Cass Information Systems and FreightWaves SONAR said they will expand their partnership by offering complimentary access to SONAR SCI through Cass’s single sign-on in July and August 2025. The announcement, issued July 15 from St. Louis and Chattanooga, aims to give Cass clients quicker entry to supply chain intelligence at a time of ongoing market uncertainty.
The offer links two established players: Cass, a major freight audit and payment provider listed on NASDAQ, and SONAR, a widely used freight data and analytics platform. The timing suggests a push to help shippers and carriers plan late-summer capacity and pricing as scheduling, fuel costs, and inventories remain volatile.
“Complimentary Access to SONAR SCI via Cass’s SSO Integration During July and August… Cass Information Systems (NASDAQ: Cass) … and FreightWaves SONAR … are expanding their strategic partnership to offer enhanced”
What the Offer Means
The two-month window allows eligible Cass users to open SONAR SCI from their existing Cass login, streamlining access and reducing friction for time-pressed transportation teams. Single sign-on can cut extra passwords, speed onboarding, and remove IT bottlenecks that often slow new tool adoption.
While the companies did not detail feature sets in the initial notice, SONAR SCI typically provides near-term market signals. These include rate direction, tender activity, and network stress indicators. Such intelligence helps shippers adjust routing and procurement faster, and gives carriers an early read on load opportunities.
Why It Matters Now
Freight demand remains uneven across modes and regions. For shippers, faster insight can mean better timing on bids and fewer service failures. For carriers and brokers, earlier signals can inform pricing and fleet positioning.
Integrating analytics into daily workflows is a frequent challenge for operations teams. A direct login path from a core system like Cass’s can encourage regular use. It also ties cost, payment, and audit records to live market context, supporting quicker decisions on exceptions, surcharges, and contract compliance.
Background on the Partners
Cass manages freight audit and payment for large enterprises, verifying invoices, resolving errors, and consolidating payments across modes. Its position gives it visibility into spend patterns and billing accuracy at scale.
FreightWaves SONAR aggregates data from public and proprietary sources, tracking freight volumes, capacity, and pricing signals. SONAR SCI is the product tier focused on strategic and operational indicators for shippers and 3PLs.
The partnership builds on prior integrations between the firms. Expanding access through SSO suggests they are deepening the link between payment workflows and market data.
Potential Benefits for Users
- Faster access to market signals without separate credentials
- More frequent use of analytics during planning and tendering
- Better alignment between audit data and real-time conditions
- Lower onboarding overhead for IT and security teams
Short, time-bound access windows can also serve as trial periods. Users can test use cases such as spot quote validation, contract compliance checks, or regional planning without long procurement cycles.
Questions Still to Watch
Key details were not included in the initial note. Those include the precise feature set of SONAR SCI available through SSO, the scope of eligible Cass clients, and whether the access will include user training or saved workspace support.
Pricing after August is another open question. If the two-month period drives adoption, the companies could consider longer-term bundles or volume-based pricing tied to audit or payment volumes.
Industry Impact and Outlook
Data-driven planning continues to shape freight decisions, but adoption depends on ease of use. Embedding intelligence inside established platforms is one way vendors have tried to increase daily engagement by operations teams.
For shippers, pairing invoice accuracy with live market context can reduce disputes and shorten cycle times. For carriers, clearer signals can help level asset utilization and reduce empty miles. Brokers may find it useful for guiding pricing and coverage during tight capacity windows.
If the integration increases routine analytics use, the partnership could push more standardized workflows around rate validation and carrier selection. That could, in turn, influence how contracts are written and how quickly spot exposure is managed.
The two companies positioned the move as a step to “offer enhanced” access through the summer period. The next test will be user uptake and measurable outcomes, such as reduced exceptions or improved on-time performance.
For now, the offer gives Cass clients a timely path to market insight with minimal setup. Watch for further details on eligibility, training, and post-August options as users gauge the value of daily signals in their planning and payment cycles.
