TQL

What TQL does

TQL (Total Quality Logistics, LLC) is a privately held asset-light freight brokerage founded in 1997 and headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. The company arranges more than 20,000 loads of freight per week across North America, operating across full truckload, less-than-truckload, intermodal, drayage, ocean, air, and specialized services (drop trailer, heavy haul, partials, warehousing, customs, hazmat). TQL serves two complementary sides of the freight market: shippers (Beneficial Cargo Owners including manufacturers and retailers) seeking capacity, rate optimization, and multi-modal coordination, and motor carriers seeking load access and efficient freight matching through the TQL Carrier Dashboard.

The company's revenue model is transaction-based: TQL earns commissions or take-rate fees for matching shipper demand with available carrier capacity rather than owning significant transportation assets. Go-to-market is sales-led, with a direct sales force supplemented by a Fast Track Sales Program that recruits and relocates entry-level representatives to Cincinnati and regional offices, plus online quote-request and self-service portals (TQL TRAX for shippers, TQL Carrier Dashboard for carriers, TQL Global TRAX for ocean visibility). Customers span enterprise, mid-market, and SMB segments across the US, Canada, and Mexico, with cross-border services targeting the $800 billion annual US-Mexico trade flow.

Technology underpins the operating model: TQL has invested more than $100 million in AI and ML during 2024–2025 and operates a proprietary platform stack including TQL TRAX (shipment tracking, quoting, tendering, invoicing), TQL Carrier Dashboard (load board with geolocation), TQL Fleet TRAX (drop trailer fleet tracking), and Data Integration & Visibility for EDI/API enterprise integrations. AI/ML is applied to freight matching, predictive analytics, fraud prevention, and conversational AI chat support, with the function led by a Senior Director of Advanced Analytics and Automation. TQL operates three offices — Cincinnati (HQ), Monterrey, and Laredo — and wholly-owned subsidiaries TQL Global, LLC and TQLogistics Mexico, S. de R.L. de C.V. supporting international and cross-border operations.

Name

TQL

Legal name

Total Quality Logistics, LLC

Website

https://tql.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

TQL is a privately held, asset-light freight broker arranging more than 20,000 loads per week across North America, serving shippers (manufacturers and retailers) with multi-modal FTL, LTL, intermodal, drayage, ocean, and air services, and motor carriers via its TQL Carrier Dashboard, earning transaction-based commission revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Freight Brokerage & Logistics Services

NAICS

Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Less Than Truckload (484122), General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance (48412)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)

akta.pro primary industry

Freight Brokerage (Truckload/LTL/Intermodal) (TLAIANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Truckload (TL) Freight Brokerage (TLADAMAB), LTL Consolidators & Deconsolidators (TLADAEAE), Ocean Freight Brokerage (FCL/LCL) (TLADAMAF), Customs Brokerage for Ocean Shipments (Import/Export Clearance) (TLACABAG)

Keywords

• Freight brokerage services
• Truckload shipping
• Logistics technology platform
• Intermodal transportation
• Supply chain solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Freight Brokerage Services: TQL generates revenue as a freight broker by arranging transportation of freight between shippers and carriers. The company charges transaction fees or commissions for matching shipper load requirements with available carrier capacity. Industry estimates place 2024 revenue at approximately $8.5 billion with a goal to surpass $10 billion in 2025 revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

TQL is a North American freight brokerage that arranges the movement of more than 20,000 loads per week by matching shippers (BCOs) with motor carriers across multiple transportation modes including full truckload, less-than-truckload, intermodal, ocean, air, and drayage. The company supplements brokerage with specialized services such as customs brokerage, warehousing, heavy haul, drop trailer, and cross-border Canada/Mexico logistics. TQL's offerings are delivered alongside proprietary technology platforms—TQL TRAX, the Carrier Dashboard, TQL Global TRAX, and Data Integration & Visibility—supported by $100M+ in AI/ML investment for freight matching, tracking, and shipment optimization.

Product overview

TQL (Total Quality Logistics) operates as North America's second-largest freight broker offering a comprehensive logistics platform that combines transportation brokerage services across multiple modes with technology solutions. The core offering includes over-the-road services (Full Truckload, Less-Than-Truckload, Partials), intermodal transportation, and specialized services (Drop Trailer, Heavy Haul, Warehousing, Customs, Hazmat). The company extends its reach globally through Ocean and Air freight brokerage, plus cross-border services for Canada and Mexico. The TQL TRAX platform serves as the primary customer-facing technology for tracking, quoting, and shipment management, while the TQL Carrier Dashboard provides carriers with load searching, tracking, and fleet management capabilities. TQL Global TRAX and TQL Fleet TRAX are specialized modules for ocean visibility and drop trailer fleet tracking respectively. The technology stack also includes Data Integration & Visibility services for enterprise EDI/API connectivity, enabling seamless data exchange with customer systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TQL TRAX: Technology platform for customers providing load tracking updates, quote requests, load tendering, invoice management and more.
• TQL Carrier Dashboard
• TQL Global TRAX

Products and services

• Full Truckload (FTL) Brokerage Over-the-road truckload brokerage service for shipping full trailer loads of freight, including dry van, flatbed, temperature controlled, and over-dimensional options. For shippers needing dedicated full-trailer capacity.
• Less Than Truckload (LTL) Brokerage Brokerage service for shipments that do not require a full trailer, consolidating freight from multiple shippers. For businesses moving smaller freight volumes.
• Intermodal Brokerage Combined truck and rail transportation service using containers for domestic freight movement. For shippers seeking cost-effective long-haul freight solutions.
• Drayage Services Port and rail terminal container drayage services for moving containers between terminals and facilities. For importers/exporters and supply chain operators needing port-to-warehouse transport.
• Ocean Freight Brokerage International ocean freight brokerage services for shipping goods via ocean carriers, including FCL and LCL options. For businesses moving international containerized cargo.
• Air Freight Services Domestic and international air freight services for time-sensitive shipments. For shippers with urgent or high-value cargo requiring rapid delivery.
• Drop Trailer Services Drop trailer services allowing carriers to leave trailers at shipper locations for loading/unloading flexibility. For shippers with consistent freight volumes seeking flexible loading windows.
• Heavy Haul / Oversize-Overweight Brokerage Oversize and overweight freight brokerage services for specialized equipment including RGN, DD, Conestoga, power only, tanker, hopper, and dump trailers. For shippers moving large or heavy industrial equipment and machinery.
• Partials Brokerage Brokerage service for partial trailer shipments that don't require full truckload capacity but need dedicated attention. For shippers needing more than LTL consolidation but less than a full truckload.
• Warehousing Services Warehouse storage and distribution services complementing transportation brokerage. For businesses needing storage, inventory management, and distribution support.
• Customs Brokerage Customs brokerage services for import/export documentation and regulatory compliance. For importers and exporters needing customs clearance and compliance support.
• Canada Cross-Border Services Cross-border logistics services for freight movement into and out of Canada. For shippers moving freight between the US and Canada.
• Mexico Cross-Border Services Cross-border logistics services for freight movement between the US and Mexico, capturing bilateral trade flow. For shippers moving freight between the US and Mexico.
• Hazmat Transportation Transportation services for hazardous materials requiring special handling and compliance. For shippers moving regulated hazardous materials.
• TQL TRAX Platform Customer-facing web platform providing load tracking updates, quote requests, load tendering, invoice management, and shipment visibility across all transportation modes. For shippers managing freight through TQL.
• TQL Carrier Dashboard Web and mobile platform for carriers to search loads, access load board, manage shipments, track equipment, and utilize location-based features like 'Take Me Home' and 'Locate Me'. For motor carriers seeking freight loads.
• TQL Global TRAX Ocean-specific tracking and visibility module within the TQL TRAX platform for international shipments. For shippers managing ocean freight through TQL.
• TQL Fleet TRAX Fleet tracking module for drop trailer services, enabling shippers to monitor trailer locations and fleet performance. For shippers using TQL drop trailer services.
• Data Integration & Visibility Services Technology solution enabling data integration and shipment visibility, supporting EDI and API connectivity for enterprise customers. For enterprise shippers needing system-to-system integration with TQL.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

AI capability7 records

Feature5 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• RXO: Pure-play freight brokerage that acquired Coyote Logistics to become a top-tier North American broker. Directly competes with TQL in truckload and LTL brokerage, serving similar BCO customers.
• Hub Group: Intermodal and logistics services provider with a brokerage arm, competing with TQL across intermodal, truckload, and supply chain solutions for enterprise customers.
• Echo Global Logistics: Technology-enabled freight brokerage (now part of J.B. Hunt) that directly competes with TQL in truckload and LTL. Similar asset-light model and shipper/carrier audience.
• Coyote Logistics: Top-10 North American truckload brokerage acquired by RXO, with comparable multi-modal offerings and a similar asset-light model targeting BCOs and carriers.
• C.H. Robinson Worldwide: The #1 freight broker in North America and TQL's most direct competitor, offering truckload, LTL, intermodal, ocean, and air brokerage across global markets. Highly comparable multi-modal platform with overlapping BCO and carrier customer bases.
• J.B. Hunt Transport Services: Major multi-modal carrier and broker (J.B. Hunt 360) that TQL surpassed to become the #2 North American broker. Comparable across truckload, intermodal, and brokerage offerings to enterprise shippers.
• Landstar System: Asset-light freight transportation services company using BCO agents and owner-operators, with overlapping truckload and brokerage offerings vs. TQL's carrier network model.

Broad incumbents

• DSV A/S: Global freight forwarder and 3PL with significant North American air, ocean, and road brokerage operations, overlapping with TQL Global's international and cross-border capabilities.
• Schneider National: Large asset-based carrier that also operates a brokerage division, directly overlapping with TQL in truckload, intermodal, and logistics services for enterprise shippers.

Emerging players

• Uber Freight: Digital-native freight brokerage built on the Uber technology platform, directly competing with TQL for shipper and carrier relationships with automated matching and transparent pricing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=b1eNw1p7RQg&list=PLHxIrbJ27V74xSS_zxkN2h33eidzHL8H
• Facebookfacebook.com/totalqualitylogistics
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/total-quality-logistics
• Instagraminstagram.com/lifeattql/?hl=en
• Xx.com/tqlogistics

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TQL