Hwy Haul TMS

Hwy Haul, a rapidly expanding digital freight platform, serves a wide range of clients seeking an efficient Transportation Management System (TMS) to optimize their operations. Recognizing this need and aiming to enhance its market position, Hwy Haul embarked on creating a Software as a Service (SaaS) solution that delivers powerful TMS functionality. 

My Role

Deliverables

Tools

Timeline






Overview

Problem Statement

The logistics industry faces significant challenges in optimizing freight management, tracking real-time shipments, and ensuring efficient carrier-shipper communication. Enterprise transportation management systems (TMS) often struggle with poor usability, lack of real-time data insights, and inefficient workflows, leading to delays, increased costs, and frustrated users. 

Users and Audience

Hwy Haul’s TMS serves a wide range of users across the freight and logistics ecosystem, including:

Each of these roles relies on Hwy Haul’s TMS for real-time visibility, efficiency, and automation in their logistics operations.

Goals

The goal was to enhance the UX/UI of the AI-powered TMS by creating intuitive, scalable, and data-driven design solutions.


Solution

Intuitive and scalable UI/UX solutions for logistics workflows, including load management, real-time tracking, and financial automation. Reusable components, interactive data tables, and customizable dashboards enhance efficiency and user experience. Improved data visualization, robust error handling, and a proactive alert system streamline decision-making and workflow continuity.

Outcome

The redesigned TMS provided:





Discover

HwyHaul is a rapidly expanding digital freight platform, serves a diverse range of clients who require an effective Transportation Management System (TMS) to optimize their logistics operations. To address this need and strengthen its position in the market, HwyHaul embarked on the creation of a Software as a Service (SaaS) solution designed to deliver comprehensive TMS functionalities to its customers. This is my contribution that highlights the steps taken and the design decisions made in the design and development of this SaaS TMS offering.

Quantitative Research

In order to get some logistical data regarding demographics and some general sentiments of the user base, I compiled company data and known industry statistics to build a general understanding of the userbase. By analyzing this data, as well as relevant reports and surveys, I was able to map out key user profiles—shippers, brokers, and carriers—and identify their main challenges and preferences. This research helped inform the product's feature prioritization, ensuring it addressed the most pressing needs of the target audience. 

Key Takeaways:

Adoption Rates: 65% of shippers, 30% of carriers, and 50% of brokers use TMS. Larger shippers (50%) and large fleets (90%) show higher adoption, while small shippers and smaller fleets tend to have lower adoption rates.

Shipper Priorities: 75% of shippers prioritize real-time tracking, with larger shippers placing more importance on visibility to manage operations efficiently.

Carrier Priorities: 55% of carriers value load optimization, with large fleets focusing on maximizing efficiency, while smaller fleets may struggle to implement optimization tools.

Hwy Haul Priorities: Spot Quoting features, adoption, and reduction of complaints. 

Competitive Analysis

In order to better understand how transit apps work in the market currently, I downloaded the following apps to analyze: Uber Freight and Doft. I used a SWOT analysis, as well as a general observational task analysis on each app.

Strengths

Weakness

Opportunities

Threats

Strengths

Weakness

Opportunities

Threats

Strengths

Weakness

Opportunities

Threats

Qualitative Research

I used Google Meet to conduct interviews, as well as some interpersonal ones. The conversations were tailored towards the various participants, largely from the Hwy Haul team. The accounting team, as well as a few carriers were available for inquiry.

Insights

Carriers and shippers want more transparency in load management. Several interviewees expressed frustration with the lack of real-time updates on shipments. Many carriers mentioned that delays and unexpected route changes are difficult to communicate efficiently, often leading to misalignment between shippers and brokers. A participant noted that better visibility into shipment status would reduce unnecessary back-and-forth communication and improve trust in the platform.

Logistics professionals rely on multiple tools, leading to inefficiencies. Users reported that they frequently switch between different platforms to manage loads, track shipments, and handle payments. A participant highlighted that they use Hwy Haul for booking but rely on separate apps for tracking and document management. This fragmented experience creates inefficiencies and increases the risk of errors, particularly when reconciling invoices and shipment statuses.

Speed and ease of booking are top priorities for carriers. Many interviewees emphasized that when selecting a load, speed is key. A carrier explained that having to click through multiple screens or manually input details slows them down, causing missed opportunities. Participants expressed a preference for a streamlined booking process where they could quickly filter and accept loads without unnecessary steps.

Users need all relevant information in a single accessible screen. Participants repeatedly mentioned that important shipment details are scattered across different sections, requiring them to click through multiple pages or reference external documents. One carrier noted that when reviewing a load, they need to see pricing, pickup and delivery times, route details, and previous interactions in one place. Users emphasized that consolidating key information into a single, well-structured dashboard would significantly improve efficiency and reduce errors.

User Stories

Using the responses I got during the discovery phase of the project, I crafted the following user stories to represent what I saw as pressing concerns of those in the community.

Shipper Client: I want to track my shipments in real-time so I can stay informed about the status of my goods and ensure they reach their destination on time.

Carrier Client: A system that automates load assignments and offers optimization suggestions, would help me maximize the efficiency of my trucks and increase overall profitability.

Hwy Haul Emloyee: I'd like to see all the relevant payment and load information in one place to easily verify information and ensure the smoothness of the payment and load delivery process. 

Conclusion: 

The user data gathered from interviews and interactions provided valuable insights that helped refine the direction of my design changes and the addition of new features. This feedback guided me in making informed decisions about how to better address user needs and improve the overall experience.





Design Process

The design process for Hwy Haul centered on simplifying complex logistics through intuitive, user-driven interfaces. Extensive field research, wireframing, and prototyping shaped clear information architecture, scalable UI components, and effective data visualizations. This approach ensured that every element—from load booking to real-time tracking—was designed with clarity and ease-of-use in mind.

Design Language & System

Leveraging an established brand and design system, including defined typography and color palettes, ensured that every interface element aligned with the brand’s visual identity. By leveraging the existing typography, color palettes, and component library, every element— buttons to icons—was seamlessly integrated into a unified design that reinforced the brand’s identity.

Sapphire and Mango Tango anchor Hwy Haul’s brand identity, with many supporting tints and greys for hightlights and heirarchies.
Used a modern sans-serif font for readability, with neutral tones & high-contrast accents for clarity and hierarchy.
I designed the icons on an established grid, ensuring consistent sizing, alignment, and clarity across the interface. The placement and sizing remained consistent throughout the design.
Buttons I created adhered to specific sizes and tolerances, with the colors and shape being relevant to the hierarchy and function.
Consistent modals and cards were designed for warnings and similar functions, created to be easily replicated and used within the system. The cards I designed adhered to this to enhance user experience by making the elements predictable and easily recognizable throughout the platform.

Information Architecture

Hwy Haul’s TMS handles a high volume of real-time data for various users, requiring a streamlined information architecture to ensure quick decision-making. The challenge was to structure workflows for carriers, shippers, and internal teams in a way that was intuitive yet scalable.

Adaptive Design

Hwy Haul required a flexible UI that could adapt to different user needs. The approach was based on modular UI modeling to allow scalability and future-proofing. The goal was to turn the relevant logistics complexity into an intuitive and customizable system.

Built a grid-based layout that adapts to various screen sizes and workflows.
Created a card-based design for load details, allowing users to customize their dashboard.

Data Visualization

Logistics generates large volumes of real-time and historical data. The goal was to translate complexity into clarity through effective data visualization. I used the aforementioned UI principles to make logistical data into clear and actionable representations. 

Introduced informative charts for shipment performance tracking.
Organized a visual organizer for ease in ordering and understanding loading times.

Interaction

To streamline high-frequency tasks, interactions were designed to minimize friction and provide instant feedback. This approach enabled users to perform routine and new actions swiftly and accurately, enhancing overall efficiency and satisfaction.

Utilized a drag and drop functionality for intuitiveness and ease of use.
Created carious pop up elements with common input design language. 
Utilized pop ups as well as a responsive, changing component to maximize clarity.
Used a filter system as well as useful organization of information to make interaction coherent.

Outcome & Impact

30% faster load-building time due to intuitive organization tools.

Higher operational efficiency due to improved load visibility and planning flexibility.

1.5x improved load delivery rate due to increased accountability, and boosted confidence in the carriers. 

The project successfully enhanced Hwy Haul’s TMS by streamlining the freight management process, making it faster and more intuitive for users. By implementing key features like real-time tracking and a dynamic load builder, the platform now offers an efficient, user-friendly experience. This transformation sets the stage for future scalability, supporting the company’s growth and evolving needs.