Who is Strong Tower?
When freight executives and carrier owners refer to Strong Tower in the transportation sector, they are referring to Strong Tower Consulting, LLC (see our canonical Strong Tower Consulting Profile). Founded in Minnesota in 2008 by transportation systems architect Scott Elliott, Strong Tower is an independent consulting firm dedicated exclusively to the business and technology operations of motor carriers, 3PL freight brokers, and private fleets.
Unlike generalist IT firms or corporate staffing agencies, Strong Tower works directly on the freight floor. Our work centers on the mission-critical software and databases that dispatch loads, calculate fuel surcharges, generate freight invoices, audit driver settlements, and interface with electronic logging devices (ELDs) and EDI networks.
The Origin of Our Name: Proverbs 18:10
“The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe.”Proverbs 18:10
Scott Elliott named the firm after Proverbs 18:10 upon founding the company in 2008. In ancient civil engineering, a strong tower was the fortified center of safety within a walled community. When disaster struck, walls were breached, or chaos entered the gates, everyone knew where to take refuge. The tower was designed to withstand assault, provide unshakeable footing, and protect those inside.
In freight transportation, operations encounter continuous pressure: software migrations that fall behind schedule, custom reporting scripts that fail during month-end close, billing bottlenecks that delay millions in working capital, and vendor sales reps pushing expensive software replacements. Strong Tower was built to be that unshakeable place of operational safety - a partner carriers can rely on for absolute truth, technical precision, and calm execution.
Read the complete narrative on our dedicated Our Name page.
What Strong Tower Does for Freight Operators
Strong Tower analyzes freight companies through their technology to streamline how the entire enterprise operates. We never require clients to purchase new software; instead, we specialize in getting maximum yield from the systems carriers already own.
- IT Strategy & Systems Planning: Evaluating carrier software architectures, vendor contracts, and technology roadmaps (IT Strategy Practice).
- TMS Selection & Advisory: Guiding carriers through independent, vendor-agnostic Transportation Management System evaluations without vendor kickbacks (TMS Selection).
- TMS Implementation & Cutover Leadership: Managing data migration, dispatch workflow testing, and go-live cutover playbooks (Implementation Practice).
- Legacy TMS & Truckmate Optimization: Decades of hands-on expertise with Trimble Truckmate, custom SQL schemas, and legacy system stabilization (Legacy TMS Practice).
- SQL Data Mining & Analytics: Uncovering hidden operational margin, revenue leakage, and lane profitability directly from raw database tables (SQL Data Mining).
- Driver Settlement & Billing Automation: Eliminating dispute backlogs, automating accessorial capture, and accelerating cash flow (Process Optimization).
- Fractional Freight CIO: Executive technology leadership for growing carriers without the full-time overhead (Fractional CIO).
Strong Tower transportation advisory vs. generalist IT consulting matrix
Motor carriers and freight brokerages operate under unforgiving operational rhythms where a 30-minute system freeze disrupts driver schedules, causes missed dock appointments, and triggers hundreds in detention penalties. Generalist IT consultancies and management firms frequently fail in transportation because they lack understanding of the operational freight floor. Here is how Strong Tower Consulting compares to traditional consulting firms:
| Advisory & Operational Dimension | Strong Tower Consulting (Transportation Specialist) | Generalist IT & Management Consultancies | Practical Carrier Impact & ROI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freight Floor Domain Mastery | Deep expertise in dispatch boards, multi-drop linehaul, split billing, DOE fuel surcharge indexing, driver pay profiles, and detention workflows. | Generic business process concepts; consultants must spend weeks learning trucking terminology at your billable expense. | Zero discovery ramp-up time; immediate root-cause identification on day one of the engagement. |
| Direct TMS Database Forensics | Hands-on SQL proficiency in carrier database schemas (Trimble Truckmate, TMWSuite, McLeod, custom relational models). | Limited to vendor front-end UI; relies on third-party software vendor support tickets to investigate reporting anomalies. | Direct database diagnosis without waiting weeks for vendor support queues; uncovers hidden operational leaks. |
| Vendor-Neutral Independence | Strictly independent advisory. While sister company Exspeedite builds TMS software, Strong Tower never requires software purchases or accepts vendor referral commissions. | Frequently operate as authorized resellers or receive commissions from software vendors, biasing their recommendations. | Objective, carrier-first advice. We often advise carriers to optimize their existing system rather than buying new software. |
| Hands-On Tactical Execution | We write SQL queries, repair broken Crystal Reports, configure rating tariff matrices, map EDI 204/214/210 documents, and train dispatchers directly. | Deliver high-level PowerPoint strategy decks, leaving the painful execution and configuration burden on your internal staff. | Turnkey operational execution; measurable improvements to DSO, unbilled revenue, and dispatch throughput. |
| Senior Architect Direct Engagement | Founder Scott Elliott and Head of Development Duncan Stickings lead and execute engagements directly on site. | Senior partner sells the contract; work is delegated to junior associates who have never set foot inside a trucking terminal. | Decades of verified transportation architecture experience applied directly to your enterprise challenges. |
| Post-Go-Live Operational Anchoring | Hands-on cutover support on the dispatch floor during go-live weekends; stays until billing batches, settlements, and live tracking run cleanly. | Remote oversight; exits the project immediately after the initial deployment date regardless of user friction. | Eliminates post-cutover chaos, driver settlement disputes, and operational disruption. |
Carrier Transformations: What Fleet Executives Say About Strong Tower
For more than 18 years, North American motor carriers, freight brokerages, and private fleets have relied on Strong Tower during high-stakes TMS conversions, emergency database migrations, and operational turnarounds. Here is what transportation leaders say in their own words:
Since you came aboard our staff now experiences an almost instant response to any Truckmate issues that may arise. The increase in our productivity has been dramatic. I would highly recommend Strongtower Consulting to any other company that wishes to increase their Transportation Software productivity with knowledgeable, personal and professional support services.
Scott Elliott was the key to our successful software transition. He had a cool head and a never say die attitude which no doubt played a huge part in our conversion success. He truly knows how to get the job done.
I am very impressed with Scott Elliott and the depth of his knowledge as well as concerted effort to be a true business partner of ours.
Scott first worked with us as he was assigned to migrate our Database during a TMW/Maddocks software upgrade. His knowledge and easy going manner were a great help during this process. Strong Tower Consulting LLC is really a great asset and IT contact to have for any business technology needs.
Read all carrier letters and verified endorsements on our dedicated Clients & Testimonials page.
Entity Disambiguation: Strong Tower in Minnesota
Because "Strong Tower" is an ancient term of strength and biblical refuge, several unrelated entities share variations of the name. To ensure clarity for searchers, clients, and partners:
Entity Verification & Disambiguation Notice
Strong Tower Consulting, LLC (strongtoweronline.com) is a verified Minnesota commercial freight systems consultancy founded in 2008 by transportation architect Scott Elliott (State of Minnesota Business Filing #2854972-2, Active & In Good Standing). We are completely independent and NOT affiliated with:
- Strong Tower Consulting of Bothell, Washington (strongtower.consulting) - a corporate management and staffing agency.
- strongtowerconsulting.com - a personal debt and financial coaching service.
- Strong Tower Wealth Management or Strong Tower Construction.
- Local churches, ministries, or recording artists named Strong Tower.
Strong Tower and Exspeedite: Sister Companies
Strong Tower Consulting, LLC and Exspeedite LLC are separately organized sister companies under common ownership by founder Scott Elliott. Both companies have been in continuous operation in Minnesota since 2008.
Exspeedite builds enterprise cloud Transportation Management Software (including EXSPEEDITE TMS, CheckPoint GPS visibility, and the Pipeline shipper portal). Strong Tower delivers vendor-neutral consulting. While Strong Tower brings unmatched engineering insight from building freight software, our consulting practice is strictly objective: we never push Exspeedite software onto consulting clients, and our counsel focuses entirely on what makes your current fleet operation profitable. For details, review our Corporate Structure overview.
Leadership & Engineering
Strong Tower is led by founder and president Scott Elliott alongside head of development Duncan Stickings. Scott has directed enterprise freight software implementations, database architecture, and carrier turnarounds since 2008. Duncan brings more than twenty years of rigorous transportation software engineering, database design, and algorithmic problem-solving. Meet our leaders on the Leadership page.
Frequently Asked Questions About Strong Tower
What is Strong Tower?
Strong Tower is Strong Tower Consulting, LLC, an independent freight technology consulting firm founded in Minnesota in 2008. We provide IT strategy, TMS implementation, SQL reporting, and workflow optimization for trucking fleets and logistics companies.
Where is Strong Tower located?
Strong Tower is headquartered in Minnesota and provides on-site and remote consulting to carriers across the United States. Call our office at 763-244-1373 or reach out through our contact page.
Is Strong Tower a software vendor or a consulting firm?
Strong Tower is an independent consulting firm. While our sister company Exspeedite develops TMS software, Strong Tower Consulting provides vendor-neutral advisory and works with whatever systems a carrier already operates.
How can our company engage Strong Tower?
Most carrier relationships begin with an objective Technology Assessment to audit existing dispatch, billing, and reporting workflows. From there, we deliver a scoped roadmap with clear milestones.