Oregon-based DAT Freight & Analytics, a leading player in North America’s trucking industry, has recently grappled with a series of service disruptions supposedly caused by “external forces.” Despite acknowledging these challenges, DAT has remained tight-lipped about the specific triggers behind the intermittent outages that have plagued its platform over the last ten days.
Since March 11, truck drivers and brokers dependent on the spot market to facilitate freight transactions have been encountering technical glitches while attempting to utilize DAT’s suite of services, such as DAT One, DAT iQ, and its benchmarking tool. This has prompted frustration among users, who have been vocal about their struggles on various social media platforms.
In response to the turmoil, a DAT spokesperson informed FreightWaves that the company’s engineering team has been diligently investigating and restoring services round the clock since the first disruption. Ensuring the protection of customer data has been a key focus during these turbulent times.
The company further took to X (formerly Twitter) to address the ongoing issues with product accessibility, reaffirming their commitment to fortifying their networks and shielding against external threats to enhance service reliability.
Expressing concern over potential security risks, frustrated customers have contemplated switching to competitors while bearing in mind the backdrop of fraud incidents and security breaches that have blighted the industry. For example, Truckstop.com, based in Idaho, experienced a malware attack in December 2019, prompting them to launch an initiative, “Fraud Prevention Friday,” to combat fraudulent activities in the sector.
Amid the chaos, some truckers, depending on the nature of the freight they transport, have opted to weather the storm and continue their partnership with DAT, despite the challenges posed by the service disruptions.
One anonymous long-time DAT user, reflecting on his predicament, shared, “I have been loyal to DAT for 10 years, but the uncertainty of being able to access the system every day is a constant worry. Operating my business from the truck’s cab, this outage — or whatever it may be — is a drain on my finances and valuable time as I scramble to secure a spot load.”
DAT’s Vigilance Against Fraud and Security Threats
Over the past year, DAT has intensified its efforts in mitigating fraud and bolstering cybersecurity measures following an alleged security breach in February 2023. In a strategic move to combat these challenges, the company recently appointed Jeff Clementz as its chief product officer and Erika Voss as the vice president of information security to spearhead product development and combat fraudulent activities effectively.
Prior to their roles at DAT, Clementz served as the president and CEO at Shift Technologies, known for its expertise in the e-commerce space for buying and selling used vehicles. Meanwhile, Voss honed her skills as the vice president of security and engineering at Capital One, bringing a wealth of experience to her new position at DAT.
Encouraging proactive engagement, DAT has urged customers grappling with service issues to reach out to their account managers or the customer support team for assistance. Regular updates on outages can be accessed on the status.dat.com portal, underlining the company’s commitment to transparency amidst the turmoil.
In a bid to navigate through the disruption, some owner-operators have resorted to utilizing both DAT and Truckstop platforms simultaneously to ensure uninterrupted access to the spot market freight, albeit at an increased cost. Despite the financial implications, one driver articulated, “Maintaining access to both load boards may be pricey, but I find the trade-off worthwhile as each platform offers distinct advantages in sourcing freight and keeping my operations running smoothly.”
This narrative continues to unfold, capturing the resilience of industry players grappling with external forces.
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