Check call outsourcing
Check calls without tying up your brokers.
A check call confirms where a load is, when it will arrive and whether anything is wrong. Tracking apps and AI voice agents can now handle part of that. A dedicated bilingual team in Colombia handles the rest: the calls that need a person, the TMS notes and the escalations.
Freight brokers · 3PLs · Track and trace teams
You
- Recovery decisions
- Customer concessions
- Carrier strategy
- Rate changes
Optimus
- Scheduled check calls
- ETA collection
- Driver and dispatcher contact
- TMS notes
- Exception escalation
In English and Spanish, on the cadence each account requires.
What a check call is, and why it still matters.
A check call is a scheduled contact with the driver, dispatcher or carrier to confirm a load's location, ETA and condition at agreed milestones: before pickup, after pickup, in transit and before delivery. The result is recorded in the TMS and, when the account requires it, sent to the customer.
Electronic tracking reduces the number of calls, but it does not remove them. Signals drop, drivers switch apps off, ETAs slip and some customers require a confirmed human update. Those are the calls that fill a broker's afternoon.
Tracking apps, AI voice agents or a check-call team?
Most operations end up using more than one. The question is which calls each one should own.
| Tracking apps and ELD data | AI voice check calls | Dedicated check-call team | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best at | Location pings on cooperating carriers | High-volume routine calls with simple answers | Calls that need judgment, persistence or Spanish |
| Weak at | Carriers who do not connect; context behind a delay | Accents, noisy cabs, unexpected answers, exceptions | Very high volumes of identical calls |
| Updates your TMS | If integrated | If integrated | Yes, as part of the workflow |
| Handles exceptions | Flags only | Flags or transfers | Documents and escalates through your matrix |
| Customer updates | Automated notices | Sometimes | Account-specific, from approved information |
A practical split: let apps and AI cover the loads that track cleanly, and give the team the loads that go dark, slip or need a conversation.
How an outsourced check-call workflow runs.
Set the cadence by account
Each customer's check-call milestones, contacts and update rules are documented before launch.
Check the signal first
If the tracking source shows the load on time, the team records it and moves on.
Call when the signal is missing or late
The team contacts the driver, dispatcher or carrier, in English or Spanish, and confirms location, ETA and condition.
Record and notify
Results go into the TMS, and routine customer updates go out as each account requires.
Escalate exceptions
Late loads, missed appointments, breakdowns and unresponsive carriers go to your named contact with the facts documented.
Frequently asked questions
Scope, coverage hours and pricing are confirmed in your proposal.
What is a check call in trucking?
A scheduled contact with the driver, dispatcher or carrier to confirm a load's location, ETA and condition at agreed milestones, recorded in the TMS and shared with the customer when required.
Can check calls be outsourced?
Yes. Scheduled check calls are one of the most common track and trace tasks to delegate. The cadence, contacts, required information and escalation rules are documented during implementation.
Will AI replace check calls?
AI voice agents and tracking apps already handle a share of routine status checks. Calls that need persistence, judgment, Spanish or a conversation about a problem still need a person, and someone has to own the exceptions.
How many check calls should a broker make per load?
It depends on the customer and the lane. Common milestones are before pickup, after pickup, at least once in transit and before delivery, with more frequent checks for high-value or time-critical freight. Each account's cadence is part of your operating rules.
Can the team call drivers in Spanish?
Yes. Optimus teams are bilingual in English and Spanish, which helps with drivers and dispatchers who prefer Spanish.
Can check calls continue after hours?
Evening, weekend and overnight coverage can be scoped separately; see after-hours logistics support.
Find out how many of your coordinator's calls can leave their desk.
Send one job description and we will return a free one-page split of what to keep and what to delegate, within 2 business days.