3-way partnership forms for digital freight matching: DAT, AscendTMS, and Convoy

DAT Integrates Convoy Technology into AscendTMS

DAT, a company best known for its load board, is now incorporating the Convoy technology stack it acquired into the AscendTMS transportation management platform. This marks a major milestone in bringing Convoy’s digital capabilities back to life within the freight industry.

AscendTMS primarily caters to small and mid-sized freight brokers and carriers, though it also serves a select group of shippers. According to Tim Higham, CEO of AscendTMS, the integration of the Convoy Platform—originally developed by the now-defunct digital broker Convoy—is among the most extensive collaborations AscendTMS has undertaken. The new features are already live and accessible to AscendTMS users.

AscendTMS offers a broad range of software integrations, including connections to around 90 factoring companies such as Love’s Travel Centers.

Convoy’s Previous Role in AscendTMS

Before Convoy ceased operations in October 2023, its technology was already available within AscendTMS. After Convoy’s closure, its platform was sold to Flexport, which quickly transferred it to DAT, a subsidiary of Roper Technologies (NASDAQ: ROP), in July.

Higham explained that while the original Convoy integration was removed after the company shut down, the technology DAT acquired—now called the Convoy Platform—has been fully reintegrated into AscendTMS.

This updated marketplace model enables brokers of any size to connect to the DAT Convoy Platform through their TMS, allowing for digital freight matching and transactions directly within the system. The Convoy Platform manages all data and communication between brokers and carriers.

Higham emphasized that the Convoy Platform is only accessible via a TMS, as these systems hold the necessary information for brokers and carriers to collaborate digitally. There is no standalone version of the Convoy Platform.

Currently, AscendTMS is the only multi-tenant TMS supporting the Convoy Platform.

When a load is posted to the DAT load board, it is automatically routed to the Convoy Platform, where advanced technology can instantly pair the load with a vetted Convoy Platform carrier.

How the Integration Functions

Higham outlined a process where users can complete the entire load booking digitally through the Convoy Platform. The system matches brokers or shippers with carriers, facilitates negotiations and bid acceptance, distributes all necessary dispatch and post-load documentation, and handles both carrier payments and broker billing.

This workflow is fully automated and digital. While some exceptions may require traditional communication methods like phone or email, the vast majority of transactions are managed seamlessly between AscendTMS and the Convoy Platform app.

Unlike other digital brokerage services, the DAT/Convoy Platform does not operate as a broker itself.

The Convoy Platform as a Digital Bridge

Higham described the Convoy Platform’s role within the TMS as an “interpreter,” facilitating real-time data exchange between brokers and carriers. Unlike digital brokerages such as Uber Freight or JB Hunt 360, where the company owns both the technology and the brokerage, the Convoy Platform acts solely as a conduit, allowing 3PLs to maintain control over their brokerage operations while leveraging advanced digital tools.

The collaboration between AscendTMS and DAT’s Convoy Platform is part of the ongoing competition among load board providers. In addition to DAT and Truckstop.com, other companies like Trimble have introduced similar solutions, and concerns over fraud have spurred new initiatives to improve transparency and security in the industry.

Higham noted that the addition of the Convoy Platform does not change AscendTMS’s existing features. Users can still manually post loads to DAT and other major load boards, including Truckstop, while also making loads available to the Convoy Platform.

Bill Driegert, executive vice president of the Convoy Platform at DAT, highlighted on LinkedIn that the platform’s value is maximized when paired with a leading TMS that integrates every step of the process for automation and simplicity. He praised AscendTMS for delivering the most comprehensive end-to-end integration of the Convoy Platform.