Technology research and consulting firm Gartner recently released its Real Time Transportation Visibility Platform (RTTVP) report, highlighting the space’s top performers while suggesting areas for improvement.
The company describes RTTVPs as platforms engineered to offer real-time tracking and status updates on orders after they leave the warehouse, using integration with carrier systems or telematics for data gathering. The report assesses various levels of complexity in RTTVP implementation, from regional to global visibility across transportation modes. Additionally, it highlights essential features such as predictive ETA, message alerts and advanced analytics, crucial for optimizing supply chain efficiency.
In its latest evaluation, Gartner reviews seven platforms: Trucker Tools, IntelliTrans, Blume Global, Overhaul, Shippeo, FourKites and project44.
Employing its Magic Quadrant analysis methodology, the company categorizes RTTVPs based on their ability to execute and the completeness of the companies’ broad vision in the field. This classification places platforms into categories including niche players, visionaries, challengers and overall leaders, both in terms of defining their vision and executing it.
Chicago-based project44 led the platforms in the leadership category. Gartner complimented the company for its global footprint and ability to execute its product development plan for not just logistics providers but manufacturers and retailers too.
“I want to thank Gartner for their invaluable contribution to the Real-Time Transportation
Visibility market,” Jett McCandless, founder and CEO of project44, told FreightWaves in an email after being identified as a leader in the category for the past four years, leading the pack for the past two.
“Their dedication to comprehensive research and unbiased analysis helps illuminate the landscape and guide businesses towards informed decisions. Gartner’s commitment to fairness and accuracy sets a standard we deeply respect and appreciate.”
However, Gartner faulted the company for its “below-average employee tenure” and inability to reach profitability.
A project44 representative countered: “While profitability is a useful metric, it must be considered within the broader context of a company’s strategic objectives and market dynamics. We have a strong balance sheet that allows us to prioritize innovation and growth over short-term profitability. This of course, has been a winning strategy for some of the most iconic brands such as Amazon, Shopify, and LinkedIn. These companies invested significantly before achieving profitability, underscoring the importance of strategic capital deployment, innovation, and market dominance. The result of our strategy has been annual revenue that is higher than the other two Magic Quadrant ‘Leaders’ combined.”
Related: FreightTech industry isn’t what it was a year ago, project44 CEO says
Project44 also noted that it concluded its fiscal year with over 30% year-over-year growth in total GAAP revenue.
Gartner placed project44’s in-town rival FourKites right under the leader, endorsing FourKites’ balance between maintaining positive cash flow while executing its platform features for inventory visibility and yard management. The research firm did fault FourKites for its slowed revenue growth and falling customer service reports.
But simply not being positioned in the top right quadrant of Gartner’s review doesn’t imply a company lags in serving its customers.
Take Trucker Tools. It has consistently captured attention over the years in Gartner’s assessments of RTTVPs.
The company is seen as a niche player compared to its competitors as it only provides visibility to North American trucking assets and excels in providing a positive driver experience that serves freight brokerages well.
“Trucker Tools continues to have a unique, over-the-road focus on maximizing truckers’ asset utilization. The solution also enables capacity sourcing and digitizes all carrier interactions to help brokers find the right truck for the right load, eliminating ‘one-load wonders,’” the report explained.
IntelliTrans also fell into the niche category. It provides visibility to specific markets including rail, flatbed, bulk and intermodal for industrial customers, including those that are a part of its parent company.
“IntelliTrans is part of a profitable multibillion-dollar company, Roper Technologies, with an established customer base in industrial and petrochemical verticals. … Their understanding of customer needs has led them to create a broad product portfolio to support those needs with solutions like dispatch execution, dock scheduling, facility visibility and yard management, among others,” said Gartner.
In the Challengers category, Overhaul led the group for its focus on risk analysis and insurtech. Blume Global was right behind Overhaul with positive reviews for expanding its carrier network and focusing on its multimodal offerings.
Lastly, Shippeo trailed in the leaders category behind project44 and FourKites but received praise for high satisfaction scores from customers including receiving the highest score in the “willingness to recommend” category of Gartner’s Peer Insight scores.
Related: Can Shippeo walk the North American visibility walk?
Overall, Gartner notes increased competition among vendors in the evolving visibility market, with those it categorizes as leaders having an advantage due to extensive carrier networks.
In regards to RTTVP market trends, Gartner believes mergers and acquisitions will become prevalent along with partnerships with competing providers as demand grows for more comprehensive solutions.
Gartner also found end users continue to seek enhanced value propositions and data quality from RTTVPs, emphasizing accurate tracking, ETAs and carrier communication, with ease of implementation becoming a bigger factor. Meeting these demands will be crucial for vendors to build business cases and deliver value to customers as supply chain disruption continues.
Brief Bytes
On Wednesday, Flowspace launched its next-generation of FlowspaceAI, which was previewed for shippers last July. The solution addresses the demand for real-time data and powers the company’s platform to offer insights into inventory, order management and risk mitigation. Beta users have reported a 25% increase in efficiency since its original release.
Pacific International Lines (PIL) announced Thursday it has joined the Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA) to advance digitalization and standardization in container shipping. DCSA aims to streamline data standards, enhancing interoperability and customer experiences. PIL’s adoption of electronic bills of lading aligns with this initiative, promoting efficiency and reducing fraud. The collaboration targets sustainability, efficiency and cost reduction, with potential savings of billions and the enabling of exponential trade growth.
Delivery service app Gopuff announced Wednesday it has teamed up with Misfits Market to launch its Fresh Grocery assortment, integrating Misfits’ supply chain into Gopuff’s operations to reduce food waste. The partnership offers over 300 items on the app, including produce, dairy and meat, delivered within 15 minutes. With a focus on accessibility and sustainability, the initiative brings savings to consumers and addresses food accessibility issues.
Other FreightTech news from this week:
Gather AI launches new features, sees promise in indoor drone tech
CSX to field-test hydrogen-powered locomotive
Borderlands Mexico: Samsara opens new office to focus on expanding cross-border trade