How freight exchanges work: why they are necessary, why money is paid for them, how to use them?

Logistics — it's not just about transporting goods from one country to another, from one city to another, from point A to point B. It is a constant activity of coordination, deadlines, documents, risks, and limited time every day. Especially in international transport, where dozens of links are involved. For this reason, transport exchanges have become a real lifesaver — both for cargo owners and carriers. But what are they, actually? Why is money paid for them? And who really needs them? Let’s break it down with real-world examples.

What is a freight exchange?

A freight exchange — is an online platform where freight transportation requests are posted: cargo listings, transport, routes, and offers from freight forwarders and carriers. It is a kind of “logistics marketplace” where those who need transportation meet those who are willing to provide it.
There are both public exchanges (with open listings) and closed systems available only to partners or verified companies. In most cases, to access all features (contacts, quick requests, carrier ratings), payment of a subscription or commission is required.

Why is access to freight market information paid?

For those accustomed to free classifieds sites, this may seem surprising. But it’s important to understand one simple thing: in logistics, time = money.
A quality freight exchange is a functional system that:
• filters false and outdated listings for cargo and vehicles;
• verifies users, registration, authorization;
• allows quick searches for reliable carriers or cargo;
• integrates with GPS systems, distance, and freight cost calculation;
• provides support and legal assistance.
This is what you’re paying for — information, speed of data acquisition, accuracy, and reliability of listings.

Example of freight exchange usage:

A manufacturing company from Poland plans to ship meat from Ukraine to Romania. They urgently need a refrigerated truck, with departure planned for tomorrow, and within the next 2 hours, loading and document preparation must be completed as the goods are highly perishable. On a classic advertising platform, the shippers would spend half a day calling various carriers, with no guarantee of finding someone available.
On a freight exchange, everything happens quickly and efficiently; the client accesses the “transport” section on the freight exchange, then searches — loading country — delivery country, filters by: “refrigerated truck,” “within a 100 km radius,” “available for loading before 14:00,” chooses a carrier with a high rating — and they reach an agreement in 15 minutes and the transport request is sent.
No unnecessary discussions. For this efficiency, shippers are willing to pay, and it is indeed worth paying for it.

Who really needs freight exchanges?

1. Cargo owners (manufacturers, stores, farmers)
   Their task is not only to ship the goods, but to do it on time and at a reasonable cost- especially when it comes to perishable products or large cargo volumes.
2. Carriers (logistics companies, self-employed drivers with a truck, independent van owners)
   They need to maximize vehicle load capacity, find information about return loads and regular shipments — in order to avoid running “empty”. The more freight listings they have access to, the higher the chances of avoiding losses.
3. Freight forwarders
   They are the link between the clients and the carriers, they control the transportation process, coordinate loading, route monitoring, and delivery of goods. Often, they also handle paperwork, road, rail, sea, or air transport, and take responsibility for delivery.
   The freight exchange is for them a source of orders and a control tool, as well as the only direct source of income.
   4. Transport departments of retail chains, factories, distributors
   They manage dozens of deliveries daily. A freight exchange helps them quickly find transportation means for each route and monitor freight rates.

How companies use freight exchanges?

Case 1: Furniture factory – seasonal logistics

A furniture factory in Lithuania operates all year round, but peak sales occur in the spring. The factory’s own fleet is small, and the hired carriers are not sufficient. Through a freight exchange, the factory submits delivery requests for furniture across Europe. It searches and filters providers by price, small and large batches, and selects carriers according to destination, transport cost, and deadlines.
Each trip is saved in the system, making it easy to repeat the route or contact the same carrier again. During peak season, the factory saves up to 18% in time and logistics costs.

Case 2: Individual Entrepreneur Carrier with truck – return load search

Andrei — a private carrier from Ukraine. He owns a tent-covered tractor unit and hauls loads on the Lviv–Warsaw route. In the past, he often returned empty without a load. After registering on a freight exchange, he started offering his services for “return load searches”. Now, after unloading in Poland, he drive to a terminal where his truck is fully loaded for the return trip, allowing him to earn in both directions.
In one year, his income increased by 27%, and the number of empty trips was reduced by half.

Case 3: Retail chain – planning deliveries one week in advance

A grocery stores chain in Romania uses a freight exchange to plan the delivery of food products from the Baltic countries and Europe to Romania. They have their own logistics manager, who every Friday posts 12-15 shipment requests for the upcoming week. Carriers respond, and the logistics manager selects the most suitable ones based on price and reputation.
This provides transparency, the ability to negotiate, and avoids dependence on a single carrier. Additionally, it is convenient to conduct analyses: how much deliveries cost in March, which carriers were used, and how many shipments were canceled.

What features distinguish good freight exchanges from ordinary ones?

• Real-time updated information in ratings and listings.
  • Forums and reviews about cargo owners and transport companies.
  • Large directory of transport companies.
  • Number of transportation means added daily.
  • Filters based on cargo and transport parameters.
  • Automatic notifications about relevant requests, subscription options.
  • Mobile app or Telegram channel
  • Ability to ask questions to the professional community.
  • Multilingual support, especially for international shipments
  • Blogs about organizing shipments and expert articles on logistics.

How freight exchanges influence the future of logistics

The trend is clear: everything is transitioning to digital format. Now, it is possible to fully organize the shipment process—from search to payment—without leaving your personal account. Modern platforms with AI assistants, GPS integration, automatic route cost calculation, and selection of the appropriate vehicle or container are emerging.

Companies no longer just search for carriers — they build a logistics ecosystem that includes everything: information search, analysis, planning, ratings, and safety. The exchange becomes an integral part of this ecosystem and, for many, a real source of income in the transport business.

So, why should you pay for using a freight exchange?

You don’t pay for listings, but for efficiency, volume of information, and speed of search.

A good freight exchange means:
• saving time in adding information and searching;
• access to a verified database of carriers and cargo;
• risk reduction – through counterparty verification;
• convenient tools for communication.

For some, the freight exchange is a way to load their shipment, for others – a quick solution to a logistics task. And for some – it’s the foundation of an entire business.

Freight exchanges — are not just bulletin boards. They are modern tools that help you earn money, reduce costs, and keep the logistics chain under control. That’s why people are willing to pay for them. And that’s exactly why they’re used — from independent drivers to international retail chains.

What reliable and popular freight exchanges are suitable for certain destinations:

For international shipments from Europe, Turkey, Greece, Spain, or Italy to Ukraine and other CIS countries, where both European and Eastern European carriers operate. If you need to transport goods from Europe to Ukraine, or from Turkey, Greece, Spain, Italy to CIS countries, or from China or Mongolia through Kazakhstan to Russia.

The recommended freight exchanges are:

1. Teleroute.
   One of the largest freight marketplaces in Europe.
   There are many carriers from Poland, Romania, Germany, and the Baltic countries.
   Offers routes to and from Ukraine.
   Supports both Russian and English languages.
2. Timocom.
   A very robust transport information platform, especially strong in Germany, Austria, and the Benelux countries.
   It is expensive, but reliable for finding European carriers.
   Offers filters by countries of Europe and the CIS.
   Paid access, but with a high conversion rate.
3. CargoLT.
   Performs well on routes such as Lithuania – Poland – Ukraine and across European countries.
   Many carriers from the Baltic and CIS countries.
   Supports Ukrainian and Russian languages.
4. Lardi-Trans.
   Strong presence in the Ukrainian and Belarusian markets.
   Many carriers operating routes from Europe to Ukraine.
   Free basic functionality, but full access requires a subscription.
5. Com-Stil.com. A new international freight exchange.It is relevant for shipments from Europe to the CIS. It features loads and transport going to Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. Unlimited free posting of requests. Cargo postings are also free, including multimodal shipments. It’s convenient for posting transport and cargo going from China to the CIS countries. The platform is focused on logistics across Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. It's also well-suited for transport from Turkey to Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and more.
6. ATISU. The largest freight exchange in Russia. Actively operates with routes from China (via Heihe, Manzhouli, Harbin, Suifenhe). There are many Chinese agents, freight forwarders, and Russian carriers experienced with China. It offers multimodal shipment: road, rail, and containers.
7. TransportMD. A freight exchange focused on shipments from Moldova to European countries and the CIS. Many carriers and forwarders from Moldova, Ukraine, and Romania use the platform.

On the internet, you can find more than 30 different freight exchanges, each with a different profile, some specialize only in road transport or air deliveries; others provide information about sea carriers and there are also dedicated rail freight exchanges where containers, wagons, and rail cargo are listed.

The Com-Stil freight exchange covers all types of transportation, expanding the ability to search for and add cargo for every type of freight transport. Carriers find cargo, and shippers find transport based on the required delivery type, weight, and volume. Free posting helps grow the platform daily, providing valuable data for all logistics professionals, carriers, and shippers.