Transportation management systems · 2026-09.1

Descartes

When buyers asked AI for a Transportation management systems shortlist.

Observed naming

32 of 150 valid answers

32 of 150 valid answers, 21.3% (Wilson 95% interval 15.5% to 28.6%)

Observed answers on stated dates, not a ranking. This is not a judgment of product quality.

Claim this page. Prove control of descartes.com with a DNS record; no email needed.

Claim this page Dispute or request a re-run Get a badge

Permanent link to this release · Transportation management systems category

By engine and question

Filled marks: named in at least 2 of 3 scheduled repeats. Open marks: below that threshold. Dashed marks: excluded answers leave the threshold uncertain. Counts and intervals follow for each question.

Answer capture date: 2026-09-22.

By engine

ChatGPT

12 of 30 valid answers, 40.0% (Wilson 95% interval 24.6% to 57.7%)

Claude

7 of 30 valid answers, 23.3% (Wilson 95% interval 11.8% to 40.9%)

Perplexity

7 of 30 valid answers, 23.3% (Wilson 95% interval 11.8% to 40.9%)

Google AI Overviews

3 of 30 valid answers, 10.0% (Wilson 95% interval 3.5% to 25.6%)

Google AI Mode

3 of 30 valid answers, 10.0% (Wilson 95% interval 3.5% to 25.6%)

By buyer question

Each count is over valid answers to the exact question. Excluded answers are outside that base.

What is the best TMS for a mid size freight brokerage?

4 of 15 valid answers, 26.7% (Wilson 95% interval 10.9% to 52.0%)

Question q1. Excluded answers: 0. Type: best option.

What is the best TMS for a small carrier with about 10 trucks?

0 of 15 valid answers, 0.0% (Wilson 95% interval 0.0% to 20.4%)

Question q2. Excluded answers: 0. Type: best option.

What is the best TMS for a large enterprise shipper?

2 of 15 valid answers, 13.3% (Wilson 95% interval 3.7% to 37.9%)

Question q3. Excluded answers: 0. Type: best option.

What are the best alternatives to MercuryGate?

12 of 15 valid answers, 80.0% (Wilson 95% interval 54.8% to 93.0%)

Question q4. Excluded answers: 0. Type: alternative.

What are the best alternatives to AscendTMS?

4 of 15 valid answers, 26.7% (Wilson 95% interval 10.9% to 52.0%)

Question q5. Excluded answers: 0. Type: alternative.

What are the best alternatives to McLeod for a freight broker?

9 of 15 valid answers, 60.0% (Wilson 95% interval 35.7% to 80.2%)

Question q6. Excluded answers: 0. Type: alternative.

AscendTMS vs Alvys, which is better for a small broker?

0 of 15 valid answers, 0.0% (Wilson 95% interval 0.0% to 20.4%)

Question q7. Excluded answers: 0. Type: buyer evaluation.

Truckbase vs Alvys, which TMS is better for carriers?

0 of 15 valid answers, 0.0% (Wilson 95% interval 0.0% to 20.4%)

Question q8. Excluded answers: 0. Type: buyer evaluation.

What should I look for in a transportation management system?

0 of 15 valid answers, 0.0% (Wilson 95% interval 0.0% to 20.4%)

Question q9. Excluded answers: 0. Type: buyer evaluation.

What is the best TMS for a shipper moving about 200 loads a month?

1 of 15 valid answers, 6.7% (Wilson 95% interval 1.2% to 29.8%)

Question q10. Excluded answers: 0. Type: specific workflow.

Questions with no recorded naming

What is the best TMS for a small carrier with about 10 trucks?

Descartes: 0 of 15 valid answers, 0.0% (Wilson 95% interval 0.0% to 20.4%)

Other checked vendors named in valid answers to this question:

AscendTMS: 10 of 15 valid answers, 66.7% (Wilson 95% interval 41.7% to 84.8%)
Rose Rocket: 4 of 15 valid answers, 26.7% (Wilson 95% interval 10.9% to 52.0%)
Alvys: 1 of 15 valid answers, 6.7% (Wilson 95% interval 1.2% to 29.8%)

AscendTMS vs Alvys, which is better for a small broker?

Descartes: 0 of 15 valid answers, 0.0% (Wilson 95% interval 0.0% to 20.4%)

Other checked vendors named in valid answers to this question:

Alvys: 15 of 15 valid answers, 100.0% (Wilson 95% interval 79.6% to 100.0%)
AscendTMS: 15 of 15 valid answers, 100.0% (Wilson 95% interval 79.6% to 100.0%)

Truckbase vs Alvys, which TMS is better for carriers?

Descartes: 0 of 15 valid answers, 0.0% (Wilson 95% interval 0.0% to 20.4%)

Other checked vendors named in valid answers to this question:

Alvys: 15 of 15 valid answers, 100.0% (Wilson 95% interval 79.6% to 100.0%)

What should I look for in a transportation management system?

Descartes: 0 of 15 valid answers, 0.0% (Wilson 95% interval 0.0% to 20.4%)

Other checked vendors named in valid answers to this question:

Manhattan Active TM: 1 of 15 valid answers, 6.7% (Wilson 95% interval 1.2% to 29.8%)

Vendor domain citations

5 of 150 valid answers, 3.3% (Wilson 95% interval 1.4% to 7.6%)

descartes.com

The full Transportation management systems checked set

Full checked set, sorted by observed counts, not a ranking.
Vendor	Named	Vendor domain cited
AscendTMS	64 of 150 valid answers, 42.7% (Wilson 95% interval 35.0% to 50.7%)	9 of 150 valid answers, 6.0% (Wilson 95% interval 3.2% to 11.0%)
Alvys	58 of 150 valid answers, 38.7% (Wilson 95% interval 31.2% to 46.7%)	29 of 150 valid answers, 19.3% (Wilson 95% interval 13.8% to 26.4%)
Oracle Transportation Management	43 of 150 valid answers, 28.7% (Wilson 95% interval 22.0% to 36.4%)	9 of 150 valid answers, 6.0% (Wilson 95% interval 3.2% to 11.0%)
Tai TMS	39 of 150 valid answers, 26.0% (Wilson 95% interval 19.6% to 33.6%)	0 of 150 valid answers, 0.0% (Wilson 95% interval 0.0% to 2.5%)
SAP Transportation Management	38 of 150 valid answers, 25.3% (Wilson 95% interval 19.0% to 32.8%)	7 of 150 valid answers, 4.7% (Wilson 95% interval 2.3% to 9.3%)
Infios (MercuryGate)	35 of 150 valid answers, 23.3% (Wilson 95% interval 17.3% to 30.7%)	6 of 150 valid answers, 4.0% (Wilson 95% interval 1.8% to 8.5%)
Descartes	32 of 150 valid answers, 21.3% (Wilson 95% interval 15.5% to 28.6%)	5 of 150 valid answers, 3.3% (Wilson 95% interval 1.4% to 7.6%)
Turvo	28 of 150 valid answers, 18.7% (Wilson 95% interval 13.2% to 25.7%)	8 of 150 valid answers, 5.3% (Wilson 95% interval 2.7% to 10.2%)
Rose Rocket	26 of 150 valid answers, 17.3% (Wilson 95% interval 12.1% to 24.2%)	6 of 150 valid answers, 4.0% (Wilson 95% interval 1.8% to 8.5%)
Descartes 3G TMS	24 of 150 valid answers, 16.0% (Wilson 95% interval 11.0% to 22.7%)	2 of 150 valid answers, 1.3% (Wilson 95% interval 0.4% to 4.7%)
Blue Yonder	23 of 150 valid answers, 15.3% (Wilson 95% interval 10.4% to 22.0%)	8 of 150 valid answers, 5.3% (Wilson 95% interval 2.7% to 10.2%)
Descartes Aljex	23 of 150 valid answers, 15.3% (Wilson 95% interval 10.4% to 22.0%)	11 of 150 valid answers, 7.3% (Wilson 95% interval 4.1% to 12.7%)
FreightPOP	22 of 150 valid answers, 14.7% (Wilson 95% interval 9.9% to 21.2%)	3 of 150 valid answers, 2.0% (Wilson 95% interval 0.7% to 5.7%)
e2open	18 of 150 valid answers, 12.0% (Wilson 95% interval 7.7% to 18.2%)	6 of 150 valid answers, 4.0% (Wilson 95% interval 1.8% to 8.5%)
McLeod Software	17 of 150 valid answers, 11.3% (Wilson 95% interval 7.2% to 17.4%)	2 of 150 valid answers, 1.3% (Wilson 95% interval 0.4% to 4.7%)
Kuebix by FreightWise	11 of 150 valid answers, 7.3% (Wilson 95% interval 4.1% to 12.7%)	0 of 150 valid answers, 0.0% (Wilson 95% interval 0.0% to 2.5%)
Trimble Transportation	9 of 150 valid answers, 6.0% (Wilson 95% interval 3.2% to 11.0%)	1 of 150 valid answers, 0.7% (Wilson 95% interval 0.1% to 3.7%)
Manhattan Active TM	8 of 150 valid answers, 5.3% (Wilson 95% interval 2.7% to 10.2%)	1 of 150 valid answers, 0.7% (Wilson 95% interval 0.1% to 3.7%)
Revenova	6 of 150 valid answers, 4.0% (Wilson 95% interval 1.8% to 8.5%)	3 of 150 valid answers, 2.0% (Wilson 95% interval 0.7% to 5.7%)
PCS Software	5 of 150 valid answers, 3.3% (Wilson 95% interval 1.4% to 7.6%)	0 of 150 valid answers, 0.0% (Wilson 95% interval 0.0% to 2.5%)
Uber Freight TMS	5 of 150 valid answers, 3.3% (Wilson 95% interval 1.4% to 7.6%)	2 of 150 valid answers, 1.3% (Wilson 95% interval 0.4% to 4.7%)
3PL Systems	1 of 150 valid answers, 0.7% (Wilson 95% interval 0.1% to 3.7%)	0 of 150 valid answers, 0.0% (Wilson 95% interval 0.0% to 2.5%)
Axon Software	0 of 150 valid answers, 0.0% (Wilson 95% interval 0.0% to 2.5%)	0 of 150 valid answers, 0.0% (Wilson 95% interval 0.0% to 2.5%)
IntelliTrans	0 of 150 valid answers, 0.0% (Wilson 95% interval 0.0% to 2.5%)	0 of 150 valid answers, 0.0% (Wilson 95% interval 0.0% to 2.5%)
Princeton TMX	0 of 150 valid answers, 0.0% (Wilson 95% interval 0.0% to 2.5%)	0 of 150 valid answers, 0.0% (Wilson 95% interval 0.0% to 2.5%)

Release and method

Release: 2026-09, version 2026-09.1
Published: 2026-09-23
Answer capture date: 2026-09-22
Source capture dates: 2026-09-21
Engines: ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, Google AI Mode
Configuration: 10 fixed target questions, 5 engines, 3 repeats. No controls were run for this category.
Method version: v1.1
Excluded answers: 0 target answers excluded; exact reasons are listed. No controls were run for this category.
Commissioned engagement: No commissioned engagement is declared for this category.

Exact names and listed aliases are matched without case sensitivity at word boundaries. Plain word names require a listed qualifier nearby in the same sentence or the canonical domain among cited URLs. A vendor citation counts only when that answer also names the vendor under this rule.

Verbatim answer text is retained privately with the measurement input and import audit. No answer quotations are published here.

Download and cite

Release JSON · Category CSV · DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22907695

How to cite: Broadcastwell. The Absence Index, Transportation management systems, version 2026-09.1. Permanent record. CC BY 4.0 with attribution to Broadcastwell.

About this page

Observed answers on stated dates, not a ranking. This is not a judgment of product quality.

This public record reports the checked set, fixed questions and stated dates. Claim a vendor page, file a dispute or ask for a re-run, or read the dispute policy and log.

Read this page as JSON · Dataset and page metadata