Freight broker software is derived from the larger field of trucking software. Large trucking companies began developing trucking software in the 1960s when mainframe computers became more widely available and affordable. Large LTL carriers such as Roadway Express and Red Ball were pioneers in the field. It is a little known fact that the trucking industry created E.D.I. (electronic data interchange) during this time frame. Early trucking software was custom built and run on company mainframes at the large carriers. As with so many other fields, trucking software for small or medium sized companies did not begin to materialize until after the introduction of the I.B.M. personal computer in 1980. Trucking software can be as simple as software used to calculate point to point mileage or complex enough to manage virtually all functions of a trucking company or freight brokerage.
Freight broker software addresses two basic functional groups; dispatch operations and accounting. Much of the available freight broker software is sold with these functions as modules that can be purchased separately. Which modules are purchased is usually driven by the size of the broker looking...