Freight technology consulting, organized around how carriers run
Twenty-four services in five practice groups, from the boardroom to the dispatch floor. We analyze your company through its technology and streamline how the business runs, using the systems you already have. You never have to buy our software.
One firm, one focus: freight.
Strong Tower Consulting has worked inside transportation companies since 2008. Our practices are organized the way a carrier's problems actually show up, so you can start with the one that's hurting and add others only when they help.
Most trucking companies don't need "IT consulting" in the abstract. They need a dispatch board that matches how they plan freight, invoices that go out the same day the load delivers, settlements that close without a spreadsheet, and a clear answer on whether the TMS they run today will carry them through the next five years. Each practice below addresses one part of that picture, and they are built to work together.
Strategy & Alignment sets direction: what technology should do for the business, what to buy or keep, and who leads it. Process & Project Delivery turns that direction into working operations: redesigned workflows, clear requirements, and projects that reach go-live on plan. Data & Financial Systems puts the information your systems already collect to work, through dynamic rating tariffs, QuickBooks and Sage Intacct GL sync, SQL analysis, and interfaces that connect ELD, EDI, and fuel cards. Infrastructure & Support protects what runs your company and keeps your people productive, with backups, on-site and remote support, and role-based training.
Not sure where to start? Most clients begin with a Technology Assessment, which reviews your systems, data, workflows, and people and recommends which practices, if any, are worth the investment. You can read how every engagement runs on How We Work.
Strategy & Alignment
Group 01 · 7 servicesSet the direction. Tie technology plans to growth, margin, and operations, choose systems without vendor bias, and put experienced technology leadership in your corner.
IT Strategy & Planning
A multi-year technology plan and budget tied to how your company makes money, with priorities leadership can act on.
Explore Practice 02Business & Technology Alignment
Close the gap between what operations needs and what your systems deliver, from KPIs down to screens.
Explore Practice 03Business Management Consulting
Operational, organizational, and growth advice for transportation companies from people who know the freight floor.
Explore Practice 04TMS Selection & Advisory
Vendor-neutral requirements, demos, scoring, and contract review when it's time to choose a system.
Explore Practice 05Freight Broker Consulting
Workflows, carrier safety vetting, margin protection, and tracking for non-asset 3PLs and freight brokerages.
Explore Practice 06Fractional Freight CIO
Ongoing technology leadership for carriers and brokers that need a CIO's judgment without a full-time hire.
Explore Practice 07Carrier M&A Tech Due Diligence
An independent look at a target's systems, data, telematics contracts, and database debt before buying a fleet.
ExploreProcess & Project Delivery
Group 02 · 6 servicesStreamline business flow through technology. Map how work really moves through order entry, dispatch, billing, and settlements, redesign it, and manage the change to completion.
Business Process Optimization
Redesign dispatch, billing, settlement, and back-office flows to remove re-keying and shorten order-to-cash.
Explore Practice 09Business Analysis
Current and future state, requirements, gap analysis, and business cases written in freight terms.
Explore Practice 10Project & Program Management
Implementations, upgrades, and go-lives kept on time, on course, and on budget.
Explore Practice 11TMS Implementation & Go-Live
Data conversion, configuration, testing, training, cutover, and an on-site go-live week.
Explore Practice 12TMS Data Migration Playbook
5-phase methodology for zero-loss database extraction, mapping, dual-run testing, and cutover.
Explore Practice 13Legacy TMS Advisory & Migration
Stabilize, optimize, or plan a clean exit from the system that has run your operation for years.
ExploreData, Integration & Financial Systems
Group 03 · 5 servicesTurn your TMS data into revenue and automated accounting. Dynamic tariffs, GL synchronization, SQL analysis, and interfaces built by people who understand freight data.
Rate Matrix & Tariff Optimization
Dynamic pricing matrices, accessorial rule automation, and Monday DOE fuel surcharge indexing.
Explore Practice 15Transportation Accounting & GL Sync
Automate QuickBooks Online and Sage Intacct sync for billing batches, driver settlements, and POD attachments.
Explore Practice 16SQL Data Mining & Analytics
Lane and customer profitability, utilization, and revenue leakage, pulled straight from your database.
Explore Practice 17Reporting & Business Documents
Financial statements, settlement statements, invoices, manifests, and management reports built to fit.
Explore Practice 18ELD, EDI & Back-Office Integration
ELD and telematics, EDI 204/214/210/990, fuel cards, and accounting connected to your TMS.
ExploreInfrastructure, Security & Support
Group 04 · 3 servicesProtect what runs your company. Backed-up and secured company information, dependable on-site and remote support, and training that gets the most from your investment.
Data Protection & Business Continuity
Tested backups, disaster recovery plans, ransomware readiness, and access control for your TMS and records.
Explore Practice 20On-Site & Remote Support
Committed on-site days for a fixed monthly price, plus remote help between visits.
Explore Practice 21Training & Enablement
STC University: role-based training for dispatch, billing, payroll, and safety, on site or remote.
ExploreApplied AI & Intelligent Automation
Group 05 · 3 servicesSeparate freight reality from AI marketing hype. Independent feasibility audits, predictive dispatch constraint modeling, and document intelligence pipelines grounded in transportation systems since 2008.
AI Technology Consulting
Independent feasibility audits, systems architecture, and vendor due diligence for carriers and brokers evaluating AI.
Explore Practice 23Predictive Dispatch Optimization
Mathematical constraint satisfaction, HOS telematics ingestion, and automated decision-support for dispatch floors.
Explore Practice 24Document AI Automation
Computer vision and OCR pipelines for touchless BOL/POD extraction, carrier packet verification, and fraud prevention.
Explore24 Specialized Freight Technology & AI Practices & Operational Capability Matrix
A complete directory of Strong Tower Consulting's 21 specialized freight practices, detailing their scope of advisory, target systems, core deliverables, and measurable carrier ROI:
| Practice Area | Group | Primary Systems & Technical Scope | Key Freight Deliverable | Measurable Carrier ROI & Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IT Strategy & Planning | 01 Strategy | Enterprise TMS, fleet telematics, cloud infrastructure, IT budgeting | 3-Year Freight Technology Master Roadmap & CapEx Budget | Aligns technology spending with margin expansion; eliminates wasteful software investments. |
| Business & Technology Alignment | 01 Strategy | Dispatch workflows, safety compliance, accounting handoffs | Operational Alignment Matrix & Screen Workflow Specifications | Eliminates disconnects between executive strategy and terminal operational software execution. |
| Business Management Consulting | 01 Strategy | Organizational structure, leadership KPIs, operational governance | Carrier Management Operating System & Governance Charters | Builds resilient terminal leadership and accountable departmental reporting cadences. |
| TMS Selection & Advisory | 01 Strategy | Vendor-neutral evaluation: Truckmate, McLeod, TMW, Samsara, bespoke | Weighted Scoring Matrix, RFP Documentation & Contract Term Review | Guarantees vendor-neutral selection; safeguards against multi-hundred-thousand dollar software misbuys. |
| Freight Broker Consulting | 01 Strategy | Non-asset brokerage boards, DAT/Truckstop rate intelligence, carrier vetting | Brokerage Operating Playbook, Automated Vetting & Margin Rules | Protects gross margins, accelerates broker speed-to-quote, and prevents fraudulent carrier onboarding. |
| Fractional Freight CIO | 01 Strategy | Executive technology leadership, vendor management, steering committees | Quarterly Board Technology Briefings & IT Vendor Governance | Provides tier-1 enterprise CIO judgment at a fraction of the cost of a full-time executive hire. |
| Carrier M&A Tech Due Diligence | 01 Strategy | Target fleet TMS architecture, technical debt, telematics contracts, database health | Pre-Acquisition Technical Risk Assessment & Integration Playbook | Uncovers hidden database liabilities, licensing traps, and cutover costs prior to capital commitment. |
| Business Process Optimization | 02 Process | Order intake, load planning, dispatch assignment, POD imaging, billing | Swimlane Process Maps & Touchless Order-to-Cash Workflow | Shortens billing cycle from 14 days to same-day delivery; cuts manual re-keying by up to 70%. |
| Business Analysis | 02 Process | Current-state operational baselines, gap analysis, future-state requirements | Freight Functional Requirements Document (FRD) & Gap Catalog | Translates complex dispatcher and terminal needs into precise engineering specifications. |
| Project & Program Management | 02 Process | Multi-terminal software rollouts, cross-functional cutover scheduling | Program Charter, Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) & Risk Register | Maintains strict accountability; delivers freight software initiatives on time and on budget. |
| TMS Implementation & Go-Live | 02 Process | System configuration, user acceptance testing (UAT), cutover management | Go-Live Readiness Checklist & On-Site Command Center Protocol | Ensures flawless cutover week execution with zero dropped dispatches or stranded shipments. |
| TMS Data Migration Playbook | 02 Process | Legacy DB extraction, transformation mapping, dual-run reconciliation | 5-Phase Zero-Loss Data Cutover Reconciliation Runbook | Preserves 100% of historical carrier records, customer tariffs, and driver settlement ledger balances. |
| Legacy TMS Advisory & Migration | 02 Process | Maddocks/Truckmate 7.x, legacy TMW Suite, AS/400 platforms | Legacy Stabilization Audit & Modernization Exit Strategy | Restores stability to aging freight platforms while planning a structured, risk-free exit. |
| Rate Matrix & Tariff Optimization | 03 Data | Dynamic lane pricing, fuel surcharge indexing (DOE), accessorial fee schedules | Master Multi-Matrix Rating Engine & Accessorial Rulebook | Recovers 3-5% top-line revenue through automated accessorial capture and Monday fuel surcharge indexing. |
| Transportation Accounting & GL Sync | 03 Data | QuickBooks Online, Sage Intacct, TMS freight billing, driver settlements | Real-Time REST API GL Bridge & Settlement Reconciliation Ledger | Replaces batch CSV imports with real-time sync; eliminates double entry across AR and AP. |
| SQL Data Mining & Analytics | 03 Data | Relational SQL databases, custom stored procedures, operational views | Lane & Shipper Profitability Cubes, Revenue Leakage SQL Diagnostic | Pinpoints losing lanes, unbilled accessorials, and detention time directly from source databases. |
| Reporting & Business Documents | 03 Data | Crystal Reports, operational manifests, driver settlement sheets, invoices | Custom Business Document Suite & Automated Executive KPI Pack | Delivers clear, professional customer invoices and transparent driver settlement stubs. |
| ELD, EDI & Back-Office Integration | 03 Data | Samsara, Motive, Geotab, EDI 204/214/210/990, Comdata, EFS | Carrier-Neutral API Telematics Bridge & ANSI X12 EDI Specification | Automates real-time load status updates and in-cab HOS validation without manual dispatch intervention. |
| Data Protection & Business Continuity | 04 Infrastructure | 3-2-1-1-0 immutable backups, ransomware isolation, disaster recovery | Disaster Recovery Runbook & Annual Mock Recovery Audit Report | Guarantees RTO under 4 hours and RPO under 15 minutes in the event of hardware or cyber failure. |
| On-Site & Remote Support | 04 Infrastructure | Tier 1-3 carrier helpdesk, terminal infrastructure, database administration | Guaranteed Emergency Support SLA & Monthly Maintenance Log | Provides 15-minute emergency response from veteran freight systems engineers who know your TMS. |
| Training & Enablement | 04 Infrastructure | Role-based dispatcher, billing, and safety training (STC University) | STC University Standard Operating Procedure Manuals & Video Modules | Cuts new dispatcher onboarding time in half; stops operational errors before they reach the road. |
| AI Technology Consulting | 05 AI & Automation | Data feasibility audits, predictive models, vendor due diligence | Carrier AI Readiness & Architecture Roadmap Report | Prevents multi-thousand-dollar software misbuys; ensures AI models connect to clean relational data. |
| Predictive Dispatch Optimization | 05 AI & Automation | HOS duty clocks, telematics ingestion, constraint satisfaction solvers | Algorithmic Dispatch Specification & Constraint Solver Model | Reduces empty deadhead miles by 5-12%; improves on-time delivery without dispatcher burnout. |
| Document AI Automation | 05 AI & Automation | Computer vision OCR, touchless BOL/POD extraction, fraud detection | Touchless Paperwork Pipeline Specification & Validation Engine | Accelerates cash flow by cutting DSO by up to 6 days; eliminates manual data entry errors. |
Built for the way freight companies work.
Our clients are the owners, CFOs, operations managers, and IT managers of transportation companies: truckload and LTL carriers, brokerages and 3PLs, intermodal and drayage operations, private fleets, city cartage operators, and specialized and heavy haul carriers. The vocabulary changes from one segment to the next, but the core questions are the same. Is the system of record trustworthy? Does work flow from order to invoice without being touched twice? Can leadership see revenue per mile, margin by lane, and AR aging without waiting on a spreadsheet?
We work with whatever you run today: packaged TMS platforms, long-standing legacy systems, homegrown databases, and spreadsheets. Our job is to make that environment serve the business better, and to tell you honestly when it can't.
You never have to buy our software. We are here to make your business run better.
Strong Tower Consulting is independent advisory. Our sister company, Exspeedite, builds transportation software, and that is why we understand freight systems down to the database. But our consulting never requires a software purchase. As a third party, we are not selling you more products. We help you get more out of your existing investment, and if we don't think the answer is more licenses or features, we will tell you.
Not sure which practice you need?
Start with a Technology Assessment. We review your systems, data, and workflows and show you where the real opportunities are. Your Strong Tower in freight technology.