Introduction

Welcome to the Flash Americas TMS API! Our comprehensive freight management API enables you to integrate real-time shipping rates, booking, and tracking into your applications with ease.

What is the Flash Americas API?

The Flash Americas API is a RESTful web service that provides access to our Transportation Management System (TMS). It allows you to:

  • Get Real-time Rates: Compare shipping rates across 25+ carriers including FedEx, UPS, USPS, and LTL providers
  • Book Shipments: Create shipments with automatic label generation and pickup scheduling
  • Track Packages: Get real-time tracking updates with delivery confirmations
  • Manage Cross-Border: Handle complex US-Mexico shipments with customs documentation
  • Access Documents: Retrieve shipping labels, BOLs, PODs, and customs paperwork

Key Features

Multi-Carrier Integration

Access rates and services from major carriers through a single API:

  • Small Package: FedEx, UPS, USPS
  • LTL Freight: Echo Global, Mothership, Castores
  • Cross-Border: US-Mexico specialists

Real-time Operations

  • Live rate calculations in under 500ms
  • Instant shipment booking and confirmation
  • Real-time tracking updates
  • Immediate document generation

Enterprise-Grade Security

  • API key authentication with granular permissions
  • Rate limiting and usage monitoring
  • Audit logging for all operations
  • SOC 2 Type II compliance

Developer-Friendly

  • RESTful design with predictable endpoints
  • Comprehensive SDKs for popular languages
  • Interactive API documentation
  • Detailed error messages

API Overview

Base URL

https://ship.flashamericas.com/api/v1

Authentication

All requests require an API key in the Authorization header:

Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY

Request Format

The API accepts JSON payloads and returns JSON responses:

Content-Type: application/json

Response Format

All responses follow a consistent structure:

{
  "success": true,
  "data": {
    // Response data
  },
  "error": null
}

Core Concepts

Quotes

A quote represents a rate request for shipping cargo between two addresses. Quotes include:

  • Multiple carrier options
  • Service types (ground, air, expedited)
  • Transit times and delivery dates
  • Cost breakdowns with accessorials

Shipments

A shipment is a booked freight movement with a specific carrier. It includes:

  • Tracking number and PRO number
  • Shipping labels and documentation
  • Pickup confirmation
  • Real-time status updates

Multi-Leg Shipments

For cross-border shipments, we coordinate multiple carriers:

  • US pickup carrier
  • Border terminal transfer
  • Mexico delivery carrier
  • Customs clearance coordination

Tracking Events

Real-time status updates throughout the shipping process:

  • Pickup confirmation
  • In-transit updates with locations
  • Delivery confirmation with proof
  • Exception handling

Getting Started

Ready to start building? Here's what you need to do:

  1. Get API Access: Contact our team to obtain your API key
  2. Read the Quick Start: Follow our quick start guide to make your first API call
  3. Explore Examples: Check out our code examples in multiple languages
  4. Join the Community: Connect with other developers in our community forum

Need Help?

We're here to support your integration:

  • Documentation: Comprehensive guides and API reference
  • Examples: Working code samples in multiple languages
  • SDKs: Official client libraries for popular platforms
  • Support: Dedicated developer support team
  • Community: Active developer community forum

Rate Limits

To ensure optimal performance for all users, the API includes rate limiting:

  • Production: 1000 requests per minute per API key
  • Sandbox: 100 requests per minute per API key

Rate limit headers are included in all responses:

X-RateLimit-Limit: 1000
X-RateLimit-Remaining: 999
X-RateLimit-Reset: 1609459200

API Versions

We maintain backward compatibility and use semantic versioning:

  • Current: v1.0 (stable)
  • Beta: v1.1 (new features in testing)

Version is specified in the URL path. When breaking changes are necessary, we'll release a new major version and provide a migration guide.

Status and Uptime

We maintain 99.9% uptime SLA with transparent status reporting:

  • Status Page: status.flashamericas.com
  • Incident History: Full transparency on any issues
  • Scheduled Maintenance: Advance notice of planned updates

Next Steps

Now that you understand the basics, here are some recommended next steps:

  1. Quick Start - Make your first API call in 5 minutes
  2. Authentication - Learn about API keys and security
  3. API Reference - Explore all available endpoints
  4. SDKs - Download official client libraries

Have questions? Our support team is here to help!