https://strongtoweronline.com/insights Practical guides on trucking IT, TMS selection and implementation, freight data and back-office technology from Strong Tower Consulting, freight transportation technology consultants since 2008. en-us Mon, 12 Oct 2026 23:53:19 GMT https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/trucking-tech-audit-checklist https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/trucking-tech-audit-checklist Mon, 12 Oct 2026 23:52:21 GMT A comprehensive 50-point technology audit checklist for motor carriers and freight brokers. Audit dispatch, dynamic rating, touchless billing, settlements, ELD, and data security. https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/best-tms-for-trucking-companies https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/best-tms-for-trucking-companies Mon, 12 Oct 2026 23:52:21 GMT An independent evaluation of the best TMS software for trucking companies and freight brokers. Compare McLeod, Trimble, modern cloud TMS platforms, and selection criteria. https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/fractional-cio-vs-vcio https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/fractional-cio-vs-vcio Mon, 12 Oct 2026 23:43:06 GMT Fractional CIO vs vCIO vs MSP for trucking companies: what each means, how pricing models work, a side-by-side comparison, and when each one fits a carrier. https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/tms-rfp-template https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/tms-rfp-template Mon, 12 Oct 2026 23:43:06 GMT A vendor-neutral TMS RFP template for carriers and brokers: section-by-section outline, functional requirements, scripted demos, weighted scoring and red flags. https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/trucking-kpis https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/trucking-kpis Mon, 12 Oct 2026 23:43:06 GMT Trucking KPIs explained: 20 metrics for revenue, utilization, deadhead, on-time, DSO, settlements, maintenance and safety, with formulas and data sources. https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/truckmate-support-options https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/truckmate-support-options Mon, 12 Oct 2026 23:43:06 GMT Truckmate support compared: the vendor contract, an in-house admin and an independent Truckmate consultant. What each is good for and how they combine. https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/driver-settlement-accuracy https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/driver-settlement-accuracy Mon, 12 Oct 2026 19:46:15 GMT How carriers get driver settlements right: mileage, percentage, hourly, stop and detention pay, deductions, escrow, fuel advances, reconciliation, and clear statements. https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/edi-for-carriers https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/edi-for-carriers Mon, 12 Oct 2026 19:46:15 GMT EDI for carriers explained: what the 204, 990, 214, 210 and 997 do, how they flow, why they fail, how to test with trading partners, and VAN vs AS2 vs API. https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/fractional-cio-for-trucking https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/fractional-cio-for-trucking Mon, 12 Oct 2026 19:46:15 GMT Does your carrier need a CIO? Signs you have outgrown ad hoc IT, what a fractional freight CIO does each month, how to measure it, and how it compares to an MSP. https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/freight-billing-order-to-cash https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/freight-billing-order-to-cash Mon, 12 Oct 2026 19:46:15 GMT How carriers get freight billed faster: POD capture, billing holds, accessorial and detention capture, invoice accuracy, AR aging, DSO, and factoring touchpoints. https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/glossary https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/glossary Mon, 12 Oct 2026 19:46:15 GMT Plain-language definitions of 119 freight technology terms: TMS, dispatch, EDI 204, 214 and 210, ELD and HOS, IFTA, settlements, drayage, LTL and IT backup. https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/how-to-choose-a-tms https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/how-to-choose-a-tms Mon, 12 Oct 2026 19:46:15 GMT How to choose a TMS without getting sold: requirements, a weighted scoring matrix, scripted demos on your own data, reference checks, contract terms and cost. https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/ifta-fuel-tax-reporting https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/ifta-fuel-tax-reporting Mon, 12 Oct 2026 19:46:15 GMT IFTA without the scramble: quarterly deadlines, jurisdiction miles from ELD and GPS, fuel card imports, reconciliation checks, audit readiness and retention. https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/lane-profitability-sql https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/lane-profitability-sql Mon, 12 Oct 2026 19:46:15 GMT Measure lane profitability with SQL: revenue per loaded and total mile, deadhead percentage, customer margin and missed accessorials, with example queries. https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/legacy-tms-exit-guide https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/legacy-tms-exit-guide Mon, 12 Oct 2026 19:46:15 GMT A decision guide for carriers on an aging TMS: when to stay, fix or move, how to plan data migration, run a parallel test and execute a cutover weekend safely. https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/tms-go-live-checklist https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/tms-go-live-checklist Mon, 12 Oct 2026 19:46:15 GMT A phased TMS go-live checklist: master data, rates and tariffs, FSC tables, EDI partners, ELD, accounting, training, cutover weekend, and day-1 to month-1 checks. https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/trucking-data-backups https://strongtoweronline.com/insights/trucking-data-backups Mon, 12 Oct 2026 19:46:15 GMT A practical backup guide for carriers: 3-2-1 copies, offline and immutable backups, restore testing, ransomware readiness, and RPO/RTO in dispatch terms.