FR8Star
FR8Star operates an online freight marketplace connecting shippers of heavy equipment, oversized freight, and farm machinery with vetted, insured carriers and brokers. A subsidiary of Sandhills Global, it serves equipment dealers, construction firms, farmers, and auction buyers across the US, Canada, and internationally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersOakland, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What FR8Star does
FR8Star operates an online freight marketplace that connects shippers of heavy equipment, oversized freight, and specialized cargo with a vetted network of insured carriers and brokers. The platform is purpose-built for open-deck, heavy-haul, oversize/overweight, and partial-truckload shipments — categories that conventional general-freight marketplaces handle poorly. Core technology consists of a proprietary load board with filterable sub-boards (heavy haul, flatbed, lowboy, RGN, step deck, hot shot, partial loads), a transparent freight rate calculator that uses live market data to produce all-inclusive estimates including permits and pilot cars, and a blind-bidding system that prevents carrier undercutting. The company also operates a verified-dimensions workflow and instant-estimate engine that returns first quotes typically within 30 seconds.
The platform addresses three user segments: shippers (equipment dealers, construction firms, agricultural operators, and auction buyers), carriers (flatbed, step deck, RGN, lowboy, hot shot, and Landoll operators), and brokers (who require FMCSA Active Authority and a $75,000 surety bond to participate). Revenue is generated primarily through two-sided monetization: carriers and brokers pay recurring monthly subscriptions to access the load board and submit bids, and FR8Star also earns a transaction commission when a carrier wins and completes a load; shippers post loads and obtain quotes for free, removing the principal demand-side friction. FR8Star is operated as a subsidiary of Sandhills Global, Inc., and is integrated directly into Sandhills' portfolio of equipment and auction platforms — AuctionTime, MachineryTrader, TractorHouse, TruckPaper, HiBid, Equipmentfacts, MarketBook, LivestockMarket, RVUniverse, and EquineMarket — providing point-of-purchase access to a steady stream of equipment buyers who need transport services. The headquarters is in Lincoln, Nebraska, with support offices in five states and operations spanning the US, Canada, and international destinations.
FR8Star firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- FR8Star
- Legal name
- FR8Star (Sandhills Global, Inc.)
- Website
- https://fr8star.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- FR8Star operates an online freight marketplace connecting shippers of heavy equipment, oversized freight, and farm machinery with vetted, insured carriers and brokers. A subsidiary of Sandhills Global, it serves equipment dealers, construction firms, farmers, and auction buyers across the US, Canada, and internationally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
FR8Star industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Heavy Haul Freight Marketplace
- NAICS
- Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510)
- SIC
- Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Spot Load Boards (Open Marketplace) (TLAEAJAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Dedicated Lanes & Mini-Bid / RFP Marketplace Platforms (TLAEAJAG)
Keywords
Where FR8Star is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oakland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
FR8Star business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Carrier/Broker Subscriptions: Carriers and brokers pay subscription fees to access the FR8Star platform, view load boards, and submit bids. Two tiers of plans are available for carriers.
- Transaction Commission: FR8Star earns revenue when carriers/brokers win bids and transport loads. The platform facilitates the connection and takes a commission on completed transactions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free for Shippers - Post loads and get instant carrier quotes at no charge |
| Subscription | Monthly | Two-tier carrier/broker subscription plans |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
FR8Star product offering
Product offeringCore offering
FR8Star operates a cloud-based freight marketplace that connects shippers of heavy haul, oversize/overweight, and open deck loads with qualified carriers and brokers across the United States and Canada. Shippers post loads for free and receive instant price estimates via a freight rate calculator, while carriers and brokers subscribe to access a load board with filterable equipment views, a blind bidding system, and verified carrier credentials. The platform specializes in heavy-haul, flatbed, step deck, lowboy, RGN, hot shot, and conestoga equipment, with FMCSA-verified carriers and integration into the parent Sandhills Global marketplace network.
Product overview
FR8Star is a freight marketplace platform that connects shippers with expert and insured freight carriers and brokers for efficient heavy haul, oversize, and specialized equipment transport. The platform operates as a unified marketplace featuring a core load board system with specialized sub-boards for hot shot, heavy haul, flatbed, lowboy, and RGN loads. Additional services include equipment transport, vehicle shipping, drive away services, partial truckload (PTL) shipping, LTL shipping, livestock transport, container shipping, overseas shipping, and specialized transport for mobile homes, wide loads, and super loads. The platform also provides a freight rate calculator for transparent pricing. FR8Star serves three primary user segments: shippers who post loads, carriers who find and haul loads, and brokers who connect shippers with carriers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- FR8Star Heavy Haul Freight Shipping Platform
- FR8Star Carrier Load Board
- Hot Shot Trucking Service
- Heavy Haul Trucking Service
- Equipment Transport Service
- Partial Truckload (PTL) Shipping Service
- LTL (Less-Than-Truckload) Shipping Service
- Drive Away Transport Service Marketplace matching service for drive away transport, where a driver physically drives the vehicle or equipment to its destination rather than loading it onto a trailer.
- Oversize Shipping Service
- Flatbed Shipping Service Marketplace matching service for flatbed freight, connecting shippers with carriers operating flatbed trailers for construction materials, lumber, steel, and machinery.
- Vehicle Shipping Service Marketplace matching service for transporting cars, trucks, motorcycles, and specialty vehicles via open or enclosed trailers.
- Container Shipping Service Marketplace matching service for container transport (drayage), connecting shippers with carriers for port pickup, port delivery, and inland container moves.
- Livestock Transport Service Marketplace matching service for transporting livestock using specialized trailers, with carrier matching based on animal type, distance, and regulatory requirements.
- Overseas Shipping Service Marketplace matching service for international freight transport, including ocean and cross-border moves to and from the United States and Canada.
- Mobile Home Transport Service Marketplace matching service for transporting manufactured and mobile homes, including single-wide and double-wide units, with permit and route coordination.
- Wide Load Transport Service Marketplace matching service for wide load freight requiring oversized permits, escort vehicles, and route surveys, including manufactured housing, modular buildings, and industrial equipment.
- Super Load Transport Service Marketplace matching service for super load freight—extremely heavy or oversized cargo requiring multi-axle trailers, specialized permits, and coordinated route planning with state and local authorities.
Quantifiable outcome
- Saves up to 50% on partial truckload shipping compared to traditional rates
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use FR8Star
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
FR8Star technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
FR8Star partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.
- AuctionTimecoreAuctionTime is a leading online auction platform for heavy equipment. FR8Star is integrated into AuctionTime, allowing buyers who win auctions to instantly post their equipment for transport. This partnership provides FR8Star with a steady stream of shippers at the point of purchase.
- MachineryTradercoreMachineryTrader is one of the leading equipment listing websites. FR8Star is built into the MachineryTrader platform, enabling sellers and buyers to seamlessly arrange transport for listed equipment.
- TractorHousecoreTractorHouse is a major equipment marketplace. The integration with FR8Star allows users to post transport requests directly from equipment listings, creating a seamless buying-to-shipping experience.
- TruckPapercoreTruckPaper is a leading marketplace for trucks and trailers. FR8Star integration enables buyers to arrange transport for purchased vehicles through the FR8Star network.
- HiBidcoreHiBid is an online auction platform. FR8Star is integrated into HiBid, allowing auction participants to post equipment for heavy haul transport upon purchase completion.
- EquipmentfactscoreEquipmentfacts provides equipment listing and auction services. Partnership with FR8Star enables equipment buyers to access transport services directly through the Equipmentfacts platform.
- MarketBooksecondaryMarketBook is a Canadian equipment marketplace. FR8Star integration enables Canadian equipment buyers to access heavy haul transport services.
- LivestockMarketsecondaryLivestockMarket serves the livestock industry. FR8Star provides livestock transport services through this platform partnership.
- RVUniversesecondaryRVUniverse is an RV marketplace. FR8Star provides vehicle shipping and driveaway services for RV purchases through this partnership.
- EquineMarketsecondaryEquineMarket serves the horse and equine equipment market. FR8Star provides specialized transport services for equine-related equipment and vehicles through this partnership.
- Sandhills GlobalcoreSandhills Global is the parent company operating all the integrated platforms including AuctionTime, MachineryTrader, TractorHouse, TruckPaper, HiBid, Equipmentfacts, MarketBook, LivestockMarket, RVUniverse, and EquineMarket. FR8Star is built into these Sandhills platforms.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
FR8Star competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- DAT Freight & Analytics: The largest spot freight load board in North America, serving both shippers and carriers. Directly comparable to FR8Star as a marketplace for matching freight with available capacity, with a much broader (less heavy-haul-specialized) carrier base.
- Truckstop.com: Major load board and freight matching platform for spot and contract freight. Overlaps directly with FR8Star's carrier subscription and load posting model and is the primary incumbent in the same product category.
- uShip: Online freight marketplace where shippers post shipments (including heavy equipment and vehicles) and carriers bid on them. Closely comparable to FR8Star's reverse-auction model for heavy haul and oversized loads.
- NextLoad: Specialized load board and freight matching service focused on flatbed, heavy haul, and specialized freight. Most direct heavy-haul peer to FR8Star, competing for the same carrier audience and shipper demand.
- GoShip.com: Online freight marketplace where shippers post loads and receive instant quotes from carriers, including LTL and specialized freight. Overlaps with FR8Star's quote-driven, online-only marketplace model.
Broad incumbents
- Loadsmart: Digital freight broker and marketplace for truckload and intermodal freight. Broader scope than FR8Star but operates an analogous shipper-carrier matching platform with instant quoting and capacity sourcing.
- Uber Freight: Digital freight brokerage and marketplace backed by Uber with shipper-carrier matching and instant booking. Competes for the same carrier supply and shipper demand as FR8Star, though focused on full truckload rather than heavy haul specialty.
- Convoy: Digital freight network offering shipper-carrier matching and instant booking for truckload freight. Comparable marketplace dynamics to FR8Star even though Convoy's emphasis is on full truckload rather than heavy haul/oversize.
- Echo Global Logistics: Large third-party logistics and freight brokerage with technology-enabled carrier matching across truckload, LTL, and specialty. Comparable freight arrangement services for shippers across similar end markets.
Others
- FreightWaves: Freight market data, analytics, and media platform serving shippers, carriers, and brokers. Adjacent to FR8Star as an information and data layer used by the same heavy-haul and trucking ecosystem, even though it is not a load board.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
FR8Star social profiles
Digital presenceFR8Star financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
FR8Star leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
FR8Star funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
FR8Star M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about FR8Star
What does FR8Star do?
FR8Star operates a cloud-based freight marketplace that connects shippers of heavy haul, oversize/overweight, and open deck loads with qualified carriers and brokers across the United States and Canada. Shippers post loads for free and receive instant price estimates via a freight rate calculator, while carriers and brokers subscribe to access a load board with filterable equipment views, a blind bidding system, and verified carrier credentials. The platform specializes in heavy-haul, flatbed, step deck, lowboy, RGN, hot shot, and conestoga equipment, with FMCSA-verified carriers and integration into the parent Sandhills Global marketplace network.
Is FR8Star a public or private company?
FR8Star is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was FR8Star founded?
FR8Star was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is FR8Star based?
FR8Star is headquartered in Oakland, United States, in the North America region.
How does FR8Star make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Carrier/Broker Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are transaction Commission.
Who are FR8Star's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are DAT Freight & Analytics, Truckstop.com, uShip, NextLoad and GoShip.com. Broad incumbents are Loadsmart, Uber Freight, Convoy and Echo Global Logistics. FreightWaves is listed as an others.
Does FR8Star have an API?
No public API is recorded for FR8Star.
What industry is FR8Star in?
FR8Star's product category is Heavy Haul Freight Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAEAJAA, Spot Load Boards (Open Marketplace), with a secondary code of TLAEAJAG, Dedicated Lanes & Mini-Bid / RFP Marketplace Platforms. Its NAICS code is 488510 and its SIC code is 4731.