How does AI-powered predictive middle mile tracking work?

AI-powered predictive tracking is currently available on your XPO and Forward Air shipments. On those shipments, the tracking map shows a predicted path in addition to the carrier's scan updates. It's Mothership's estimate of how your freight will move through carrier terminals — it is not live GPS, and not a delivery guarantee.

Predictions appear on eligible (XPO and Forward Air) shipments at some times. If a shipment doesn't show a predicted path, tracking still works as usual through carrier scans and the activity log — there's no need to wait for a prediction to appear.

You can open the tracking page from your confirmation email or from the Track tab in the dashboard. Use the map legend in the corner of the map as you read this article.

What do the black and blue lines mean?

Black line: the route verified by the carrier

The black line is the path the carrier has already confirmed. It connects pickup to the terminals where your freight has been scanned.

Black pins are Verified terminals — carrier facilities that have already handled this shipment. The timestamp on a pin is when the carrier last confirmed the freight at that terminal.

Blue lines: the route estimated by Mothership

The blue lines are Mothership's predicted path from the last verified terminal to delivery.

The solid darker blue line is the predicted portion that should already be complete, based on expected timing.
The dashed lighter blue line is the remaining predicted path.
The blue truck marker is the current expected position. It's not a live GPS ping — it moves along the predicted path using typical time in transit and typical time at each terminal.
Blue pins are Predicted terminals — carrier facilities Mothership expects your freight to pass through next.

If you only see a black line, this shipment doesn't have a predicted route right now. Carrier scan updates still appear in the activity log.

What are the terminals on the map?

National LTL shipments move hub to hub. Freight is picked up, taken to a terminal, sorted, and reloaded onto the next truck — it may pass through several terminals before the last-mile delivery.

The map shows those terminals so you can see where your freight has been and where Mothership expects it to go next. Predictive tracking adds the expected remaining terminals on top of the scans the carrier has already posted.

Hover a pin to see whether that stop is a verified terminal or a predicted terminal.

Why does Mothership say my delivery is at risk?

If Mothership's predicted path can't reach the delivery location by the carrier's estimated delivery date, the tracking page shows a yellow banner: "Mothership expects this to arrive late."

That banner includes:

Mothership estimate — the earliest delivery day Mothership currently thinks is realistic, given remaining distance and remaining terminals.
Carrier estimate — the delivery date the carrier currently shows.
A short explanation of why we think the shipment is at risk.

Mothership flags a date as at risk when the remaining terminals, travel time, and typical handling time at each terminal no longer fit the carrier's promised day. This is a Mothership estimate — it's not a delay notice from the carrier, and it doesn't change the carrier's own estimate.

The carrier estimate can still look on time while the banner is showing. Trust the banner as Mothership's read of whether that carrier date still looks feasible.

Why is Mothership's estimate different from the carrier's?

They come from different sources and update on different clocks.

The carrier estimate comes from the partner carrier's system. For National LTL, tracking updates when the freight is scanned at a terminal, and those scans can lag hours behind actual movement — especially right after pickup.
The Mothership estimate starts from the last verified scan, then projects remaining terminals, linehaul travel, and the typical time freight sits at a terminal before it moves again.
The blue truck on the map is an expected position along that predicted path. It won't match a driver's GPS location, because National LTL tracking is hub to hub, not live GPS.

The two dates can disagree when the carrier date hasn't caught up to the latest scans, when freight is still several terminals away, or when remaining handling time no longer fits the promised day. Neither date is a guaranteed delivery.

Where do I find the predicted route and Mothership estimate?

Open the tracking page for that shipment. Search for the reference number under Track, then use the map, legend, and any at-risk banner.

The predicted path, remaining terminals, and Mothership estimate are all on that page.

Support won't have a separate predicted arrival time beyond what the tracking page already shows. If the map doesn't show blue lines or predicted terminals, this shipment doesn't have a predicted view — that's expected for carriers other than XPO and Forward Air, or when a prediction isn't available yet.

Carrier scan history and the carrier estimate still appear as usual.

If you still need help after checking the map, share the shipment reference so a teammate can review the same tracking page with you.