Corral Your Freight Data With the Right FBAP Provider
A3 FREIGHT PAYMENT: DIFFERENT APPROACH, BETTER RESULT Many FBAP customers and prospects are “absolutely maxed out,” Harris says. The uncertainty around tariffs and geopolitical tension has added more work to employees who were already overextended. Few organizations have the budget to hire additional resources. Instead, they ask A3 to bring suggestions for saving money and operating more effectively. Fortunately, A3’s forte is transportation spend management. When working with a shipper, the company conducts in-depth analyses of their freight invoices, gaining critical insight into their operations. Artificial intelligence helps A3’s auditors aggregate information on industry and fuel trends that can boost forecast accuracy, Cameron says. By tapping into both employees’ expertise and technology, A3 can help shippers reduce expenses and increase efficiency through evaluations of their routes, freight classes, modes, and other data. Moreover, A3 conducts pre- payment audits, and will pause them if discrepancies are uncovered. “We want to understand and try to resolve the discrepancies before the invoices settle,” Cameron says. The bankruptcy-remote structure A3 has established ensures customer funds are kept apart from the company’s operating funds, Cameron says. In the unlikely event A3 would run into financial trouble, customers’ funds would be prevented from entering the bankruptcy estate. As an additional safeguard, A3 has also successfully completed a Systems and Organization (SOC) 1 audit. SOC audits focus on the controls related to financial reporting. Customers can be confident that A3’s financial controls are effective. Recently, A3 launched an international payment settlement solution. It’s one of a few independent FBAP providers to offer this service,
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is a standardized framework that enables AI models to connect with external tools and data sources, providing secure, scalable, and real-time access without custom integrations. Machine learning can take quantities of data and quickly find the “needle in the haystack and the patterns that humans might not catch,” Testani says. Predictive analytics and AI solutions can then group data into patterns, and from within each pattern, forecast future shipments. When an event falls outside the predictions, it is highlighted. DATA RULES THE ROOST This isn’t to suggest any technology, including AI, is a panacea. To start, poor data will stymie efforts to leverage technology solutions, Cameron says. Data security also is a growing concern, given the increasingly digital nature of freight transactions, the volume of sensitive data and money inherent in the freight audit process, and the rise of cargo theft and fraud. “It’s the wild, wild west out there,” says Ross Harris, chief executive officer with A3. Most shippers prefer safety and security, and are requesting additional security measures, such as penetration testing or SOC II testing. Shippers also are becoming more discerning, Dodig says. They want to know where AI is truly improving accuracy or efficiency, how decisions are validated, and what controls are in place. Although AI is a game changer, human expertise remains critical, says Brad McBride, chief executive officer of FreightOptics. The audit process still benefits from human oversight and its ability to catch anomalies or other data that the models may miss. SPURRING BUSINESS PERFORMANCE Even as the roles of technology and regulatory compliance in the FBAP process evolve, it’s clear the FBAP function has become a critical, adaptive source of data for strategic decision- making. The information captured
through the audit and payment process now feeds analytics, sourcing, intelligence, and forecasting tools, to provide clients with the visibility and insights they need to make informed business decisions, says Lucille Lepez, vice president, APAC & EMEA operations with CTSI-Global. Similarly, clients increasingly view FBAP providers as experts across multiple supply chain and logistics areas. “They’re seen as partners who can help advance their business and bring greater efficiency to their operations,” Lepez says. The companies highlighted here are helping shippers wrangle with and improve their operations. We want to understand and try to resolve discrepancies before the invoices settle. CRAIG CAMERON, Chief Marketing Officer, A3 Freight Payment “”
50 Inbound Logistics • September 2026
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