Craig Fuller, CEO at FreightWaves
11 min read
Travis Rhyan, the founder of 10-4, an early pioneer in the freight visibility space has now set out to create an AI-powered platform for small truckers. I had the chance to interview Travis about his journey and plans for Carrier1. Here is the interview:
Craig Fuller: Welcome, Travis. Thank you for taking the time to sit down with me today. The evolution of freight visibility has been transformative, and you’re often described as the “godfather” of this movement. Could you start by telling us a bit about your initial steps into this industry?
Travis Rhyan: Thanks, Craig. It’s great to be here. My journey into freight technology began quite a few years back. I started my career in traditional logistics roles but always saw immense potential in integrating technology to solve logistics challenges. It wasn’t until I founded 10-4 Systems that I truly started channeling technology into a real force for change.
Craig: What was the vision behind 10-4 Systems when you first started?
Travis: When I co-founded 10-4 Systems in 2012, the idea was to create a platform that provided real-time shipment visibility to all stakeholders—shippers, carriers, and logistics providers. We wanted to go beyond just tracking shipments to offering insights that could improve efficiency and decision-making across the logistics chain.
Craig: It’s incredible to think about what you achieved with 10-4. You started from a small team in Boulder, Colorado, right?
Travis: Yes, that’s correct. We had about 30 people based out of Boulder initially. It was a small but incredibly talented team, and we worked tirelessly to develop cutting-edge solutions that promised not just tracking but comprehensive supply chain visibility.
Craig: Developing such an innovative platform must have come with challenges. Can you talk about some pivots you made along the way with 10-4?
Travis: Certainly. The journey was anything but a straight line. For example, we initially positioned 10-4 as a kind of “LinkedIn for truckers,” but we quickly realized the market needed something more comprehensive. Over time, we honed in on building a platform that not only offered real-time shipment tracking but also facilitated collaboration between all supply chain participants. This pivot was crucial, especially because many of our prospective clients were accustomed to traditional methods like phone calls and faxes. It was a big shift for them to adopt real-time digital visibility.
Craig: Your efforts were certainly validated when Trimble acquired 10-4 in 2017. What was that acquisition process like for you?
