreighter together. We are all happy to help drive our mission for the logistics industry forward. Thankful to be able to say we’ve had less than 1% customer churn over the past 5 years because of our mission and our team that is serving our industry with connectivity. 💚 #mission #yourwhy #dothehardthings #dotherightthing #edi #api #quoting #shipper #connect

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We're Hiring. A Lot. Right Now. The freight community has been so kind to one another as things have gotten tighter for everyone in our industry. Let's see if we can find a soft landing for some great folks at LeadCoverage - the largest go to market consulting group serving *only* the supply chain space. We're hiring: 1. A People Leader 2. A SVP Finance/CFO 3. 4-5 Go To Market Experts (our version of marketing and/or account manager) Bonus: ABM + HubSpot + SFDC experience 4. 1-2 Project Managers 5. 1-2 Rev Ops Pros with specific tech experience 6. 1-2 Analyst Relations/Public Relations folks with deep experience in supply chain What we're offering: 1. A super-fast, stable and growing organization (3x Inc. 5000) 100% bootstrapped (no board telling me what to do). 2. An environment of highly-motivated revenue-focused go to market pros. No one is bored at LeadCoverage. 3. A Players Only. We are looking for individuals who are excited to put their hard-earned skills through the paces every day with challenging opportunities with some of the most forward-thinking brands in #logistics. 4. Continuous learning and developing a point of view. We learn. A lot. We actually wrote a book about everything we've learned (coming this Fall). 5. All the bells and whistles of a well-established company benefits etc. If this sounds like you or someone you know, hit up my DM's. We're ready to rock and roll in 2025.

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How do you view "partnerships"? Got this message this morning from another freighttech provider that we do not have a "partnership" with in the traditional sense. No referral agreement trying to make money off eachother No marketing announcements and PR Just good ol' fashioned case of two companies helping our mutual customer accomplish their goal on this particular project. In my eyes, we now have a partnership and don't need any money switching hands or flashy marketing that will quickly just be a vanity partnership. We can now approach our mutual customers with a solution that was not available prior, to deliver the ever elusive "value" that real partnerships should be delivering. My definition of partnership: Two or more businesses involved in delivering value to the end users. Happy Friday. And remember, choose tech providers that play well with others and have your best interest at the core of their business.

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Lost in much of the Coyote/RXO conversation is more discussion around #uslogisticsservices shutting down with a few calls and text messages. First things first, this is NOT a knock on their leadership of the logistics operation. They were P.E. owned, and the decision ultimately laid with that group. Their lack of commentary isn't a good look, but serves as a reminder for ANYONE investing in the space -ensure you are working with experienced partners who can point out potential issues (and also how to overcome or avoid them) -ask the hard questions. Don't be fooled by the promises. If you believe in a business, look for why it will work, but understand it may not -spend time around the space. attend a couple conferences, listen to experts in the field, look at trends, and look at whats being reported We heard from UPS, and I feel its going unsaid here, folks got excited about a logistics business and didn't have a true understanding of the eb and flow of logistics and transportation, and got outside their comfort zone with the business. To those affected by the closure- great resources are available to help with your search. To name a few: Brent Orsuga and Pinnacle Growth Advisors Will Jenkins and Journey Charlie Saffro and CS Recruiting Amongst others, I just personally know these individual leaders and groups and they're the best there is. Alternately, reach out to me, I'll be happy to connect my network as best I can. This will not be the last closure we see. This also isn't bad. As we see tender rejections begin to rise, as well as container rates rise, all these bode positive for the recovery of the sector. #logistics #transportation #freight #supplychaincycle #strongestmaninlogistics

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Giving customers lane-level insights and analytics is the foundation needed to take action across your transportation network to reduce cost & improve carrier performance. DAT Freight & Analytics has been the most comprehensive truckload transportation benchmark in the US for decades, thrilled to have as a partner. This partnership will allow existing DAT Freight & Analytics and GoodShip customers to compare their actual performance against market benchmarks, enhance RFP award decision-making, and give customers a clear picture of their network performance throughout the bid-cycle. Huge kudos to both teams for bringing this partnership online quickly, well done! 👏 #transportation #logistics #supplychain #Innovation #transportationtechnology #Logisticstech #Supplychaintechnology

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For 7 years... real-time transportation visibility was cited as the top must-have capability for effective transportation management. Yet, I speak with companies *almost* every day that have no method of tracking all of their supply chain moves in real-time. Sure, they've tried. They built or maintained some EDI feeds with top carriers, or they have a sophisticated way of tracking and managing their own fleet. (Sometimes provided by us 😉) However, large chunks of the business still go unchecked, and the quality of actionable data from self-served methods is usually lacking. According to this same report, visibility was also the most popular priority for transportation IT investment, and was selected as the capability to deliver the greatest value in the next two years. So let's make it simple: if you're not satisfied with the quality of your current visibility project, or you've yet to tackle end-to-end visibility across all modes, reach out to me and we can chat about how Descartes MacroPoint™ has helped numerous clients achieve the business outcomes they were looking for. Cheers 🍻 #logtech #supplychain #supplychainvisiblity #MacroPoint

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My quick thoughts about Uber Freight's announcement of Broker Access and Parade's announcement of its partnership with Uber to connect brokers to one more capacity platform: 1. This opens up brokers to new capacity, which is good for brokers. There's a subset of carriers who go to Uber to look for loads first. This gets freight in front of them. 2. It's really up to the broker how they work with a marketplace and how they expand their network. This could be a great source of relationship carriers or a great source of one-and-done's. The power is in the broker's hands. 3. Don't let Uber's successes or failures as a brokerage be too big of a distraction from seeing how this can help you. They've built great tech and a robust network of carriers who delight in using it. 4. Carriers love finding and booking freight quickly and easily with digital booking. I've heard countless times from carriers that they like working on Uber's platform because they don't have to filter through can-get loads, masked location details, and other asymmetric info. This is one more way to tap into it.

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This is the funniest (and probably most realistic) feedback we've gotten about Sync Logistics Training: "Honestly, I was expecting this training to be dumb and a complete waste of time, but I actually found it very informative. It has good info that even someone more experienced could learn from." In my experience, this is how most people perceive training. Very few people actually WANT to go through additional training. I'll be the first to admit that your office probably isn't full of brokers demanding to be pulled off the floor to do training instead. BUT, once someone actually goes through training, they almost always agree that it was worth the time. #freight #3pl #transportation

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Is compromise the way to go with NYC Congestion Pricing (aka Central Business District Tolling Program)? Nolan Hicks seems to think so and makes a pretty good case for it. Some highlights: 1) Reduce hours to cover the real peak periods. 2) Full tolled tunnel credits. 3) Toll free passage for those that enter the zone at bridges/tunnels but go directly to the free highways (FDR and West Side Highway). I think this approach has legs and hopefully it is one of the alternatives being considered to make the program a reality. We should know more in around three months time. What are your thoughts? #ibtta #aet #tolling #congestion #innovation #cashlesspayments

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If you ship with Fedex, UPS or DHL and aren't working with a parcel auditor, you're likely overspending on your small parcel costs. Leaving service failure refunds on the table, or overpaying on your shipping rates, means there's money slipping through the cracks that could be back in your pocket. At ProfitTrust, we ensure you never miss a refund owed to you and that your rates are always optimized. Our technology automates the entire claims process, saving you time and money, and our data-driven insights help you secure the best rates possible. We've saved clients up to 35% on their FedEx, UPS and DHL expenses without changing their carrier or accounts. It's more likely than not that we can find at least a 10% savings for you too. Let's connect and I’ll show you how our technology delivers these savings and optimizes your shipping spend.

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𝗘𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 “𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲” 𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵! 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗙𝗶𝘅 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗻. 🚛 The latest FreightWaves report calls it out loud and clear: 𝗪𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺. 𝗪𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀. Churning through drivers who don’t stick around doesn’t just cost us money – it drains the very heart of our industry. Let’s face it: chasing “efficiency” at the expense of our drivers’ well-being is like pouring water into a leaky bucket. We need to 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗽, focusing on drivers who *fit* the role, the culture, and the demands of trucking. And that's where 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 come in. 🔹 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻t: This isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution – it’s a tool created for the unique demands of trucking. It digs deep into the behaviors and values that make drivers reliable, resilient, and loyal. With the right drivers on board, we’re not just filling seats – we’re building lasting careers and stronger teams. Predictive Hiring 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿; 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 to stop this endless turnover cycle. No more settling for “𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦” with a license. Instead, we hire drivers who share our values and who will stay for the long haul. If we want real, lasting change, we must go beyond the status quo. Let’s turn our focus to quality over quantity, to retention over replacement. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴? #BreakTheCycle #DriverRetention #PredictiveHiring #StarBehaviors #TruckingRevolution #RealChange https://lnkd.in/gWmsitVJ

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AI is here to stay, and I am HERE for it. Proud to continue our collaboration with Michael Amaro, CTB & SynapseVue team, leveraging AI to eliminate wasteful inefficiencies in the final mile market. Together, we’re paving the way for smarter, more sustainable freight operations. Check out this insightful article on how AI is revolutionizing freight operations: Revolutionizing Freight Operations with AI-Powered Solutions #FinalMile #AIInnovation #LogisticsOptimization

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