Loadsmart, The Home Depot Partner to Launch Flatbed Messenger

Loadsmart announced the launch of Flatbed Messenger in partnership with The Home Depot.

Flatbed Messenger is an automated supply-led flatbed platform that pairs capacity and price to a shipment.

The platform combines Loadsmart’s algorithms with capacity from The Home Depot to help other shippers find flatbed capacity at lower rates. This also reduces emissions and improves environmental sustainability. 

Flatbed Messenger can provide the truck’s location, its price, and its destination into algorithms that match the information to a shipment.

“Automated supply-led booking doesn’t exist at scale today, not for lack of interest, but because of feasibility challenges,” said Felipe Capella, co-founder, co-CEO, and president at Loadsmart. “In order to begin with capacity instead of a shipment, the broker’s AI system must know exactly where a truck will be, empty/full status, driver hours-of-service, the price that is needed to move it, and where it wants to go. Through our work with a forward-thinking shipper like The Home Depot, we’ve been able to implement this novel approach that makes dedicated fleets more efficient via technology while greatly reducing risk.” 

The Home Depot and Loadsmart worked together on the concept, design framework, and rollout of Flatbed Messenger.

“Flatbeds are an essential transportation mode, yet the flatbed industry remains highly fragmented,” said Robin Baggs, director of transportation for The Home Depot. “This platform presents shippers and carriers a unique opportunity to increase communication and collaboration to move freight in an easy, user-friendly way that’s more affordable, efficient, and environmentally friendly than traditional methods.”   

The Home Depot will focus on the customer experience, reducing empty miles, lowering its carbon footprint, and helping other shippers and carriers by sharing truck capacity.  

“Automated supply-led options will become increasingly important to the future of freight brokerage,” said Capella. “Our many years of experience wiring up the pipelines of supply and demand, and partnering with industry leaders like The Home Depot, uniquely positions Loadsmart to usher in a more efficient, environmentally sustainable future, reversing the traditional dynamics that are increasingly obsolete in a more volatile and complicated supply chain.”