Freight technology company TruckSmarter is shutting down its driver app and Dispatch service following an acquisition by an undisclosed buyer, ending a platform that has been used by more than 500,000 carriers.
TruckSmarter announced on September 1 that it had been acquired and would shut down its app on Friday, September 4, 2026. The platform offered carriers a free load board along with Dispatch, a paid artificial intelligence-powered service designed to simplify freight searching, bidding, and booking.
Dispatch allowed drivers to search for freight using conversational language rather than manually scrolling through a traditional load board. Its software agents could also perform tasks such as bidding on loads, booking freight, and scheduling workflows. The service was introduced as TruckSmarter increased its focus on AI-based freight technology.
According to automated company responses cited by FreightWaves, active Dispatch subscriptions were scheduled to be canceled when the service closed. Customers who paid invoices during the previous 30 days were expected to receive refunds within seven business days after cancellation.
TruckSmarter co-founder and CEO Dan Kao thanked users for five years of support in a message posted within the app. However, the identity of the company acquiring TruckSmarter has not been publicly disclosed, and financial terms of the transaction remain unknown.
OTR Solutions has confirmed that it is not the buyer. OTR previously acquired TruckSmarter’s factoring and banking division in November 2025, allowing TruckSmarter to concentrate on its software, load board, and AI dispatch technology.
FreightWaves noted that the circumstances resemble an acquihire, an acquisition primarily focused on obtaining a company’s employees and technical expertise rather than continuing its products. TruckSmarter’s rapid shutdown, absence of a customer migration plan, and unidentified buyer support that possibility. However, neither TruckSmarter nor the acquiring company has confirmed that the transaction is an acquihire.
TruckSmarter was founded in San Francisco in 2021 by Kao and Paolo Bernasconi. The company raised a $25 million Series B in 2022, followed by a debt facility in 2024. In September 2025, it raised another $16 million in equity, with the funding intended to support research, development, and talent while launching Dispatch.
For carriers that relied on TruckSmarter, the shutdown created an immediate need to secure freight through alternative platforms. FreightWaves advised users to export available load histories, rate confirmations, broker contacts, payment records, and other important documents before losing access.
Carriers were also encouraged to verify subscription refunds and establish accounts with alternative load boards or reconnect directly with brokers and shippers. The sudden closure highlights the operational risks carriers can face when critical freight sourcing, booking, or business records depend heavily on a single technology provider.
Source: https://www.freightwaves.com/news/trucksmarter-shutting-down
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