TMS
Pronunciation: tee-em-ESS
Also written as: TMS — Transportation Management System
A Transportation Management System; software used to plan, execute, and optimize the movement of goods by managing carrier selection, routing, and freight audit.
Full Definition
A Transportation Management System (TMS) is a logistics technology platform that helps shippers and logistics providers manage freight movements, including carrier procurement, load planning, shipment tracking, and freight payment. It integrates with WMS and ERP systems to provide end-to-end supply chain visibility. Editors should expand TMS at first use and ensure it is not conflated with WMS, which governs warehouse-internal operations rather than transportation. Both acronyms are written in all capitals without periods.
Usage
Usage note: Expand at first use. Do not interchange with WMS. All caps, no periods.
In Context
- "The shipper used its TMS to automatically select the lowest-cost carrier for each lane." — Transportation procurement report
- "A TMS manages movement between locations; a WMS manages operations within a single location—do not conflate." — Logistics technology editorial note