Digital freight broker Transfix released a new version of its Fleet Planner online tool that gives small- and mid-sized carriers a centralized load-booking and fleet management platform.

Most notably, carriers using Fleet Planner 2.0 have the power to seamlessly book loads directly in the platform. Carriers can also tap into new tools that automate communications.

These features will be available alongside the mobile-friendly fleet management capabilities offered in the initial Fleet Planner rollout.

Transfix explained that small and mid-sized carriers account for close to 90% of the country’s carrier base, but often still rely on manual load-booking processes and lack visibility into where their loads are in real time.

“The second phase of Fleet Planner reflects our ongoing commitment to driving superior solutions for our partners across the supply chain. With this powerful update, small and mid-sized carriers can not only manage and centralize, but also grow their businesses,” said Lily Shen, CEO and president of Transfix.

Key new additions to the platform include:

• Direct Booking: Dispatchers can now bypass the hassle of managing multiple load boards by directly booking Transfix loads, including backhauls, in a few clicks.

• Driver-Led Status Updates: Fleet Planner now provides the ability to automatically prompt drivers for load status updates via mobile text.

• Automated Customer Communication: Dispatchers can send automatic, real-time updates to the end customer, allowing carriers to manage expectations and enhance relationships with customers that are increasingly demanding real-time visibility of their shipments.

Transfix said it plans to announce more Fleet Planner capabilities soon, including allowing carriers to directly integrate with the most commonly used accounting software creating seamless end-to-end fleet management.

In January, Transfix announced the launch of TrueView TMS, a flexible transportation management system for small and mid-sized shippers. In December, the company announced it surpassed 400% annual growth for its drop freight business.