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McLeod Updates TMS With Benchmark, AI Features
MPact.Benchmark and RespondAI Expand TMS With Live Performance Data and Unified Messaging
Key Takeaways:
- McLeod Software released Version 26.1 of its TMS on March 3, adding real-time benchmarking and AI-supported communication tools.
- The update matters because new analytics and RespondAI features aim to speed operational decisions and cut communication delays that McLeod said often exceed 40 minutes.
- McLeod said upcoming MPact modules, including Bid and Profitability, will further expand proactive, data-focused capabilities for carriers and brokers.
McLeod Software introduced Version 26.1 of its transportation management system March 3, adding analytics tools the company said are intended to help carriers and freight brokers make quicker operational decisions.
Real-Time Benchmarking Tools
A new module, MPact.Benchmark, provides real-time comparisons of a carrier’s performance against peer groups in the North American truckload market. According to McLeod, the tool draws on live operational data through direct integration with the company’s TMS, allowing users to spot favorable or unfavorable trends and identify possible causes.
The company said the module is intended for executives and operational leaders who want to evaluate cash flow and performance metrics more quickly than traditional benchmarking methods, which typically rely on historical data. McLeod said the tool is built to help answer management questions about what the data reveals and how an organization should respond.
“The freight market is moving too quickly for seat-of-the-pants decision-making,” President and CEO Tom McLeod said. “By expanding MPact, we are giving our customers a smarter, faster way to manage profitability, bidding strategy, benchmarking and communication.”
AI-Supported Communication Features
The update also expands MPact.RespondAI, a tool McLeod described as a way to address slow and fragmented communication between fleets, drivers and customers. The company said mobile response times often exceed 40 minutes, contributing to operational delays.
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RespondAI consolidates emails, mobile messages and inbound inquiries into a single inbox within the TMS. Its features include AI-assisted quoting, order creation, message drafting and analytics that track response times. According to McLeod, these capabilities can reduce communication delays by more than half.
The module also surfaces driver and load information inside the TMS without requiring users to pull up additional screens. RespondAI integrates with Microsoft Outlook and Gmail, and McLeod said more back-office communication tools are planned for future releases.
Planned Additions to the MPact Suite
McLeod said additional modules are in development as part of its broader product road map. MPact.Bid is being designed to assist with freight-bidding processes, while MPact.Profitability is expected to provide more detailed insights into load and lane margins to help carriers and brokers make pricing decisions.
The company said these modules are intended to help organizations move from reactive decision-making toward more proactive, data-focused operations.
Generative AI assisted in the creation of this article.
