SONAR’s IoS mobile app for small carriers is here: Blue to Blue is designed to keep carriers running in the lanes paying the best rates.
In an industry often defined by tight margins and unpredictable swings, the launch of SONAR’s new “Blue to Blue” app marks a significant evolution in freight market intelligence, aimed specifically at small trucking carriers navigating challenging market conditions. Known for its comprehensive and high-frequency data sets on the multimodal global freight market, SONAR is already a preferred tool for large enterprises. These companies have leveraged SONAR’s expansive data—covering capacity, volume, and rates across trucking, rail, ocean, and air cargo—by integrating it into their operations for deep analytics and actionable insights.
This app release arrives during a softer freight market, characterized by a glut of trucks chasing fewer loads and resultant low rates; a difficult situation for small carriers. For these operators, staying efficient and profitable in such markets requires tools that offer swift, accessible insights. SONAR’s Blue to Blue app aims to do just that. By extending its advanced analytics to the palm of a driver’s hand, the app empowers smaller operations to make informed, real-time decisions about where to move their trucks to maximize load availability and rates.
The app’s beta version, already available for download, integrates SONAR’s indices and trend charts with top articles from FreightWaves, effectively turning real-time insights into mobile notifications. It also offers lane-level spot rate checks, enabling carriers to swiftly adjust to market changes. At $9.99 per month, the low-cost subscription hurdles the entry barriers many smaller players face, making advanced data analytics accessible to virtually any carrier with a smartphone.
The upcoming release of the app’s second version promises even more functionality, tailored specifically for small carriers. This will further enhance the ability to target those high-demand, high-rate lanes that the app’s name embodies. With these advancements, SONAR isn’t just providing data; it’s transforming accessibility and decision-making power within the freight industry.
SONAR’s platform has historically provided supply chain professionals with the ability to track and respond to market shifts in real time. Utilizing cutting-edge technologies such as AI and machine learning, SONAR’s tools, including SONAR SCI, TRAC, and Container Atlas, offer businesses the ability to monitor freight spend and operational efficiency across 135+ markets globally. The real-time data tracking, valued at $125 billion in freight, helps logistics giants stay ahead by identifying critical events such as U.S. rate surges or bottlenecks in the Trans-Pacific routes.
While these capabilities have predominantly served large-scale operations, SONAR’s recent release of the Blue to Blue app is revolutionary for small carriers and owner-operators. The app provides an economical and user-friendly entry into SONAR’s wealth of data, transforming smartphone screens into powerful dashboards of freight market intelligence. The app helps users identify “blue” to “blue” lanes—routes where outbound freight volumes eclipse inbound volumes, creating a demand-supply mismatch that trucking carriers can exploit for better rates.
SONAR has already catered to shippers and third-party logistics firms with applications designed for sophisticated data handling and integration. These users benefit from SONAR’s APIs and data feeds to closely monitor market trends and fine-tune their logistics strategies. However, the Blue to Blue app targets a different market segment altogether—those who lack the financial and technical resources of larger firms but still seek to leverage real-time data for competitive advantage.
SONAR’s decision to support small carriers during testing market conditions underscores its commitment to leveling the playing field in the freight market. By equipping more players with the intelligence needed to navigate complex market dynamics, SONAR is not only enhancing market participation but also driving smarter freight distribution across the board. As the market continues to evolve, tools like Blue to Blue represent a critical adaptation, ensuring even the smallest operators can thrive amidst the cyclical challenges of the freight industry.
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