Open Source Freight Tech: From TMS to AI Tools with Garrett Allen, Founder of SearchCarriers

In this episode of This Side Up, Garrett breaks down his unconventional approach to building freight tech: live streaming development, open-sourcing a complete TMS, and creating multiple micro-SaaS tools that solve real problems for brokers and carriers. Whether you're running a brokerage, building logistics software, or curious about the indie hacker approach to B2B SaaS, this conversation is packed with insights you won't find anywhere else.Key Topics Covered→ Building an open-source TMS and why freight needs it→ The reality of AI in logistics: what works vs. the hype→ Search Carriers: image search, fraud prevention, and the privacy debate→ Why full brokerage automation is still a myth→ Human-in-the-loop AI: the right way to implement automation→ Building in public and live streaming freight tech development→ From Lasso (AI track & trace) to Load Partner (TMS) to Search Carriers→ The indie hacker approach to freight tech→ Fighting freight fraud with better tools and data→ Practical advice for brokerages adopting AI About Garrett AllenGarrett is the founder of Load Partner (open-source TMS) and Search Carriers (carrier research and discovery tool). He spent 8 years at Integrity Express Logistics building the TMS that helped them scale to 500+ employees and $1B in revenue, then worked as a Senior Engineering Manager at Transfix overseeing payments and shipper operations. He's now building multiple freight tech tools as a serial entrepreneur and shares the entire development process publicly through weekly live streams.Connect with Garrett Allenhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/allengc/SearchCarriershttps://searchcarriers.comLoadPartnerhttps://get.loadpartner.io/ Segments00:00 - Intro02:27 - Launching Lasso: AI Track and Trace03:50 - Why They Pivoted to Open Source TMS04:30 - Building Load Partner in Public05:22 - Creating SearchCarriers: FMCSA Data Made Easy06:29 - The Indie Hacker Approach to Freight Tech08:08 - Open Source TMS Traction and Use Cases10:08 - Image Search and the Privacy Debate13:27 - Fighting Fraud in Freight16:02 - The Micro-SaaS Strategy18:26 - AI in Freight: Lasso's Journey20:11 - Why Full Brokerage Automation Won't Happen Yet22:03 - DAT's Convoy Acquisition: What It Means24:24 - Advice for Implementing AI in Brokerage Operations26:05 - Building Trust: Human-in-the-Loop AI30:20 - No-Code Tools and Empowering Operators31:56 - What's Next in AI for Freight Show InformationThis Side Up Podcast digs deep into the minds of founders, builders, and operators reshaping the future of commerce and logistics. Subscribe for more conversations with industry leaders who are actually building the future.Podcast Website: https://www.thissideup.fm/Produced by: Intermode - https://www.intermode.is/Host: Andrew Verboncouer - https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewverboncouer/