The words “platform” and “exchange” are used so often in logistics that it leads to confusion and oversimplification of concepts. That is why our partners or customers sometimes ask us: “So, is CONSOLID something like a transport exchange?” Yes and no. It is also a digital solution. But equating CONSOLID with a transport exchange is like calling ERP simply an Excel spreadsheet. Let's take a closer look. 

What is a transport exchange?

A transport exchange is an intermediary between transport participants — shippers and carriers. In essence, it is a virtual market where you can trade both cargo and free loading capacities, i.e., shippers find suitable carriers, and carriers find cargo to load their trucks. It is a website where shippers post requests for cargo, and carriers quickly accept them. 

The goal is to effectively connect shippers with carriers who have free capacity and can meet each other's needs (size, type, weight of cargo, destination, etc.).  It's all a one-time deal, one click, and everyone goes their separate ways. In other words, it's a “here and now” solution, not systematic logistics or digital transformation of processes.

Transport exchanges can take various forms, from online platforms to traditional brokerage offices, and they all aim to facilitate the movement of goods. It is there that freight forwarders and carriers have access to numerous cargoes and available loading capacities in a single country or across Europe. This ensures the efficient use of capacity at any given time.

What makes CONSOLID.AI different

CONSOLID.AI is not just a platform or software, but an operating environment for the digital transformation of logistics: from the moment an order is received or a trip is created to route planning, tracking, trip accounting, and payment control. If an exchange is a separate action, then CONSOLID is a process that automates all of a company's logistics activities. All participants interact here — shippers, carriers, drivers, accountants, and logisticians. It is a convenient working environment in which your logistics live and work every day.

Additional benefits for ecosystem participants

A separate advantage is the attraction of new customers and carriers. On CONSOLID, you can find new contractors and customers. Each carrier receives a certain rating based on analytics of the number and quality of routes (timeliness of deliveries, cost, service). As a result, the carrier's reputation is formed — and this becomes the basis for our recommendations. If you are reliable, punctual, and easy to work with, we will definitely recommend you to shippers who are looking for carriers for new destinations or projects.

It works the other way around, too. Shippers also seek to expand their list of partners and look for more advantageous offers. They want to test specific carriers, see how they work, and only then form a pool of partners. And we make this possible — for example, through the tender module, where the shipper decides who to invite and who not to invite. 

Another important point is economics. Some 3PL operators consider us competitors, especially when it comes to delivering several pallets. But the point is not competition, but approach. Thanks to the built-in functionality of CONSOLID Match, transport participants can sell and buy free space in transport. As a result of cargo consolidation, the cost of delivery is reduced. This automatically makes CONSOLID more profitable than classic 3PL services with fixed rates, especially for short distances or small cargo batches.

And finally, the most important thing. CONSOLID is not just a set of features. It is a team that accompanies implementation, analyzes your logistics, and helps you rebuild it in a new way. Behind each of our clients is the work of people: we not only provide a tool, but also help change the approach. This is what distinguishes digital transformation from conventional automation. We are not about pressing a button, but about building a system.

So, in short: a transport exchange is a convenient entry point. CONSOLID is a full-fledged ecosystem for the digital transformation of logistics and a real environment for scaling.