Tech executives love to sell freight professionals a dream of fancy dashboards and expensive monthly subscriptions. But when the reality hits, the foundation usually cracks. Right now, Freightos—one of the biggest names trying to digitize international freight bookings—is tearing itself apart at the executive level because the suits can't agree on whether they are a tech company or an actual freight marketplace.
What happened
Freightos’ board of directors has agreed to put founder Zvi Schreiber’s proposals to a shareholder vote at its upcoming December annual meeting. Schreiber, who stepped down from the board back in February 2024, is directly challenging the company's current leadership.
The fight centers on Freightos pivoting toward standalone software-as-a-service (SaaS) tools instead of building out its core freight booking platform. Schreiber has publicly sounded the alarm, arguing that this pivot is failing and that rapid advancements in artificial intelligence will make commoditized freight software obsolete. Instead of selling overpriced software seats to freight forwarders, he argues the platform must prioritize real transaction volume and marketplace execution.
Why it matters for dispatchers/drivers
Every time a supply chain tech platform loses its way in the boardroom, the people moving actual freight feel the fallout. Dispatchers and fleet managers rely on transparent data, streamlined digital bookings, and accurate rate discovery across air, ocean, and ground connections.
When logistics tech companies obsess over selling SaaS subscriptions instead of fixing fragmented booking processes, carriers get squeezed. Tech companies burn millions on software development that adds friction rather than solving it. For domestic dispatchers who interface with intermodal or cross-border freight coming off air and ocean lines, booking platforms must deliver real capacity, fast quotes, and reliable settlements—not another bloated dashboard that charges $150/month per seat just to view rates.
My take
Schreiber is 100% right on this one. The freight industry is sick and tired of tech companies masquerading as logistics solutions just to squeeze SaaS multiples out of Wall Street. Standard workflow software is getting commoditized overnight by AI models that anyone can run. If a platform doesn't control the actual freight transaction, it has no moat.
I’ve watched dispatchers get tricked into paying for four different software packages that don't talk to each other and deliver zero real freight volume. At EK Dispatch Academy, we train dispatchers to look past the shiny user interfaces and focus strictly on operational leverage—getting the load, negotiating the rate, and protecting the carrier's cash flow. If Freightos abandons its booking platform to sell glorified spreadsheet software, they’re dead in the water.
— Ekjot Singh
What you should do
- Audit your tech stack right now: cut any SaaS subscription that doesn't directly generate freight revenue or save measurable daily hours.
- If you handle import/export or drayage freight, don't rely on a single digital portal for capacity or bookings; keep direct forwarder relationships intact.
- Check out the practical tech and operational tools we recommend at EK Dispatch Academy (/tools) to run a lean, profitable desk without software bloat.