Nearly a year ago, industry analysts declared the “Great Freight Recession” over. Tender rejections were climbing, spot rates showed signs of life, and capacity appeared to be tightening. The second Trump administration fueled optimism about pro-trucking policies from Washington. 

2025 hasn’t delivered on that promise. 

Back-and-forth tariff announcements and negotiations have created uncertainty across supply chains. Freight patterns swing wildly between front-loading cycles and load droughts.  

Spot rates have plummeted nearly 25% from pandemic peaks to under $2.30 per mile by mid-2025, while fuel and insurance costs remain stubbornly elevated. The tender rejection rate has hovered around 5% for a few months, which is a classic oversupply signal, indicating that carriers accept nearly every load to keep trucks moving. 

The numbers paint a sobering picture. The Logistics Managers’ Index in September showed that capacity outpaced pricing. Carrier profit margins have sunk to levels matching 2010’s worst performance. Bankruptcies are climbing, truck repossessions are up 40% year-over-year, and the downturn that began in April 2022 now appears likely to extend into 2026. 

The six steps of cab to cash 

In this environment, survival depends on operational efficiency and cash flow management. Carriers can’t control freight rates or market conditions, but they can do everything in their power to convert completed loads into cash in the ledger expeditiously.  

The time from when a driver picks up freight to when payment hits the account, or what we call “cab to cash,” is a critical time period that separates thriving carriers from struggling ones. 

Automation slashes cab to cash time. By connecting every step of the load lifecycle, carriers can reduce costs, accelerate cash flow, improve driver satisfaction, and build competitive advantages that matter when margins are razor thin. 

In this blog, we’ll take you along the six points of the cab-to-cash journey for carriers and how Transflo works to automate processes at each important stage. 

1. Cab: Empowering drivers with a top-notch experience 

Drivers are the heartbeat of every carrier operation, yet they’re often burdened with disconnected apps, endless paperwork, and communication bottlenecks. Transflo Mobile+ consolidates everything drivers need into a single, intuitive application. 

Mobile+ key features: 

• Two-way messaging that keeps drivers connected to dispatch without phone tag 
• Load workflows providing detailed trip information, multi-stop management, and route optimization 
• Mobile scanning that captures documents instantly with automatic cropping and processing 

When drivers have the right tools, retention improves and productivity increases.  

2. Compliance: Reducing risk through integrated monitoring 

Regulatory compliance is non-negotiable, and violations can devastate carriers through fines, out-of-service orders, and skyrocketing insurance premiums. Integrated ELD and telematics solutions automate compliance tracking while reducing administrative burdens. 

Transflo Telematics, powered by ATI and Geotab, delivers: 

• Real-time hours of service monitoring and DVIR completion tracking 
• Cross-border compliance with 100+ HOS rulesets for U.S. and Canada 
• Driver assistance alerts for potential HOS violations before they occur 
• Detailed insights into driver logs and remaining hours with near real-time status updates 

Transflo’s telematics platform, powered by ATI and Geotab, monitors hours of service in real time, tracks DVIR completion, delivers actionable insights, and decreases the risks that lead to crippling accident judgments. 

Video telematics takes safety further and decreases risks. AI-powered dash cams like Geotab GO Focus Plus detect dangerous behaviors, hazardous road conditions, and unexpected events, delivering real-time alerts and driver coaching with on-demand video access.  

3. Visibility: Delivering the real-time updates customers demand 

Shippers now view real-time visibility as a necessity instead of an add-on. Carriers that can’t provide automated tracking updates lose freight to competitors who can. Visibility also reduces the endless check calls that interrupt drivers and strain dispatch teams. 

Integrations enable automatic location and status updates throughout the load lifecycle. Enhanced ETA calculations factor in traffic patterns, weather conditions, and route restrictions to provide accurate arrival times. Load-specific messaging keeps all stakeholders informed without constant phone calls. 

This transparency builds trust with customers and strengthens partnerships. When exceptions occur with weather delays, traffic incidents, or equipment issues, shared visibility enables collaborative problem-solving rather than finger-pointing. 

4. Documentation: Digitizing the paper trail 

Paper documents create bottlenecks at every turn. Lost BOLs delay invoicing. Illegible PODs trigger disputes. Manual sorting and filing consume hours of back-office staff time. Digital documentation eliminates these friction points. 

Mobile scanning through Transflo Mobile+ captures documents instantly using powerful and accurate scanning technology. The app automatically crops, processes, and transmits documents to back-office systems. Carriers and shippers don’t have to wait for drivers to drop paperwork at terminals or drop boxes. Electronic BOL and POD workflows secure digital signatures and provide detailed visibility as documents move through the system. 

Transflo Workflow AI takes automation further by: 

• Handling 100% of documents for intelligent classification  
• Automating data extraction with accuracy rates that lead all comparable solutions  
• Exception resolution that flags issues for quick human review while automating routine processing  
• Multi-channel document ingestion from email, mobile apps, and other sources  

What once required hours or days of manual indexing and data entry now happens in minutes, freeing billing and back-office teams to focus on high-value activities. 

5. Invoicing: Accelerating billing and settlements 

Invoice lag directly impacts cash flow, yet many carriers still struggle with manual billing processes. Common bottlenecks include data entry errors, missing documents, manual audit workflows, and back-office processing delays. Each day of delay pushes payment further into the future. 

Automated invoicing through Workflow AI ensures invoices are complete, accurate, and submitted quickly. The system recognizes when required documents are received and can automatically generate invoices for qualifying customers. Configurable audit rules match specific customer requirements, reducing first-pass rejection rates. 

The financial impact is immediate. Carriers using Workflow AI report reducing invoice lag by up to 80%, transforming 7-10 day processes into 1-2 day turnarounds. With document indexing automated and over 1,000 hours saved annually, billing teams operate more efficiently while cash flow improves dramatically, enabling better cash flow forecasting and more working capital. 

6: Cash: Getting paid faster, with less effort 

The final step in the cab-to-cash journey is turning invoices into actual dollars. Integrated payment solutions and back-office tools reduce the delays and errors that slow settlements. Automated reconciliation matches payments to invoices without manual verification.  

When all six steps work together seamlessly, the cumulative effect is transformative. 

• Faster cash flow fuels growth and stability  
• Reduced administrative costs improve margins  
• Stronger customer relationships lead to repeat business  
• Improved driver satisfaction aids retention in a tight labor market. 

Why end-to-end automation is the future of freight 

In today’s freight economy, carriers that operate efficiently will outlast those that don’t.  

Automation with Transflo: 

• Reduces operational costs 
• Accelerates cash cycles  
• Improves service quality 
• Allows you to scale confidently regardless of market conditions  

Ready to see how automation transforms the cab-to-cash journey? Let’s chat.