Data-powered supply chain insurance, heavy-duty towing software, Daimler’s new partnership and more

00:00 In this week’s CCJ Tech Shorts, we’ll look at a new data-powered insurance solution, a heavy-duty towing software, Daimler’s latest partnership and more.

00:22 Tow4Tech, a technology company that aims to transform dispatching to the heavy-duty towing and roadside assistance industry, has launched a software platform that streamlines the process of connecting commercial trucking companies and fleet managers with medium- and heavy-duty tow operators and roadside assistance providers.

Tow4Tech eliminates the inefficiencies and high costs associated with traditional call center operations. The platform's geolocation technology automatically locates the nearest qualified tow operators, dispatches them and manages all job details.

Optimizing “time to tow” minimizes downtime, enhancing overall operational efficiency for fleets. Tow4Tech’s data analytics also provides crucial information for tracking business operations and optimizing performance. The software also offers a built-in payment system, providing integrated invoicing and payment processing.

01:14 International insurtech Loadsure, which uses high-resolution data, AI and automation to provide accurately priced freight insurance and insight products, has rolled out a major upgrade to its platform as well as a new addition.

New platform features include advanced, actionable risk insights covering carriers, commodities, journeys and static locations, offering users a comprehensive understanding of their risk exposure; a new AI-powered “Knowledge Base” search engine, which allows users to ask questions about their risk exposure through an intuitive interface; and the “Marketplace,” which enables users to connect with trusted partners tailored to their business needs, enabling them to select insurance vendors that best fit their tech stack, scale and budget.

Coming in 2025 is Loadsure’s new solution Holistic Freight Protection. It offers data-powered risk insights to empower businesses to predict and prevent their exposure to risk and adopt best-practices with actionable insights. It also includes data-powered supply chain insurance with an expanded range of digital insurance products and automated claims.

02:18 Daimler Truck North America and Daimler Truck Financial Services have partnered with Plug and Play, an accelerator that connects entrepreneurs, corporations and investors.

Plug and Play helps companies address unique technological challenges and gain firsthand insights into the latest trends by leveraging its extensive network of startups and emerging technologies.

Daimler will benefit from Plug and Play's expertise in identifying and nurturing disruptive technologies. This collaboration will focus on finding solutions to address four key areas critical to the business: financial services, connectivity services, zero-emission vehicles, and autonomous vehicles. Together, the two companies will identify and scale technologies that improve operational efficiency, enhance financial processes, and improve industry connectivity for Daimler Truck North America's customers.

03:07 Freight marketplace Truckstop has introduced a new carrier vetting solution called Risk Factors Advanced.

The new solution builds on Truckstop’s Risk Factors Essentials, which combines its proprietary, licensed and public data to equip brokers with information to help combat fraud and mitigate risk. Brokers can now go from spending time checking a myriad of different tools and screens to a single click that quickly helps inform high-quality carrier decisions.

In addition to the benefits of Risk Factors Essentials, Risk Factors Advanced is designed to help brokers:

• Reduce inbox risk with sender email address verification using Truckstop’s ID Verification

• Know if a carrier meets their RMIS certification requirements in seconds with Truckstop’s RMIS certification status in Risk Factors

• Get enhanced protection within their monitored network by tapping into Risk Factors data to detect risk across the entire network of RMIS monitored carriers

• And improve sales and compliance collaboration by sending a carrier profile to their compliance team for additional review with a single click

04:12 Trailer telematics provider FleetPulse has expanded into the Canadian market, addressing the distinctive challenges of Canadian fleets, including extreme weather conditions, expansive geography, and the logistical complexities posed by increasing cargo traffic along the U.S.-Canada border.

These are some of the key benefits of the FleetPulse technology for Canadian fleets:

It provides accurate tire pressure monitoring to proactively enhance driving performance, reduce tire wear, extend tire life and improve fuel efficiency. It offers insights into load status and weight distribution to mitigate theft, improve asset utilization and ensure safer driving and better stopping distances. In addition, it provides reefer temperature monitoring and control to uphold sensitive cargo’s ideal environmental requirements across long hauls and provide data for optimized TRU usage.

Where brake health is concerned, it provides real-time ABS health monitoring to ensure brake stability and maneuverability, particularly in snowy or icy conditions.

The technology also provides ongoing status of lighting and signal functionality with alerts for trailer lamp status to reduce risks associated with poor lighting or snow cover for improved visibility and reduced safety violations.

It also provides seamless connectivity on both sides of the border with uninterrupted tracking and transmission to ensure continuous visibility during cross-border transport, as well as consistent connectivity and data accuracy to simplify compliance documentation and speed up entry.

And it supports regulatory compliance across the board.