Frequently Asked Questions
How is Real Time Freight different from other systems?
Real Time Freight has carved a unique position within the function of freight transportation management by offering a ‘hybrid’ system. Offering features and functionality from a combination of:
- Transportation Management Systems (TMS)
- Load Matching Systems
- Load Board Technologies
- Request For Proposal (RFP)
- Carrier Management
- Supply Chain Management Solutions
There are two major categories of systems out there on the web: Load Boards and Transportation Management Systems (TMS). Real Time Freight has carved out a new category: Freight Management System (FMS). No load board provider focuses on the shipper and no other transportation management system offers such a sophisticated system for such little investment in time and money to get started. Real Time Freight is NOT just another load board. Although it does have a Load Board competent, it provides all the tools and functionality for any company to manage all their freight functions in one simple yet sophisticated application. With a Load Board, a Lane Board, a Load Tracking Board, Reporting, and Carrier Management, Real Time Freight can run a transportation department. Real Time Freight provides one platform for all internal associates within one company, internal and external offices, to be connected and function efficiently and effectively. RTF allows time sensitive information to be shared company wide and executed on in seconds.
A key difference with Real Time Freight vs. all the other load boards is the carrier participation and the Closed Loop setting. With Real Time Freight, shippers can invite all their preferred carrier/broker contacts to participate, thus allowing them to be in the know of all their loads at any given time. Shippers can post loads just to their invited groups of transportation contacts, as well as reach thousands of new ones in the RTF community. This allows Shippers to not only meet new value-added transportation partners, but it provides the platform and tools to strengthen relationships with their current preferred carriers/brokers.
The RTF Freight Management System eliminates information silos and provides a cooperative network that significantly saves both time and money.
Contact us to learn more about integration options if you currently have a software solution in place.
How much does it cost to start a Real Time Freight™ Network?
The costs involved in starting a Real Time Freight Network depend on the usage (number of users) and estimated volume (number of loads). There is also a price difference in Public and Private Networks. Please contact our sales team to determine which network setting best fits your needs and we can create a custom proposal based on your needs and requirements.
How long does it take learn the complete system?
Training typically takes about 30 minutes. There are several features and functions sets within the application that are simple to learn and master. Trainings can take longer depending on how many people are getting trained at one time, as well as how many questions are asked during the session. Trainings are done over the phone via a web conferencing interface.
Do I have to invite my carriers to my Real Time Freight Network?
No. It is always great to have your carriers and other transportation partners as part of your network, but you do not have to invite them. A public shipper has access to the whole community of RTF carrier partners. There is also no cost for an invited carrier member to be a part of a shipper network.
What‘s the difference between a public and private Real Time Freight Network?
With a Private Network, Shippers are only posting loads to their ‘preferred‘ list of carriers and brokers. With a Public Network, Shippers post to the entire RTF community as well as any company they have invited to participate.
How easy is it to use Real Time Freight?
Real Time Freight is simple to use. In fact, Real Time Freight was won multiple awards based on the ease of use and simple intuitive interface. Real Time Freight has been consistently recognized as a leader in technology and innovation based on user feedback by industry experts.
Can the Real Time Freight System alert my carriers to log in?
Yes. The Real Time Freight system can send alerts to your preferred group of carriers and brokers, providing them with important load information as well as a link to log in.
Can the Real Time Freight System create my Confirmations and Bill of Ladings?
Yes. When closing a load on the system (with or without a carrier through the system), the shipper can create a valid confirmation of the load. The Shipper can then print the confirmation, and the confirmation will always be saved in the system. The Shipper closes a load with a carrier who responded within the system, that carrier will also always have an accurate record of that confirmation.
What are the main components of a Real Time Freight Network?
The main components of a Real Time Freight Network are: Load Board, Lane Quote Board, Load Tracking Board, History/Reporting, Load Confirmation Creation, and Carrier Management.
What industries does Real Time Freight work with?
Real Time Freight works with companies in all industries. Some include: Produce, Dairy, Meat, Poultry, Egg, Frozen Food, Lumber, Steel, Building Products, Mulch, Nursery, Dry Freight, Specialty Freight, and more.
What size companies can benefit from Real Time Freight?
Companies of all sizes can benefit from Real Time Freight. Because of all of the different value points that Real Time Freight can provide, not all companies use RTF for the same reasons. Real Time Freight works with small family-owned companies as well as Fortune 500 Companies, and all companies in between.
Why is using Real Time Freight™ better than making phone calls to all your carriers?
Real Time Freight™ eliminates the need to make a multitude of inquisitive phone calls, while simultaneously reducing many incoming calls. If a shipping company/distributor calls fifty carriers in order to find a truck, such a search could take up to three hours. Once you post a load on your Real Time Freight™ Network, all of the carriers and brokers you regularly call will get notified on their platform. They will instantaneously see all of your load information. When trucks are tight and scarce, you do not have the time to call all of your carriers & brokers independently. Posting a load on Real Time Freight™ takes seconds, and after it‘s posted, everyone on your network is promptly notified. Real Time Freight™ also eliminates the time involved in explaining all of the load details to each carrier over the phone.
Why is Real Time Freight™ better than e-mail?
A shipping company‘s mass e-mail to carriers may cause more problems than it may appear at first glance. Although good information can be sent via e-mail, these e-mail messages are not continuously updated. Rather, they are merely a snapshot of specific information at one given moment in time. Considering the speed with which our industry moves, you cannot afford to rely on outdated information.
For example, if a shipping or distributing company sends a mass e-mail to 200 carriers, a carrier replies to cover the load, then the 199 other carriers are left in the dark as to the status of that particular load. Without this pertinent, updated information, these other carriers may repeatedly call to inquire about a load that was covered hours earlier. With Real Time Freight™, all carriers and brokers will clearly see the status of each load, whether it is open, closed, revised, or recalled. This eliminates the ambiguity that e-mails can frequently create.
Our competitors use an e-mail interface that mechanically sends out e-mail notifications to every carrier that subscribes to their specific Internet site. Real Time Freight™ only links the particular carriers and brokers approved by the shipping company, thus leaving out the uncertainty of whom one is dealing with.
Why is Real Time Freight™ better than fax?
Like e-mails, faxes are disadvantaged in that they merely freeze information at one particular moment in time. They simply cannot provide real time information. The same problems exist with regard to the possibility of receiving many incoming calls generated from the fax. Furthermore, many of these calls will be received hours after the load was covered. Compounding the undesirability of faxes is the time, energy, and money required to send them out. When you send out a fax, long distant phone charges are also incurred.
What distinguishes Real Time Freight™ from its competitors?
Everything! No load board provider focuses on the shipper and no other transportation management provider offers such a sophisticated system for such little investment in time and money to get started.
Another key difference is the internal load board that Real Time Freight provides. One major advantage of a Real Time Freight™ Network compared to every other site on the web, is the fact that RTF allows all internal associates within one company, internal and external offices, to be connected by one simple load board. This allows time sensitive information to be shared company wide and executed on in seconds.
How much time will I save using Real Time Freight?
If your company handles 20 loads a day, and needs to find trucks for loads, we estimate that the Real Time Freight™ solution will save at least 4 hours each day. Countless phone calls, E-mails, and faxes will become unnecessary, and when trucks are tight, your shipping company will save even more time. You can post a load on your Real Time Freight™ Network in a matter of seconds, thus gaining valuable efficiency in a difficult market. Redundant incoming calls by carriers you work with will invariably decrease, as the carriers are already in the know of all of your transportation needs without the phone calls.
How much of a positive financial impact will Real Time Freight have on my company?
With Real Time Freight, your potential for financial gain knows no limit. Our system not only changes the way your company conducts its daily operations, but it also benefits your company in the following ways:
Time Management:
- The amount of time spent matching your freight to trucks takes the place of valuable time that could be spent making sales. If your loads are covered faster, you will not only have more time to look for freight and make more sales, but you will also have time to do the many other necessary things to improve your company‘s efficiency and profitability.
- Also, the amount of people looking for trucks can be reduced. By eliminating or repositioning these resources, a company can immediately feel the financial gains of a Real Time Freight system.
- The time involved in explaining all the load details to each carrier and vendor will also be reduced. Don‘t miss out on orders while looking for trucks.
Long Distance Savings:
- Every time you send out a fax or make a long distance phone call, it costs your company money. These costs might not be individually expensive, but they add up to cost more than our service.
- Also, incoming calls on Toll Free lines cost money. The savings that you will receive on phone calls is only one of the tremendous advantages that Real Time Freight Services can add to your business. Our typical customer cuts their phone bills in half within their first two months of service.
Great Market Information from Carrier Responses:
- Selling because of availability! When a shipping company posts a load on their private Real Time Freight™ Network, they can see an expressed interest from more than one carrier or broker in that one specific location. When this situation occurs, the shipping company can use that information to their advantage and make more sales in that particular area, knowing that there is truck availability.
Increase Your Carrier Base:
- Once your company establishes a network with your approved and preferred carriers and brokers, you will always be able to increase your RTF Network with more carriers and brokers in our community. You can check references and get all available information on a particular carrier or broker. All carriers and vendors using Real Time Freight are pre-screened companies with both a strong credit and ethical history.
How do I start a Real Time Freight Network?
All you have to do is fill out a quote request form or call us at (800) 720-7837, and talk to an Account Executive who can give you all the information, as well as walk you through the process. We can quickly determine the scope of your Real Time Freight™ application and start creating your transportation network immediately. With the help of our staff and your new CDK (carrier deployment kit), private networks typically only take a couple weeks to be fully integrated and functional.
How long does it take to post a load?
It takes seconds to post a new load on your Real Time Freight™ network. You will be amazed with the simplicity of the application as well as the little time involved in posting new loads.
What pieces of information are sent to my carriers when I post a new load?
When you post a new load, all of your carriers and brokers will see: your company and contact information of the load, the origin and destination of the load, the ship and delivery date of the load, the shipper and the consignee, the pallet and trailer information, the commodity, and/or additional comments if you wish.
How long does it take to train?
It takes around 30 minutes to become an expert user. Although the application is very sophisticated and sleek in design, it is simple to use and master.
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