You may know KeepTruckin’ as an electronic logging device provider. But it has been broadening its focus to provide fleet management and safety tools, and now the company says it’s going to start offering load-matching services, as well as insight into detention time and other conditions at facilities where drivers load and unload.

“For too long, carriers have had to manually find loads that minimize deadhead and maximize revenue. All while balancing the needs of their drivers and the constraints of the hours of service rules,” writes co-founder and CEO Shoaib Makani in a blog post announcing the changes.

KeepTruckin’ says data from the more than 200,000 trucks and 50,000 for-hire carriers using its ELD can be used for better load-matching and reduced deadhead. The KeepTruckin Smart Load Board, it says, will let carriers access loads customized based on their lane preferences and current availability.

Here’s how it works:

1. Brokers and asset-based carriers in need of capacity can post loads to the KeepTruckin Smart Load Board via API, EDI, or manually.

2. KeepTruckin matches loads to carriers based on an understanding of drivers’ lane preferences, current location, and hours of service. Carriers can accept or bid on loads electronically.

3. Once a carrier has accepted a load and gives consent, brokers can track the load in real time.

To help it create the Smart Load Board, KeepTruckin’ acquired One Point Logistics, a small freight brokerage based in South Caroline.

“To build the load board of the future, we needed to better understand how freight is moved today,” Makani said. “The development of the Smart Load Board is being informed by One Point, however, all freight brokers will have equal access to the Smart Load Board when it launches later this year.”

When we spoke with Makani last year about KeepTruckin's plans, he said load-matching was not in the picture. So we asked him, following this announcement, what had changed.

"This decision was driven by the small carriers we serve," he responded via email. "When we ask our customers what problems they want us to solve next, the most common request is to help them get access to good freight so they can grow their business. Given the scale of our network, and the data that is now available through ELDs, we believe the best way to help our carriers is to build the load board of the future."

But as Makani observes, “better matching is only half the story. Knowing if your driver is going to be detained excessively is critical to making smart load decisions.” So KeepTruckin is announcing Facility Insights, which it says will allow carriers to know exactly what to expect at a shipper and consignee facility before accepting a load. “To protect the privacy of our customers, we anonymize all location data, and only include facilities that have received visits from more than five carriers.”

KeepTruckin Facility Insights will be available to all carriers and shippers this summer.

Updated 4/12/2019 to add response to question about the change in KeepTruckin' decision to pursue freight matching.