Top 10 Best Real-Time Transportation Visibility Software in 2025

In logistics, a single delayed shipment can disrupt production lines, frustrate customers, and cost millions in lost revenue. Traditional tracking methods like spreadsheets or static GPS tools fail to provide the real-time visibility needed to respond before the damage is done. 

That is why enterprises are now investing in real-time transportation visibility platforms that allow them to track shipments minute by minute, anticipate risks, and take action before delays spiral into bigger problems.

In this post, we’ll explore the top real-time transportation visibility providers for 2025, comparing their features, strengths, and limitations. We’ll also highlight why Locus stands out as the best choice for enterprises looking to gain an edge in their logistics operations.

What is Real-Time Transportation Visibility Software and Why is It Important in 2025?

Real-time transportation visibility software (RTTVP) is a technology solution designed to provide businesses with live tracking and data insights into their logistics operations. By integrating multiple data sources, from GPS trackers to IoT sensors, these platforms deliver a unified view of shipments, assets, and vehicles across the entire supply chain.

In 2025, real-time visibility platforms are more critical than ever as companies face increasingly complex logistics challenges. As supply chains stretch across global networks and encompass various transportation modes (road, rail, air, and sea), maintaining oversight becomes more difficult. These challenges include managing varying delivery windows, dealing with capacity constraints, and navigating customs and regulatory requirements across regions.

By adopting real-time transportation visibility capabilities, businesses can:

• Monitor the status and location of shipments at any given moment
• Receive predictive alerts about delays or exceptions in real time
• Make data-driven decisions to optimize routes and reduce costs
• Provide customers with accurate, up-to-date delivery information

Key Benefits of Real-Time Transportation Visibility Software

RTTVPs offer substantial benefits that can transform how businesses manage their supply chains. These platforms help improve efficiency, reduce costs, and provide a better experience for customers. 

Here are the key advantages:

• Improved accuracy and reliability: Real-time tracking capabilities eliminate guesswork, providing precise updates on shipment locations and estimated arrival times. This enhanced visibility helps companies plan more effectively and ensures on-time deliveries, which in turn boosts customer trust.
• Cost savings through optimization: Even in a well-structured logistics chain, blind handoffs between carriers, warehouses, and retailers create high risk for wasted time and money. McKinsey estimates that 13 to 19% of logistics costs can come from these inefficient interactions, amounting to nearly $95 billion annually in the United States. Real-time visibility software helps reduce these losses by offering route optimization, proactive updates, and greater transparency at every handoff, allowing businesses to cut costs while improving service reliability.
• Proactive exception management: Instead of reacting to delivery disruptions, these platforms allow businesses to anticipate potential issues. Predictive analytics help identify problems early, whether it’s a delay, a weather-related disruption, or a capacity issue, and provide actionable solutions before they escalate.
• Enhanced customer experience: Real-time visibility allows businesses to keep customers informed at every stage of the delivery process. This level of transparency reduces customer anxiety, improves satisfaction, and fosters loyalty, which is essential for long-term business success.
• Data-driven decision-making: These platforms provide valuable insights into every aspect of transportation, from cost-per-mile to performance metrics of delivery partners. With these insights, businesses can make informed decisions that drive continuous improvement in their logistics operations.

Common Challenges in Transportation Visibility and How Software Solves Them

While real-time transportation visibility platforms offer immense benefits, many businesses still face challenges in fully using these solutions. Below are some of the most common obstacles and how Locus for retail on-ground visibility for dispatchers addresses them:

Fragmented Data Across Systems

One of the biggest challenges in transportation management is the fragmentation of data across different carriers, systems, and regions. Companies often rely on siloed solutions, which lack integration and fail to provide a unified view of the supply chain.

A large FMCG retailer in Southeast Asia once managed shipments through multiple regional carriers, each with its own portal. Dispatchers had to switch between systems, losing hours daily reconciling reports. After moving to a consolidated visibility platform, all carrier data was centralized, enabling faster decision-making and reducing manual work by nearly 30%.

Lack of Proactive Exception Management

Traditional tracking methods often provide information too late, forcing companies to react to issues after they’ve occurred. This can lead to costly delays, SLA breaches, and customer dissatisfaction.

For example, a European e-commerce player experienced frequent SLA breaches because delayed weather updates were shared after packages had already missed flights. With predictive exception management, they now receive alerts hours in advance, enabling them to reroute shipments through alternative hubs and reduce SLA breaches by 20%.

Limited Control Over Third-Party Logistics (3PL) Providers

Companies outsourcing parts of their logistics operations may struggle with limited visibility over their 3PL partners. This lack of control can result in inefficiencies, delays, and difficulties in tracking shipments.

For instance, a Middle East–based distributor working with multiple 3PLs faced complaints about inconsistent delivery times. By using a real-time visibility platform, they gained oversight of every third-party truck’s route and performance, creating accountability. The change helped improve on-time delivery rates from 78% to 92%.

Inaccurate or Delayed Data

Inaccurate or outdated data is another common problem. Relying on manual updates, legacy systems, or delayed GPS data can create inefficiencies and lead to poor decision-making.

A North American fashion retailer relying on manual driver updates often marked orders as “delivered” hours late, frustrating customers. By automating real-time GPS and status updates, they eliminated lags, enabling accurate ETAs and reducing customer support calls by 40%.

How to Choose the Right Transportation Visibility Platform

Choosing the right real-time transportation visibility platform can be a complex decision, especially with the wide variety of options available on the market. It’s essential to consider several factors to ensure that the platform aligns with your business needs. 

Here are the key elements to consider when selecting the right solution:

• Scalability: As your business grows, so will your logistics needs. It’s important to choose a platform that can scale with your operations, whether you’re expanding into new regions or adding new modes of transportation. Look for platforms that support multi-modal visibility and can easily integrate with new carriers and logistics partners.
• Integration Capabilities: Your real-time visibility solution should integrate with your existing systems, such as your Transportation Management System (TMS), Warehouse Management System (WMS), and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software. Check if the platform provides easy-to-use APIs or pre-built integrations to minimize disruption to your existing processes.
• Customer Support and Service: As with any software, the level of support you receive can make a significant difference in how effectively you can implement and use the platform. Evaluate the customer support options offered by each provider, including response times, training resources, and onboarding assistance.
• Pricing: Pricing structures vary across platforms, with some offering subscription-based models and others charging based on usage. It’s essential to assess your budget and determine the best pricing model for your needs. Look for transparent pricing with no hidden fees, and ensure the platform’s features justify the cost.

Must-Have Features for Real-Time Transportation Visibility Platforms in 2025

As the logistics landscape evolves, real-time transportation visibility platforms must adapt to meet the growing demands of modern supply chains. 

The following features are crucial for staying competitive in 2025:

• Predictive ETA and exception alerts: Predictive ETAs use live data such as traffic, weather, and shipment progress to provide accurate arrival times. Coupled with exception alerts, businesses can receive notifications of potential delays or disruptions before they occur, allowing for proactive management.
• Multi-modal tracking: In 2025, supply chains are increasingly complex, involving various transportation modes (road, rail, air, and sea). A real-time visibility solution should offer end-to-end tracking across all modes, providing a unified view of the entire shipment journey.
• Dynamic route optimization: Route optimization is a key factor in reducing costs and improving efficiency. Real-time visibility solutions should include features that dynamically adjust routes based on live data, including traffic conditions, road closures, and weather disruptions.
• Control tower: A centralized dashboard, often referred to as a Control Tower, gives logistics teams a holistic view of all shipments, vehicles, and deliveries. This feature is vital for managing exceptions, monitoring real-time progress, and making adjustments on the fly.
• Carrier and 3PL integration: Seamless integration with external carriers and third-party logistics providers (3PLs) is essential for gaining full visibility across the entire supply chain. The platform should support integration with multiple carrier networks and enable updates on shipments, deliveries, and delays.
• Advanced analytics and reporting: Advanced analytics are essential for uncovering trends, tracking KPIs, and making data-driven decisions. A platform with customizable analytics and reporting features allows businesses to drill down into specific metrics and improve logistics strategy.
• Mobile access and on-the-go visibility: With the increasing reliance on mobile devices, real-time visibility platforms must offer mobile access for drivers, dispatchers, and other logistics personnel. This ensures that all stakeholders have access to up-to-date information, even when they’re on the move.

10 Best Real-Time Transportation Visibility Software (At a Glance)

Platform	Key Features	Best For
Locus	AI-driven optimization, multi-modal visibility, Control Tower	Enterprises with complex logistics needs
Project44	Predictive ETAs, AI-powered forecasting, real-time updates	Global shippers and third-party providers
FourKites	Predictive analytics, automated exception management	Enterprises requiring advanced tracking
Shippeo	Multi-modal tracking, transport process automation	Large enterprises and global visibility
Transporeon	Real-time truck monitoring, visibility hub	Logistics teams managing freight and trucks
Descartes MacroPoint	Precise location data, predictive ETAs	Freight and trucking companies
GoComet	Multi-modal tracking, AI-powered ETAs	SMBs with international shipments
Samsara	AI dash cams, fleet tracking, and real-time mobile visibility	Fleet-heavy businesses and logistics
FarEye	Predictive analytics, last-mile tracking, and real-time updates	Last-mile delivery, e-commerce
Tive	Real-time condition monitoring, location tracking	Temperature-sensitive shipments

10 Best Real-Time Transportation Visibility Software (Detailed Comparison)

Let’s take a look at an in-depth comparison of the top real-time transportation visibility platforms available in 2025. Each platform is assessed based on key features, pros, cons, and pricing, helping you make an informed decision for your business.

Locus

Locus delivers an AI-powered logistics orchestration platform that gives businesses real-time visibility across every mode of transportation. At its core is DispatchIQ, a smart solution that automates route planning and dispatching to create the most efficient delivery paths while cutting operational and transportation costs.

Alongside this, the Control Tower offers a single, centralized dashboard where teams can track, monitor, and manage deliveries in real time, helping them make faster decisions and drive greater efficiency.

Locus’s Key Features

• AI-driven route optimization with dynamic re-routing
• Real-time control tower for end-to-end visibility
• Multi-modal visibility (road, rail, air, sea)
• Automated dispatch and intelligent decision-making
• Integration with TMS, WMS, ERP systems

Locus’s Pros

• Scalable for enterprise-level businesses
• Provides actionable insights and predictive analytics
• Strong customer support and onboarding
• Advanced multi-modal tracking for full supply chain visibility

Locus’s Cons

• Primarily suited for large enterprises, may not be ideal for SMBs
• Custom pricing may be a barrier for budget-conscious businesses

Locus’s Pricing

• Custom pricing

Project44

Project44 is known for its AI-powered ETAs and strong analytics, delivering real-time and historical insights into shipments, carriers, and lanes. Its key feature, Modal Stitching, tracks shipments door-to-door and combines AI-driven ETAs for critical milestones into one clear, unified view.

Project44’s Key Features

• Advanced tracking for all modes of transport
• Integration with over 250+ ERP and TMS systems

Project44’s Pros

• Strong integration capabilities with third-party carriers
• Robust reporting and analytics tools

Project44’s Cons

• Can require significant setup and customization

Project44’s Pricing

• Custom pricing

FourKites

FourKites delivers real-time supply chain visibility with end-to-end tracking and automated exception management. Its predictive analytics capabilities helps businesses anticipate delays and optimize routes, enabling timely deliveries while reducing costs linked to inefficiencies.

FourKites’s Key Features

• Real-time supply chain visibility with end-to-end tracking
• Automated exception management and alert systems

FourKites’s Pros

• Strong focus on real-time visibility and proactive alerts
• Seamless integration with major logistics providers and carriers

FourKites’s Cons

• The platform may be too complex for businesses with simple logistics needs

FourKites’s Pricing

• Custom pricing

Shippeo

Shippeo offers a powerful supply chain visibility platform that provides instant access to predictive and real-time delivery information. Its Transport Process Automation streamlines transportation, reduces delays, and improves overall efficiency.

Shippeo’s Key Features

• Multi-modal transportation visibility platform
• Integration with over 1000+ leading TMS and ERP systems

Shippeo’s Pros

• Strong focus on predictive capabilities
• Global visibility across all transportation modes

Shippeo’s Cons

• Limited customer support options for smaller accounts

Shippeo’s Pricing

• Custom pricing 

Transporeon

Transporeon provides real-time tracking and precise ETAs for all transport modes, improving supply chain transparency and efficiency. Its Visibility Hub delivers real-time truck monitoring that drives efficiency, reduces empty kilometers, and strengthens planning.

Transporeon’s Key Features

• Dynamic route optimization
• Supply chain collaboration tools for seamless partner coordination

Transporeon’s Pros

• Strong customer support and onboarding
• Good for managing complex supply chain networks

Transporeon’s Cons

• Interface can be complex for new users

Transporeon’s Pricing

• Custom pricing

Descartes MacroPoint

Descartes MacroPoint offers real-time multimodal visibility, giving a clear view of freight, shipping, and third-party logistics operations. Its Precise Location Data and Predictive ETAs help manage exceptions and keep shipments running on time.

Descartes MacroPoint’s Key Features

• Real-time freight visibility
• Integration with hundreds of GPS and ELD tracking devices

Descartes MacroPoint’s Pros

• Strong for freight and trucking companies
• Predictive insights to reduce delays

Descartes MacroPoint’s Cons

• May not be ideal for companies outside of freight-centric operations

Descartes MacroPoint’s Pricing

• Custom pricing

GoComet

GoComet is an AI-powered transportation visibility platform that delivers real-time status updates and dynamic predictive ETAs. Its Seamless Multi-Modal Tracking lets businesses monitor freight across road, rail, ocean, and air within one integrated platform.

GoComet’s Key Features

• Multi-modal visibility across ocean, air, and truck shipments
• Freight rate management and optimization tools

GoComet’s Pros

• Real-time updates on shipment location and status
• Offers a comprehensive view of international shipments

GoComet’s Cons

• Lacks some advanced features offered by larger platforms

GoComet’s Pricing

• Custom pricing

Samsara

Samsara is a fleet management platform known for its real-time visibility, AI dash cams, robust mobile capabilities, and rich data analytics. Its automated, AI-assisted coaching, which analyzes video and driving data to spot risks and highlight safe behavior, helps businesses improve driver safety.

Samsara’s Key Features

• AI-driven fleet management and diagnostics
• Integrated route planning and optimization

Samsara’s Pros

• Advanced telematics for detailed vehicle insights
• Integrates with TMS for end-to-end visibility

Samsara’s Cons

• Focused primarily on fleet management; less robust for other transport modes

Samsara’s Pricing

• Custom pricing

FarEye

FarEye is a logistics management platform that provides real-time delivery tracking and status updates. Its Predictive Analytics helps businesses anticipate delays, optimize routes, and improve delivery reliability while reducing operational costs.

FarEye’s Key Features

• Real-time delivery tracking and status updates
• 40+ logistics partners across multiple countries

FarEye’s Pros

• Excellent for last-mile delivery management
• Strong predictive capabilities for shipment tracking

FarEye’s Cons

• May require significant setup time for complex logistics networks

FarEye’s Pricing

• Custom pricing available upon request

Tive

Tive is a real-time tracking platform that provides visibility into both the location and condition of shipments. Its Real-Time Condition Monitoring enables businesses to track temperature, humidity, and other factors to maintain product integrity during transit.

Tive’s Key Features

• Real-time tracking with IoT sensors for cargo visibility
• Automated alerts for temperature, location, and shipment conditions

Tive’s Pros

• Provides real-time condition monitoring
• Integration with ERP, TMS, WMS, and other systems via APIs

Tive’s Cons

• Lacks advanced analytics compared to other platforms

Tive’s Pricing

• Custom pricing

Why Locus is the Best Pick for Real-Time Transportation Visibility

While many solutions offer visibility across different modes of transportation, Locus stands out with its AI-driven automation and end-to-end orchestration. For enterprises in sectors like retail, e-commerce, and FMCG, Locus provides comprehensive retail logistics visibility, enabling smarter decision-making and proactive exception management.

Locus is uniquely positioned to help companies improve the on-time in full delivery score, reduce transportation costs, and provide accurate ETAs. With features like dynamic route optimization and predictive analytics, Locus empowers companies to stay ahead of disruptions and maximize operational efficiency.

Ready to unlock the full potential of your supply chain? Schedule a demo with Locus today and experience the future of transportation visibility firsthand.