National Transportation Exchange

National Transportation Exchange (NTE) operates as a business-to-business electronic marketplace focused on the North American freight industry. The firm was established in 1994 by Greg Roque, whose experience in logistics for a major restaurant chain exposed him to the significant inefficiencies of empty miles in the trucking sector. This insight into unused truck capacity on return trips became the foundational problem NTE aimed to solve. The company launched one of the first B2B marketplaces on the web by transitioning its dial-up exchange to the internet in 1996.

NTE's core business revolves around a real-time, automated platform that matches shippers with available space on trucks already en route. This service primarily targets two client groups: shippers seeking cost-effective transportation and carriers looking to generate incremental revenue from unused trailer capacity. The platform addresses the costly issue of "empty miles," where trucks travel without a payload. By providing access to this otherwise lost capacity, shippers can secure transportation rates that are often 15% to 30% below the average market price. For carriers, this translates into additional revenue on trips they are already committed to making, directly improving their narrow profit margins.

The company's revenue model is based on creating a margin between the price billed to the shipper and the amount paid to the carrier, functioning similarly to a stock exchange. NTE vets all participants for financial solvency and proper certification to ensure a secure and reliable trading environment. Initially focused on the spot market for backhauls and excess capacity, the company expanded its vision. In late 2000, National Transportation Exchange officially shortened its name to NTE to signify its evolution beyond a purely national exchange and to incorporate a wider range of online logistics services. This strategic shift included the acquisition of OpenShip, a developer of e-commerce solutions, to enhance its capabilities with features like reverse auctions and contract management.

Keywords: freight exchange, logistics marketplace, trucking capacity, B2B transportation, freight matching, empty miles solution, spot freight market, LTL shipping, supply chain logistics, digital freight brokerage, Greg Roque, carrier revenue, shipper savings, freight optimization, transportation execution, online freight auction, backhaul optimization, continuous moves, freight management, e-commerce logistics