SONAR launches MCP, bringing freight market intelligence inside your AI assistant

SONAR has introduced MCP, a new connector that brings freight market intelligence directly into compatible AI assistants like Claude and Copilot. Launched on November 9, 2026, MCP puts SONAR's data and tools at users' fingertips, allowing them to ask plain English questions and receive answers grounded in real-time data.

MCP is built on the Model Context Protocol (MCP), an open standard that enables AI models and agents to connect to external tools and data, similar to an API designed specifically for AI. Once MCP is activated, an AI assistant determines which SONAR tools to use based on the user's question and permission level, then combines the results into a single, easy-to-understand response.

SONAR MCP provides access to 24 tools spanning six areas of freight intelligence: spot and contract rates, market conditions, lane intelligence, SONAR index data, ocean freight metrics, and FMCSA carrier safety statistics. Essentially, anything available through SONAR's API is also accessible through MCP, covering truckload, intermodal, LTL, and ocean freight.

During a live demonstration at F3, Claude, an AI assistant, was used to answer a shipping question. The assistant pulled SONAR's truckload and intermodal rate data for the Los Angeles to Chicago lane, compared the two modes, and determined that switching to intermodal would save money. The demo also showcased how the assistant could gather data on holiday inventory scenarios, lane risk assessments, and performance comparisons for freight brokers.

SONAR MCP is designed for shippers, freight brokers, 3PLs, carriers, and analysts who rely on freight market data for decision-making. The tool simplifies accessing complex freight data, allowing users to ask straightforward questions instead of navigating through multiple dashboards or memorizing index tickers. SONAR's chief commercial officer, Julie Van de Kamp, stated that MCP puts the full depth of SONAR data at users' disposal, eliminating the overwhelming nature of the platform.

With MCP, users can expect improvements in market intelligence, pricing and procurement, capacity and risk assessment, research and reporting, and network and lane analysis. SONAR is also developing AI agents native to the SONAR platform, which will provide even more context and depth to answers. These AI agents will be unveiled in early 2027. To get started with SONAR MCP, users can visit gosonar.com, review the SONAR MCP overview, or arrange a demo.