They say necessity is the mother of invention.
For many trucking companies, selecting a Transportation Management System (TMS) involves choosing from hundreds of off-the-rack options. However, for one specialized LTL furniture carrier, the solution to fleet management wasn't found on the open market, but rather in the family.
Scott Denmark, co-owner of North Carolina-based Thomasville Furniture Xpress (TFX), turned to his brother, Jeff, a computer engineer and North Carolina State University graduate, to build the near-30-truck carrier's proprietary system from the ground up. The resulting software has become a cornerstone of the company’s operation, helping it grow from four trucks four years ago to generating $9.6 million in revenue last year.
"Canned" system problem
The decision to build rather than buy stemmed from a desire for simplicity and specificity. Denmark compared many commercial TMS platforms to modern smartphones: powerful devices cluttering the user experience with features that often go unused.
"You've got 20 apps and you use seven of them regularly," he explained regarding commercial software bloat. "When you get too much data, it clutters things up.".
Instead, the fleet opted for a cleaner interface designed specifically for their needs. The custom arrangement allows for rapid changes; if the fleet needs a new feature, Denmark simply calls Jeff to program it. While the initial programming was done for free, Jeff is now on the company payroll to ensure he receives benefits and compensation for ongoing maintenance.
TFX owners Scott Denmark (right) and Scott Cruthis.
Tailored features for specialized freight
The system handles a wide array of operational tasks, including rating, load building, tracking inbound loads, and managing warehouse locations. However, two specific features stand out:
- Custom financial portals: The system includes a segregated viewing portal that allows different stakeholders—such as designers, store owners, and end-users—to see only the data relevant to them. This ensures that pricing markups between retailers and designers remain private.
- Integrated accounts receivable: Following a suggestion regarding insurance billing, TFX built an online payment portal. This ACH-based system allows customers to pay invoices via email links, which immediately posts to the system, saving significant administrative man-hours.
The human element in optimization
While the system integrates with Google Maps to visualize stops, the fleet intentionally avoids fully automated load optimization. Denmark believes that AI and standard algorithms often miss the nuances of specialized furniture delivery, such as specific appointment times or white glove service requirements.
"Load optimization does not know that this stop comes in at seven o'clock and that stop doesn't come in until 10 o'clock," he said.
Instead, the software populates the map, and TFX finalizes the routing. This human in the loop approach allows the carrier to offer a level of personal attention and flexibility that larger competitors can't match, Denmark said.
Strategic integration
The custom TMS does not handle every aspect of the business, however. For complex regulatory and payroll tasks, such as IFTA mileage and driver logs, the fleet integrates with Samsara. This hybrid approach allows the company to leverage custom tools for operations while relying on established platforms for compliance.
The success of this operational model has garnered industry attention, with the fleet recently winning the CCJ sister publication Overdrive's Small Fleet Champ award.
