Tabi Connect, Kleinschmidt partner to automate freight quoting

Tabi Connect and Kleinschmidt have partnered to automate freight quoting through Kleinschmidt’s Intelligence Network, the companies announced Sept. 14.

The integration sends freight quote requests moving through Kleinschmidt’s network directly into Tabi, where a brokerage’s pricing rules are automatically applied before the quote is returned to the shipper.

The companies said the integration can reduce the time brokers spend responding to quote requests while giving them a consistent way to apply pricing strategies across their teams.

Tabi’s Pricing Logic Engine allows brokerages to set rules based on factors including customer, lane, equipment type and market conditions. The system then applies those rules to incoming requests instead of requiring a broker to manually determine each rate.

“Freight brokerage is more crowded than it’s ever been, and margins keep getting thinner, so speed and consistency are what actually separate the brokers who win from the ones who don’t,” said Ricky Gonzalez, CEO of Tabi Connect.

The partnership also connects Tabi with Capacity IQ, Kleinschmidt’s predictive freight-capacity platform.

Capacity IQ analyzes more than 150,000 loads moving across North America each day to predict where trucks are likely to become available. Capacity IQ analyzes more than 150,000 loads moving across North America each day to predict where trucks are likely to become available. Kleinschmidt says the platform uses tender insights and predictive analytics to identify carriers that are likely to have capacity near a particular pickup location before they unload.

That gives brokers another signal to consider when pricing a load. A broker can factor in expected carrier availability in a particular market before setting a rate, rather than waiting until after the quote has been submitted.

“Tabi helps brokers consistently apply their own pricing strategy to every opportunity,” said Dan Heinen, president and CEO of Kleinschmidt. “Combined with the Kleinschmidt Intelligence Network, it can dramatically shorten the time between receiving a quote request and responding.”

The partnership adds another connection to Tabi’s network of freight platforms. Tabi currently connects with over 88 shipper TMS platforms, bid boards and freight marketplaces, including 17 native API integrations and 71 robotic process automation, or RPA, connections, according to the company.

Tabi says its API connections can return quotes in around three seconds, while its RPA connections, which automate interactions with shipper portals, typically return rates in about 35 to 50 seconds.

The company says its platform is used by more than 100 logistics companies, including more than 20 of the Top 100 U.S. brokerages. Tabi also says its platform processes more than 1 million quotes per month.

The company’s broader platform is designed to capture freight quote opportunities from shipper platforms, APIs, email and other sources, then apply a brokerage’s pricing rules and return a rate. Tabi says it also connects with freight rating and market-data providers including DAT, Greenscreens, C4, Sonar and Truckstop.

For Kleinschmidt, the partnership builds on its existing role as an integration provider for transportation and other supply chain companies. The company provides managed EDI, API and B2B integration services that connect businesses with their trading partners.

Kleinschmidt acquired eBase Solutions in May as part of an effort to expand its integration capabilities. The company said the acquisition would combine Kleinschmidt’s external B2B connectivity with eBase’s internal enterprise integration capabilities.

The Tabi partnership brings those connectivity capabilities into the freight brokerage pricing process, linking incoming quote requests with automated pricing and predictive capacity information.

“The capacity data flowing into pricing means brokers can quote with more confidence, not just faster,” Gonzalez said.

Miami-based Tabi Connect provides freight rate management and quoting automation technology for transportation companies. Kleinschmidt provides managed EDI, API and B2B integration services for companies across the supply chain.

Why this matters:

Freight brokers increasingly use automated tools to handle quoting and pricing, while capacity data can help determine how difficult a load may be to cover. The Tabi-Kleinschmidt partnership brings those two functions together, allowing expected carrier availability to be considered alongside a broker’s pricing rules. That could give brokers another data point when setting rates, particularly in markets where available capacity can change quickly.

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