The Digital Standards Development Council (DSDC) is an industry-led initiative operating under the National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc.® (NMFTA)™ that establishes governance, collaboration, and technical standards for digital transformation in motor freight transportation.
Its core purpose is to bring together a broad range of stakeholders—including motor carriers, shippers, brokers, third-party logistics providers, and technology companies—to develop and publish open, standardized application programming interfaces (APIs) and related resources. These standards are designed to modernize freight operations by replacing traditional paper-based documentation and processes with fully digital, interoperable workflows.
The DSDC functions as a structured, collaborative body with defined procedures, divisions representing different freight segments such as less-than-truckload (LTL) and full truckload (FTL), and governance through advisory groups and elected division officers. It is supported and overseen by NMFTA, which provides administrative leadership, resources, and final approval authority. Through task forces and industry participation, the Council produces open-source work products that are freely available to the entire industry.