Technology
TMS (Transportation Management System)
A TMS is the software system carriers and shippers use to plan, dispatch, track, settle, and invoice freight moves.
A Transportation Management System is the operational backbone of any carrier above ~10 trucks. Core modules: order entry, dispatch board, route optimization, EDI processing, driver settlement, fuel-tax reporting, billing, and integration with accounting (QuickBooks, NetSuite, Sage).
Enterprise TMS leaders include McLeod, TMW (Trimble), and PCS Software. Mid-market and SMB platforms include Tailwind, Axon, ProTransport, and Q7. The shift is toward cloud-native TMS that ships with EDI, ELD ingest, customer portals, and AI-assisted planning out of the box.
Carriers comparing systems should weigh integration depth (EDI partners, ELD vendors, factoring), dispatcher UX, and total cost of ownership (per-truck-per-month is the norm).
Run compliance & dispatch in one place
Hayes combines a DOT-aware ATS, dispatch, EDI, and document compliance — built for carriers who don't want five logins.
Related terms
Technology
EDI 204 (Motor Carrier Load Tender)
EDI 204 is the electronic load tender — how shippers and brokers offer a load to a carrier under contract.
Technology
EDI 214 (Shipment Status Message)
EDI 214 is the X12 transaction set carriers use to send shipment status updates — pickup, in-transit, delivered — back to shippers.
Finance
Factoring (Freight)
Factoring is selling your accounts receivable to a third party for immediate cash, typically at a 1-4% discount.