Axel spent 8 years managing transport operations for a 9-figure European manufacturer, then 4 years as Commercial Director at a global forwarder. He now shares insights from both shipper and carrier sides, and enjoys the occasional piña colada.
Generative AI is reshaping how European shippers interact with their transportation management systems. While 96% of TMS users are adopting generative AI in their operations and 75% of companies have at least one GenAI implementation in their supply chain functions, the technology faces a sobering reality: the majority of conversational
European manufacturers with €50 million+ annual transport spend are watching a significant shift unfold. The growing chasm between retiring and new drivers is set to triple the rate of unfilled truck driver positions, to over 60% by 2026, while unfilled driver positions for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) in Europe have
Your procurement team spends €800,000 annually negotiating with the same 30 carriers while qualified alternatives operate just one API call away. Modern transport tender management through TMS platforms can reduce procurement cycle times by 60% while delivering measurable cost savings, but most European shippers miss the bigger opportunity: marketplace
The year 2026 brings a perfect storm of digital compliance requirements that will fundamentally change how European shippers manage their transport operations. From January 1, 2026, all ECMT permits will be issued exclusively in electronic form, while July introduces mandatory smart tachographs for commercial vehicles between 2.5 and 3.
As of January 2026, eFTI platforms and service providers can start preparing for operations, while on July 9, 2027, Member States must accept digital freight transport data, making paperless logistics a reality across the EU. This creates an 18-month window that smart European shippers can leverage to secure better TMS
The number of active telematics devices in Europe is expected to reach 49.77 million by 2026 – growth that reflects not a trend but a structural shift. Yet this massive data explosion creates an implementation nightmare most European shippers haven't properly budgeted for. European shippers consistently underestimate TMS
The math behind Europe's transport crisis couldn't be clearer. IRU's 2024 global truck driver shortage report has found that 3.6 million positions remain unfilled in 36 countries studied representing 70% of global GDP, with 233,000 unfilled jobs in Europe alone. The average
The operating cost of an average bulk vessel trading within the EU could increase by €1.3 million annually in 2026. Yet while most European shippers are scrambling to manage this expense as pure overhead, the smart ones are using advanced TMS carbon tracking features to transform EU ETS compliance
A mid-sized German automotive parts manufacturer thought their TMS implementation was going smoothly. Six months into implementation, €800,000 spent, they realized their new system couldn't handle their complex carrier network across 12 countries. Sound familiar? You're not alone. Hidden costs in TMS procurement consistently add
A German automotive parts manufacturer discovered what an €800,000 mistake looks like when their recently implemented TMS started sending shipments through costly manual workarounds. Six months post-implementation, their carrier integration failures were costing them 15% more than their old spreadsheet-based system. Sound familiar? With significant cost reductions and improvements
Your TMS investment promises 15% freight cost savings and operational efficiency gains. Six months later, you're still waiting for concrete proof of ROI. 76% of logistics transformations fail to achieve their performance objectives, and most European shippers struggle with the same challenge: measuring TMS performance without clear benchmarks
If you're still evaluating TMS vendors based solely on features and pricing, you're preparing for a €4.5 million wake-up call. The average cost of a breach is $4.18 million, and the transport sector accounted for 11% of all reported incidents, second only to attacks