How to Share Truck Location With Brokers: MacroPoint, Highway (2026)

Quick Answer

To share your truck's location with a broker, connect your ELD to the broker's visibility platform, usually Descartes MacroPoint or Highway, or have the driver run the platform's phone app for that load. As of October 2026, both platforms say carrier connections are free and that brokers see location only for the truck on their load, not your whole fleet.

Key Takeaways

• MacroPoint says it charges carriers nothing for any connection method: ELD/GPS, TMS or its MacroPoint for Truckers app.
• MacroPoint tracks by truck number, trailer number or phone number, and says it returns data only for the specific number tied to the customer's load.
• Highway uses an ELD connection to verify that your trucks are real and moving, and says it shares track and trace only while you are on a contracted load for that broker.
• Highway says it does not collect, store, share or sell hours of service, RODS, driver data, video, safety events or engine diagnostics from your ELD.
• FMCSA's ELD rule does not require real-time tracking, but carriers may track trucks for business purposes (FMCSA guidance).
• MacroPoint says an ELD/GPS connection can be more reliable than its phone app because the driver has nothing to download or configure.

Why do brokers require truck tracking?

Brokers promise shippers a live view of each load and an ETA. Tracking replaces the check call to the driver.

MacroPoint's carrier FAQ is blunt about it: when you are asked to connect, it is "a requirement of your customer." You can decline, but MacroPoint says that may affect your ability to do business with that customer.

The second reason is fraud. Thieves pose as real carriers, book loads under a stolen identity and then double-broker or steal the freight. FMCSA's fraud and identity theft alert tells brokers to confirm that the name and numbers on the truck at pickup match the carrier they contracted with.

Tracking platforms now do part of that check automatically. Highway says it uses your ELD connection to confirm you have active trucks and that the truck assigned to a load is moving toward the origin. Its Load Lock product alerts brokers to risks like inactive ELDs or distant power units. MacroPoint's FraudGuard flags location pings that look fake or spoofed.

For a carrier, that means a working tracking connection is now part of looking legitimate, not just a courtesy.

How do you share your truck's location with a broker?

There are four ways. Most brokers accept more than one, but they will push you toward the first.

With the app, a dead phone or "While Using" location permission can break the feed mid-load. Our TMS vs ELD guide explains how location flows from an ELD into a TMS, and how fleet tracking systems work covers the GPS side.

How does MacroPoint tracking work for carriers?

Descartes MacroPoint is a freight visibility platform brokers and shippers use to see loads in one portal. When a broker tenders you a load, it sends MacroPoint a tracking request for your truck.

Here is what MacroPoint's carrier pages say, as of October 2026:

• Cost: no charge for any carrier integration method, and no cost to download or use the app.
• ELD connection: each ELD provider has its own instructions on MacroPoint's Telematics page. Credentials, tokens or API keys are used "solely to acquire latitude/longitude locations" requested by customers.
• What gets tracked: MacroPoint calls your ELD with the specific truck or trailer number on the load and returns data only for that number.
• Setup help: carriers work with MacroPoint's Carrier Activations team, reachable at MPActivations@descartes.com.
• Phone app: MacroPoint for Truckers asks drivers to select "Always Allow" for location. MacroPoint says it only gathers and posts location for the duration of the tracking session.
• No text or call tracking: MacroPoint says cell-tower tracking by text or phone call is no longer an option; drivers must use the app.
• Data: MacroPoint says it will not sell your data.

If the broker does not know which truck is on the load, you may have to assign it, either by API or CSV upload or by typing a truck, trailer or mobile number into MacroPoint's portal.

How does Highway carrier tracking work?

Highway is a carrier identity and fraud-prevention platform for brokers. Tracking is one piece of it, and the ELD connection doubles as proof that your company runs real trucks.

Highway for Carriers is free, according to Highway. To create an account, each user must verify identity with a valid government-issued ID, register while physically in their home country (no VPNs) and use an approved mobile number.

To connect an ELD, Highway's help center (article dated August 28, 2026) says to log in to Highway for Carriers, open the Equipment tab, choose Connect ELD or New ELD Connection, select your provider and follow its sign-in or API key steps. Brokers should never ask you for your ELD login.

A connection is not the same as visibility. Highway says a vehicle still needs the correct VIN, an active ELD account, permissions and recent location data before it shows up.

If your provider is not listed, Highway asks the provider to email eldintegrations@highway.com. To disconnect, use your ELD provider account or email eldservice@highway.com.

For verified ELD-exempt vehicles on Load Lock+ loads, Highway says its mobile app starts tracking 3 hours before the pickup window, as long as the app is open or running in the background with location set to "Always."

What can a broker see when you share ELD tracking?

Each platform publishes its own limits. Here they are side by side, as stated on their sites in October 2026.

Federal rules cover the ELD record, not the broker's feed. Under 49 CFR 395.26, an ELD records location at each duty status change and at least once an hour while moving, and drops to about a 10-mile radius during authorized personal conveyance. Neither platform says whether its own feed follows that reduced precision, so ask before a load if it matters to you.

The harassment ban in 49 CFR 390.36 applies to a motor carrier's use of ELD data toward its own drivers, including leased owner-operators. FMCSA's guidance says carriers may use real-time tracking for business as long as it does not cross that line. Our personal conveyance guide covers when off-duty driving qualifies.

How do you set up ELD tracking for brokers?

Do this once, before your first load with a broker that uses MacroPoint or Highway.

1. Confirm your ELD provider supports MacroPoint and Highway. Check MacroPoint's Telematics page and Highway's provider list in the Equipment tab.
2. Make sure every truck in your ELD account has the correct VIN, unit number and an active device.
3. Create an API key or authorized user in your ELD provider's portal if the platform asks for one. Never email your ELD password to a broker.
4. Set up Highway for Carriers with government ID verification, then connect your ELD under Equipment.
5. Contact MacroPoint's Carrier Activations team (MPActivations@descartes.com) to connect your ELD to MacroPoint.
6. Check that each truck shows as visible, not just connected, in Highway.
7. Put truck and trailer numbers on every rate confirmation so the tracking request finds the right unit.
8. Install MacroPoint for Truckers on each driver's phone as a backup and set location to "Always Allow."
9. Write a short tracking policy for drivers: what is shared, with whom, and only during loads.
10. Turn on Highway's FMCSA change alerts so you hear about it if someone edits your contact details.

Lucid ELD lists integrations with Highway and MacroPoint, plus TMS and anti-fraud tools, on its Standard plan, alongside real-time GPS tracking. Ask your provider, whether it's Lucid or another ELD, to confirm the connection steps for each platform before a broker needs them. If your trucks sit parked for stretches, Lucid's Idle Day Cashback on monthly plans lets you disconnect while parked and reactivate with your trailer number and driver credentials, with the credit on your next monthly bill.

New to ELDs? Start with what an ELD is. To see what's included in each Lucid plan, check the listed prices as of October 2026 on our pricing page.

Want live GPS tracking and a fleet dashboard? Talk to the Lucid ELD team

Educational content, not legal advice. Confirm requirements against current FMCSA regulations and your state's rules.

FAQ

Is MacroPoint free for carriers?

Yes. As of October 2026, MacroPoint says it does not charge carriers for ELD/GPS, TMS or mobile app connections, and the MacroPoint for Truckers app is free to download and use.

Can a broker track all my trucks once I connect my ELD?

MacroPoint says it returns location only for the truck or trailer number on the customer's load. Highway says it shares track and trace only while you're on that broker's contracted load, though it does show brokers the list of active vehicles on your ELD.

Do I have to share my location with a broker?

No federal rule requires it, and FMCSA says the ELD rule does not require real-time tracking. Brokers can make it a condition of the load, and MacroPoint says declining may affect your business with that customer.

Why does Highway want my ELD if I already passed onboarding?

Highway uses the ELD connection to confirm you have active, moving trucks and that the assigned truck is heading to pickup. It says brokers favor carriers with a connected ELD in carrier sourcing and lane search.

What if my truck is ELD-exempt?

Use the platform's phone app. MacroPoint's app works for any load, and Highway tracks verified ELD-exempt vehicles on Load Lock+ loads through the Highway for Carriers app.