• Inland Distribution
  • September 29 - October 1, 2025 | The Westin Chicago River North

Session Details

InlandTech III:The Democratization of Brokerage Tech

Wednesday, 2 October

9:10 am - 9:45 am (CST) / 02/oct/2024 02:10 pm - 02/oct/2024 02:45 pm

Freight brokers have become a bigger player in the truckload market over the last 20 years. That much is not in question. But why that dynamic has emerged is certainly up for debate. Is it because shippers – particularly small and mid-size ones – tend to be attracted to the service proficiency of brokers? Or because brokers provide carriers access to a pool of loads they wouldn’t ordinarily have access to? Or is it down to the hustle that defines the modern freight broker – a never-say-die attitude when it comes to finding customers and capacity? Behind the increasing depth and breadth of brokers is also technology. The last decade has seen the rise (and fall) of some notable “digital brokers,” but more broadly a surge in tools designed specifically for brokers. At the heart of this trend are tools aimed at the small and mid-size end of the spectrum, technology that a generation ago would have only been within the financial reach of the largest brokers. This session, taking in the expertise of a broker and two broker-focused technology providers and a broker, will dissect how the democratization of technology is impacting brokers, their shipper customer and carrier partners. 

Session Speakers