Signups to participate in Freight Order Reverse Auctions take place at the Transport Carrier Network website at Transport Carrier Network.com. Before a transport carrier can participate in an auction, a transport carrier must be pre-qualified as a federally licensed and insured transport carrier and be listed on the National Transport Carrier Directory and have a user name and password. An annual pre-qualification and directory listing fee of $365 is required.
The TCN Network uses virtual Shippernet Freight Centers, at or nearby, over 1800 towns, cities, ports, and airports. Transport carriers doing business in the area can be listed at one or multiple location with contact information for shippers, brokers, and beneficial owners of freight cargo (BCOs).
With the pre-qualification and directory listing fee network transport carriers have an additional suite of franchise-type products and services available:
1. The National Transport Carrier Directory provides company name, domicle address, contact information, and a link to the company's website and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) safety database to provide carrier's active registration, insurance coverage, safety information and provide Viewing Authorities for quick Shipper or BCO pre-qualification information.
2. At a directory listing an Equipment Status Listing is provided to Shippers and BCOs of the type of stationary or moving equipment a transport carrier has available for hire at one or more Shippernet Freight Center locations along with Load and Shipment Tracking information.
3. As equipment travels to a destination point, the TCN network is designed to advertise available in route moving space for hire within a 75 mile radius of multiple in route Shippernet Freight Centers. A Cost-per-Mile simulator is provided for assistance in per-mile price negotiations for partial shipment transport. A phone APP is provided for posting available moving space to the website.
5. The Transport carrier will have access to the United States Department of Agriculture full load procurement information. The United States Department of Agriculture procures over 2.2 billion dollars of food annually of which all transport costs are paid for by the shipper on a "F.O.B. destination" basis with Small Business Set-Aside provisions that can include transporting services.
6. Billing, collecting and settlements services with 24 hour quick pay fee that includes:
---A simple interest component
---An administrative support component
---Shipper and Freight Broker credit checks
7. Billing, collecting and settlements services without quick pay settlement fee that includes:
---Online billing services
---An administrative support component
---Shipper and Freight Broker credit checks
---Access to Spot Market Load Board
8. Truckwin Solutions fee based suite of products and services
---Cost per mile Simulator available
---Online Dispatch and Accounting Software
---In-house Dispatch and Accounting Software
---Fuel Tax return preparation
---Annual Licensing
---Website building an maintenance
---Accounting and Management Training Webinars/p>
---ELD device support, backup, and storage services required by FMCSA regulations
---Website building an maintenance
Since a Freight Broker is not the owner of cargo, a licensed Freight Broker cannot participate as a BUYER in a FREIGHT ORDER REVERSE AUCTION. A separate network SPOT MARKET LOAD BOARD is provided for Freight Brokers to post loads and shipments to solicit freight rate negotiations from both in-network and out-of-network transport carriers. Freight Brokers can also list their brokerage firm at one or more of the 1800 towns, cities, ports, and airports in a separate national online directory.