CEO Michael Bookout’s Statement on MyCarrier & Project44 Litigation
An Open Letter from MyCarrier CEO Michael Bookout
MyCarrier, LLC, a leading transportation management platform in the less-than-truckload (LTL) freight industry, has always remained committed to serving our customers, partner carriers, and employees with integrity, innovation, and transparency. Today, I am addressing our community regarding the ongoing litigation between MyCarrier and Project44. It is important to clarify the facts, reinforce our commitments, and share the steps we are taking to protect the interests of our valued stakeholders.
Our Dedication to Customers and Partners
First and foremost, I want to reaffirm our unwavering dedication to our shipping customers, partner carriers, and employees who have been affected by this dispute. MyCarrier was founded on the principle of empowering businesses with advanced logistics solutions, and we continue to stand by that mission. Our primary goal has always been to protect our customers, their operations, and their data from any harmful or disruptive behavior. To that end, we are committed to pursuing all legal avenues necessary to safeguard these interests.
Background of the Dispute
In late 2023, MyCarrier was confronted with an unreasonable demand from Project44, which sought a staggering 700% increase in our annual service fees. This demand was presented under the implicit threat of cutting off critical services to our customers if we refused to comply. After careful consideration, MyCarrier agreed to the increased fee to prevent any immediate disruptions to our customers. However, as part of this renegotiated agreement, we secured explicit contractual rights that allowed us to continue innovating and developing the solutions our customers required.
One such innovation involved the integration of eBOL functionality within our platform—a feature specifically requested by our LTL carrier partners. This initiative was not only in line with our contractual rights but also essential to delivering on the expectations of our customers. Despite our transparency regarding these plans, Project44 responded with hostility, threats of service shutdowns, and an ongoing legal battle that has created uncertainty for thousands of businesses relying on our platform.
Project44’s Tactics and Legal Maneuvers
Rather than engaging in good-faith discussions, Project44 chose to take an aggressive legal stance, making baseless claims and attempting to enforce restrictive covenants that do not exist within our agreement. Their legal team has constructed misleading theories in an effort to establish exclusive control over MyCarrier’s operations—a position that is entirely unsupported by the contractual language.
Furthermore, Project44 escalated the situation by sending cease-and-desist letters to tens of thousands of our customers, making false statements, and engaging in litigation that seeks to impose limitations far beyond the scope of our agreement. These actions not only create unnecessary disruptions but also contradict the values of fairness and collaboration that should define our industry.
Transition to a New Technology Partner
As the legal threats from Project44 intensified, it became evident that we needed to take decisive action to protect our customers. In September 2024, MyCarrier made the strategic decision to transition to a new vendor—one that prioritizes innovation over litigation. This transition has led to a more stable, high-performing platform, ensuring that our customers and carrier partners can continue operating without fear of sudden disruptions.
Our new technology partner shares our vision for the future of freight management and is committed to fostering an ecosystem of transparency, efficiency, and progress. Since making this switch, we have seen significant improvements in system performance and reliability, reinforcing that this was the right decision for our company and our customers.
Transparency and Commitment Moving Forward
To ensure full transparency, I am providing key excerpts from our contractual agreement with Project44. These clauses clearly establish our right to integrate directly with our carrier partners and develop solutions that meet their unique needs:
Contractual Language from the 2023 Agreement between MyCarrier and Project44:
- Integration Rights: “For the avoidance of doubt, there are no restrictions on Reseller’s (MyCarrier’s) rights to integrate directly with any of its Clients’ systems including, but not limited to, ERP, CRM, WMS, Pricing/Rating Engines, or other related systems which may be required to manage and/or support the Reseller’s TMS platform.”
This provision explicitly grants MyCarrier the freedom to innovate and develop direct integrations without interference.
- Customer Data Protection: “P44 will be provided and process certain of Reseller’s and Clients’ transportation management system data (‘Data’) to perform its obligations under this Agreement. Except as expressly set forth herein, Reseller reserves all rights, title and interest in and to the Data… Reseller hereby grants P44 an irrevocable, non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free right and license to use and exploit data collected from Reseller (including, without limitation, the Data) (‘Reseller Data’) during the Term in connection with providing and improving the Services; provided, however, P44 will not disclose Reseller Data to a third party in any manner that violates Section 3 (Confidentiality).”
This clause ensures that Project44 is limited in its use of MyCarrier’s data solely for service provision and improvement, without overstepping boundaries that compromise our customers’ privacy.
Looking Ahead
Despite the challenges presented by this litigation, MyCarrier remains steadfast in its mission to provide best-in-class logistics solutions for our customers. We refuse to be distracted by legal tactics that seek to stifle competition and innovation. Instead, we are focused on delivering the tools and services that our customers need to thrive in an increasingly complex transportation landscape.
We appreciate the continued trust and support from our shipping customers, carrier partners, and the broader logistics community. MyCarrier was built on the foundation of integrity, service, and innovation, and we will continue to uphold these values as we move forward.
