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Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Freight fraud everywhere, but Truckstop CEO asks: Is anybody going to jail?
SAN ANTONIO – In the midst of an industry meeting of freight brokers who talked about freight fraud at every opportunity, Kendra Tucker made an interesting observation: She knows of no fraud perpetrators who ever found themselves in handcuffs. 'What I get a lot of are anecdotes from our customers about how cargo was stolen, the lengths to which people are going to steal it,' Tucker, the CEO of Truckstop, said in an interview at the company's booth on the exhibition floor of the Capital Ideas Conference of the Transportation Intermediaries Association. 'What you don't hear are stories about how this was punished.' And to make that happen, Tucker said, there will need to be a concerted effort on the part of the industry across companies and associations. 'I think it has to do with the issue not rising to the level of enough people as a group being hurt for the right dollar amount to get the FBI to really look at it and try to help us,' she added. Truckstop, known primarily for its freight-matching loadboard, has made being out in front of the fraud issue one of the most industry-facing strategies the company has undertaken. But Tucker suggested the company can't do it alone. The TIA itself talks about the issue regularly, and President Chris Burroughs, who rose to the top position last year, made it the core subject in his first address to the organization's biggest conference. But Tucker said the fight against fraud needs to be more collaborative. 'I was talking with TIA about this, and there really is an opportunity for brokers, carriers and shippers, who are all impacted by this, to come together with people like us and other key players in the industry, to decide how we want to approach it within the industry, so that we can have a cohesive approach to it,' she said. Such a step would involve bringing in the Department of Transportation and other government agencies to 'put some teeth on this.' And that gets back to how she opened the conversation: 'The reason fraud continues is because it isn't being prosecuted.' In conjunction with the TIA meeting, Truckstop released a report of a recent survey it did on the top issues facing the industry. According to the company, the top issue identified by brokers was 'finding a carrier you can trust.' Fraud is not new. But there is a consensus in the industry that it has exploded in recent years. Tucker, who became CEO in April 2022 but who joined Truckstop in August 2020, said her discussions with Truckstop customers have been consistent in saying that the fraud of the past few years most definitely is more pervasive than it was several years ago. But she said there is a parallel: what the industry went through during the great recession. 'That seems to track right where we're in, where we've been in a down cycle or down market that you see fraud really ticking up,' Tucker said. The difference this time from 2008 and 2009 is technology, she said. Two years ago at the TIA meeting, the buzzword was double brokering. It's a practice that can be legitimate if it is simply legal rebrokering: A broker assigns a load to a carrier who then reassigns it to another. There are instances in which that is acceptable under the terms of a contract. But beyond those situations, it can involve theft, late deliveries and service that violates the terms of a broker's agreement with a shipper, and a small loss on the cargo is a much lesser problem than cleaning up the mess afterward. But at the San Antonio TIA meeting, the conversation was about fraud in general. Tucker said the latest developments cover a wide range of categories: various digital activity, phishing emails, 'the actual stealing of freight at the docks and in the warehouses,' and the trafficking in legitimate motor carrier numbers bought from an owner willing to part with it for several thousand dollars. 'I think there have been so many technological advances since the great recession that fraud has been able to proliferate differently than it might have,' she said. Technology tools are available to the industry as well, Tucker said, 'but you have to think one step ahead of the fraudsters because for the nefarious actors, as soon as we find ways to prevent a certain type of fraud that's happening, new ways pop up.' The scam of fraudsters purchasing legitimate motor carrier authorities, usually from an unwitting seller, has become a big problem, Tucker said. As Tucker described it, the legitimate MC might have a clean record attached to it. But then if the MC number is not being actively used, the owner might stumble upon a Facebook page or other social media channel set up specifically for a scam artist to buy an MC. 'The pages say, 'We'll buy your MC for $15,000 or even $50,000,'' Tucker said. 'It is very active.' She noted that while there are more sophisticated tools that fraudsters can use rather than paying an unwitting seller for an MC, the purchase of a legitimate MC to pursue illegitimate ends relies on the seller being 'not educated enough and protective enough of their personal information.' When the scam hits, she said, the illegitimate activity will be tied to that MC number, with potentially long-lasting consequences for the person who sold it. 'Why would you sell your identity for any amount of money?' Tucker said. But here's the irony: For all the focus on fraud, the survey also found that it had declined in the past year. Tucker said Truckstop's own customers reported a 57% reduction in fraud between last year and this year. 'I'm not saying that fraud has gone away,' she said. 'I'm saying that for a good chunk of our customers, it is not at the peak that it was in '24 so that's very good.' Truckstop's own data is that last year, it blocked almost 13,000 entities that were trying to get on to the Truckstop load board but flunked the company's identity verification. That verification includes needing to present a driver's license as a basic first-step test. Beyond that, Tucker said, there is a multifactor authentication that includes a review by the company's 'security and assurance team.' Over recent years, Tucker said, that team has blocked more than 70,000 entities trying to get on to the loadboard as a broker, carrier or shipper from making it on to Truckstop's platform. 'We've got an actual team of humans; some of our highest tenured staff at Truckstop work on that team,' Tucker said. That enables them to address head-on the survey's biggest concern about a broker being able to trust the carrier that it hired. 'Our customers tell us consistently that they've never gotten a fraudulent carrier from us,' Tucker said. 'So nothing is 100% sure, of course, but very consistently, we get really positive feedback from our customers about how much they trust us.' More articles by John Kingston Breaking from the FreightTech AI pack: Companies make their case at TIA meeting New Mack long-haul truck makes grand entrance in bid for market share ATBS says independent drivers earned a little more in '24 but drove more as well The post Freight fraud everywhere, but Truckstop CEO asks: Is anybody going to jail? appeared first on FreightWaves.
Associated Press
09-04-2025
- Automotive
- Associated Press
New Truckstop Survey Reveals Trust is Top Priority for Brokers in 2025
BOISE, Idaho, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- At the TIA 2025 Capital Ideas Conference, the industry's leading transportation conference for freight brokerages, in San Antonio, TX, from April 9-12, Truckstop will unveil findings from its latest Broker Insights Survey of more than 700 freight brokers. The data highlights a growing emphasis on trust across the freight industry, with brokers naming 'finding a carrier you can trust' as their biggest challenge when moving freight. Finding trusted carriers is increasingly challenging amid industry-wide fraud concerns, with two-thirds of brokers citing fraud as a top issue. Double brokering is the most reported threat, affecting 86% of brokers who have experienced fraud. Other common types of fraud experienced by nearly 50% of brokers include identity theft and stolen loads. The survey also showed that the average brokerage firm works with roughly 175 carriers monthly, while smaller firms (fewer than five people) engage around 35, highlighting the scope of the challenge. 'We understand the critical balance that brokers have to strike between speed and security in today's freight market,' said Kendra Tucker, chief executive officer, Truckstop. 'Trust has never been more important, which is why we focus on developing solutions that build stronger, more reliable partnerships that minimize the opportunity for fraud. In fact, Truckstop saw a 57% decrease in customer-reported fraud from Q1 of 2024 to Q1 of 2025.' At the conference, attendees will be able to experience firsthand how Truckstop's integrated platform helps to streamline operations, mitigate risk and accelerate business growth: Enhanced Load Board Capabilities: Truckstop is raising the bar by focusing on high-quality carrier inbounds. These are achieved through carrier load board enhancements like the company's first-to-market 'Authority' filter for carriers, which increases inbounds from carriers meeting specific authority age requirements; and the new 'Views' column that expands visibility, ensuring loads can be seen by a wider pool of available carriers. Seamless Vetting, Onboarding, and Monitoring with Risk Factors and RMIS: Truckstop will also highlight new integrations between Risk Factors and RMIS to provide brokers with seamless tools for vetting, onboarding, and continuously monitoring carrier relationships. This powerful combination delivers automation and security, simplifying compliance and mitigating risks of fraud. Risk Factors: As the industry's only vetting tool leveraging Truckstop intelligence, Risk Factors helps brokers mitigate risk from anywhere they work. New features include email address verification to help reduce sender email risk, RMIS certification status integration for improved vetting efficiency, and a one-click option to escalate potentially risky carriers to the compliance team, fostering better collaboration. RMIS: Truckstop's onboarding and monitoring tool enables brokers to onboard carriers up to 80% faster. It also helps mitigate risk through automated compliance and risk checks on monitored carriers, providing easy access to crucial information such as CSA, safety history, Certificates of Insurance (COIs) VINs, CARB, and more. Truckstop at TIA Truckstop executives and demos will be available throughout the TIA show at Booth #501. In addition, a speaking engagement is scheduled: Friday, April 11 (8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. CDT) in Grand Oaks Ballroom - I: The Rise of the Machines: Practical Legal Solutions for AI & Logistics, Ambyr O'Donnell, chief legal officer for Truckstop, will be joined by other legal experts for an in-depth discussion on leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) in transportation and logistics. About Truckstop Truckstop is a trusted partner for carriers, brokers, and shippers, empowering the freight community through a platform of innovative solutions for the entire freight lifecycle to help increase efficiency, automate processes, and accelerate growth. As one of the industry's largest neutral freight marketplaces, Truckstop provides the customer service as well as scale of quality loads and trucks to give customers of all sizes, whether on the road or in the office, the transparency and freedom to build lasting relationships and grow their businesses. To learn how Truckstop is helping move the freight community forward, visit
Associated Press
25-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Truckstop Survey Reveals Growing Reliance on Factoring Among Carriers
BOISE, Idaho, March 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Heading into the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS), Truckstop conducted an online survey of more than 350 carriers to gain insight into the evolving landscape of freight factoring. The survey revealed that factoring remains a crucial financial tool for carriers, with nearly 80% of those who factor planning to factor the same or more loads this year. In comparison to last year, 38% of factoring customers plan to factor more loads, underscoring a growing reliance on factoring to maintain cash flow. The survey also highlighted that speed of payment and trustworthiness of a factoring provider are the most important considerations in a carrier's decision to factor. Additionally, protection against non-payment and lower fees emerged as the top reasons carriers would consider switching providers. 'Carriers are constantly navigating financial pressures, from unpredictable market conditions to managing day-to-day cash flow,' said Kendra Tucker, chief executive officer, Truckstop. 'Our Truckstop solutions are designed to help carriers operate efficiently and with confidence, ensuring they have the financial flexibility to keep their businesses moving.' New Carrier Product Feature In addition to releasing new industry insights, Truckstop is launching an innovative new feature on its load board to help carriers operate more efficiently. The Authority Filter is designed to assist new carriers in securing business by identifying brokers who are willing to work with them. This tool provides transparency by displaying a broker's authority age requirement directly within load details, allowing carriers to quickly filter loads they are qualified to haul and build relationships with brokers whose requirements align with their authority age. ProTalks Education Series As part of the ProTalks Education Series at MATS, Truckstop executives will partake in three insightful sessions: one on building a profitable freight network with brokers, another on navigating the freight landscape in 2025, and a third highlighting women's leadership in the industry. Taryn Daker, Director of Customer Success at Truckstop, will be participating in the Women's Leadership in Trucking Panel at the ProTalks Stage in the East Hall. This panel will bring together influential industry leaders to discuss key challenges and opportunities shaping the future of women in trucking: Friday, March 28 (11:00 a.m. EDT): Women's Leadership in Trucking Panel presented by African American Women Trucking Association, Taryn will join other influential women leaders to discuss strategic solutions for driver recruitment and retention, essential industry resources for women, and key safety and advocacy initiatives that promote career growth and equity. Additionally, Truckstop's Senior Advisor, Brent Hutto, will be sharing his vast knowledge of the industry during two sessions being held in the ProTalks Theater, room B104: Thursday, March 27 (2:15 p.m. EDT): Brokers Are Not the Enemy: Building a Profitable Freight Network with Brokers, Brent will be joined on stage by seasoned professional Tyler Johnston, Director of Operations at Mercer Transportation, who will share their insights on the mutually beneficial relationships between brokers and carriers. Friday, March 28 (1:30 p.m. EDT): 2025: A Year of Opportunity – How to Choose the Right Freight for Your Business, Todd Amen, President and CEO of ATBS, will join Hutto as they discuss key strategies for identifying the best loads, optimizing your routes, and leveraging technology to make smarter decisions. Truckstop is also sponsoring the CMC Live event featuring Kevin Rutherford aimed at helping carriers elevate their career and step into the role of a Certified Master Carrier. Whether attendees are starting with their first truck or looking to expand to a small fleet, Rutherford will dive into effective business planning, discover essential trucking tools, as well as network with fellow drivers. Truckstop Factoring Cash Grab Booth & Exclusive Show Promotions Showgoers won't want to miss the Truckstop Factoring Cash Grab Booth experience. Those who complete a factoring application at Booth #16160 will be invited to enter the cash booth and collect as much money as possible. The total amount gathered will be calculated, and participants will receive a gift card equivalent to their collected total. In addition to the cash grab booth, attendees who attend a product demonstration of the Truckstop platform in the company's booth will receive a custom-designed t-shirt while supplies last. Additionally, Truckstop is offering new customers (attending the show) $50 off for their first three months of Load Board Pro. About Truckstop Truckstop is a trusted partner for carriers, brokers, and shippers, empowering the freight community through a platform of innovative solutions for the entire freight lifecycle to help increase efficiency, automate processes, and accelerate growth. As one of the industry's largest neutral freight marketplaces, Truckstop provides the customer service as well as scale of quality loads and trucks to give customers of all sizes, whether on the road or in the office, the transparency and freedom to build lasting relationships and grow their businesses. To learn how Truckstop is helping move the freight community forward, visit
