Last updated: January 1, 2025
Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer, tablet, or mobile device when you visit a website or use a web-based application. They are widely used by website operators to make their sites work, to work more efficiently, and to provide reporting information.
Cookies can be "persistent" or "session" cookies. Persistent cookies remain on your device after you close your browser, for a period defined in the cookie itself. Session cookies are deleted automatically when you close your browser. Most browsers allow you to see what cookies are on your device and delete them individually, or to block all cookies from specific or all websites.
This Cookie Policy explains the specific cookies used by HaulCortex on our website at haulcortex.com and within our freight optimization platform, their purposes, duration, and how you can manage your preferences. It should be read alongside our Privacy Policy, which describes our broader data practices.
HaulCortex uses cookies for several distinct purposes that are essential or beneficial to your experience using our Services. We categorize our cookies into four types based on their purpose: essential cookies that are necessary for the Services to function, functional cookies that improve your experience, analytics cookies that help us understand usage patterns, and marketing cookies that support our outreach and advertising efforts.
We deploy cookies both through our own infrastructure (first-party cookies) and through trusted third-party vendors who provide specific services (third-party cookies). Each type and its specific cookies are described in detail in the sections below.
The cookie consent mechanism on our website allows you to accept or decline non-essential cookie categories. Essential cookies cannot be disabled because they are necessary for the website and platform to function. Your cookie preferences are stored in your browser's local storage and can be updated at any time through the cookie preference controls.
Essential cookies are strictly necessary for the website and platform to function. They enable core features like user authentication, session management, security protections, and load balancing. Without these cookies, the Services cannot function properly. These cookies do not require your consent because their use is strictly necessary to provide services you have requested.
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| hc_session | Maintains your authenticated session in the HaulCortex platform. Required for login persistence across page loads. | Session (expires on browser close) | First-party |
| hc_auth_token | Secure authentication token used to verify your identity on API requests within the platform. | 8 hours | First-party |
| hc_csrf | Cross-site request forgery protection token. Prevents unauthorized form submissions. | Session | First-party |
| hc_cookie_consent | Stores your cookie consent preferences so we don't show the consent banner on every visit. | 12 months | First-party |
| hc_lb_sticky | Load balancer routing cookie that ensures your requests are consistently routed to the same server instance during a session. | Session | First-party |
| __stripe_mid | Used by Stripe payment processing to identify browser sessions for fraud prevention during payment flows. | 1 year | Third-party (Stripe) |
| __stripe_sid | Session identifier used by Stripe for payment fraud detection. | Session | Third-party (Stripe) |
Functional cookies enhance your experience by remembering your preferences and settings. They are not strictly necessary for the Services to function, but they provide a better, more personalized experience. These cookies require your consent.
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| hc_ui_prefs | Stores your platform interface preferences, including dashboard layout, column visibility settings, and filter configurations. | 6 months | First-party |
| hc_timezone | Stores your detected or manually set timezone to ensure load timestamps and schedule displays use the correct local time. | 12 months | First-party |
| hc_remember_me | Remembers your login credentials if you select "Remember Me" at login, enabling faster re-authentication on return visits. | 30 days | First-party |
| hc_tour_state | Tracks which onboarding tour steps you have completed so the platform doesn't repeat steps you've already seen. | 3 months | First-party |
| intercom-session-* | Set by Intercom (our customer support chat platform) to maintain your support chat session and conversation history within the platform. | 7 days | Third-party (Intercom) |
Analytics cookies help us understand how users interact with the HaulCortex website and platform. The data collected is aggregated and used to improve our Services, identify technical issues, and optimize user experience. We use analytics data to understand which features are most used, where users encounter difficulties, and how our platform performs across different environments.
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| _ga | Google Analytics identifier used to distinguish unique visitors. Enables analysis of traffic patterns and user behavior on haulcortex.com. | 2 years | Third-party (Google Analytics) |
| _ga_[ID] | Google Analytics 4 session and page view tracking. Used to count sessions and page view data for the website. | 2 years | Third-party (Google Analytics) |
| _gid | Google Analytics cookie used to distinguish users. Contains a unique ID generated for each visitor. | 24 hours | Third-party (Google Analytics) |
| hc_analytics_id | HaulCortex first-party analytics identifier for platform usage analysis within the application (separate from website analytics). | 12 months | First-party |
| hc_session_trace | Platform session tracing cookie used for performance monitoring and error diagnostics within the HaulCortex application. | Session | First-party |
| fs_uid | Set by FullStory (session recording and analytics). Used to understand how users navigate and interact with platform features. | 2 years | Third-party (FullStory) |
We configure Google Analytics with IP anonymization enabled, which means we do not collect or store complete IP addresses. Session recording tools (FullStory) are configured to mask sensitive freight data fields by default, so carrier rates, shipper contact information, and operational data are not captured in session recordings.
We use a limited set of marketing cookies to understand the effectiveness of our promotional activities and to enable targeted advertising to logistics professionals who may benefit from HaulCortex's Services. These cookies are only deployed with your explicit consent.
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| _fbp | Facebook Pixel cookie. Used to measure the effectiveness of advertising campaigns that direct traffic to haulcortex.com from Facebook and Instagram. | 3 months | Third-party (Meta) |
| li_fat_id | LinkedIn Insight Tag. Used to track conversions from LinkedIn advertising campaigns and enable LinkedIn retargeting for logistics professionals. | 30 days | Third-party (LinkedIn) |
| _gcl_au | Google Ads conversion tracking cookie. Used to track when someone who saw a HaulCortex ad subsequently requested a demo or signed up for the platform. | 3 months | Third-party (Google Ads) |
| hubspotutk | HubSpot tracking cookie used to associate website visitor activity with contact records in our CRM for marketing attribution and lead nurturing. | 13 months | Third-party (HubSpot) |
You have several options for managing cookie preferences. You can control which non-essential cookie categories HaulCortex uses through the following mechanisms:
When you first visit haulcortex.com, you will see a cookie consent banner that allows you to accept all cookies or decline non-essential categories. Your selection is stored in a browser cookie and will persist for 12 months. You can update your preferences at any time by contacting us at hello@haulcortex.com and requesting a cookie preference reset, which will cause the consent banner to reappear on your next visit.
Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. You can typically find cookie controls under settings or preferences in your browser. Common browser cookie management options include: blocking all cookies, blocking only third-party cookies, being prompted before accepting cookies, and viewing and deleting cookies already stored on your device. Note that blocking essential cookies will prevent the HaulCortex platform from functioning correctly — you will not be able to log in or maintain an authenticated session.
Instructions for managing cookies in major browsers:
Chrome: Settings > Privacy and Security > Cookies and other site data
Firefox: Options > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data
Safari: Preferences > Privacy > Manage Website Data
Microsoft Edge: Settings > Cookies and site permissions
You can opt out of specific third-party tracking tools through their own opt-out mechanisms:
Google Analytics: Use the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on available at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.
Google Ads: Opt out at adssettings.google.com.
Facebook/Meta: Manage ad preferences at facebook.com/settings/ads or use the Digital Advertising Alliance's opt-out tool at optout.aboutads.info.
LinkedIn: Opt out of LinkedIn retargeting at linkedin.com/psettings/enhanced-advertising.
When third-party services set cookies on haulcortex.com, those third parties collect data according to their own privacy policies. HaulCortex does not control how third parties use the data collected through their cookies. The third-party services we use and their privacy policies:
Google Analytics / Google Ads: Google Privacy Policy at policies.google.com/privacy
Meta (Facebook/Instagram): Meta Privacy Policy at facebook.com/privacy/policy
LinkedIn: LinkedIn Privacy Policy at linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy
Stripe: Stripe Privacy Policy at stripe.com/privacy
Intercom: Intercom Privacy Policy at intercom.com/terms-and-policies
FullStory: FullStory Privacy Policy at fullstory.com/legal/privacy-policy
HubSpot: HubSpot Privacy Policy at legal.hubspot.com/privacy-policy
Some browsers include a "Do Not Track" (DNT) feature that signals websites and online services that you prefer not to be tracked. HaulCortex currently does not alter its data collection practices in response to DNT browser signals, as there is no accepted standard for how websites should interpret these signals. If an industry standard is established, we will reconsider our approach and update this policy accordingly.
When you are logged into the HaulCortex platform, additional functional and analytics cookies are deployed that are specific to the application environment rather than the marketing website. These include session management cookies, performance monitoring cookies, and feature preference cookies described in Sections 3.1 and 3.2 above. These platform-specific cookies are necessary to maintain a functioning, personalized application session and cannot be disabled without disrupting platform functionality.
As a logged-in user, you should be aware that your in-platform activity (feature usage, load searches, carrier filtering actions, report generation) is logged as platform usage data. This data is used to improve the Services, troubleshoot technical issues, and understand feature adoption. It is not shared with third parties in identifiable form.
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the cookies we use, new functionality we deploy, changes in applicable data protection law, or changes in our third-party service providers. When we update this policy, we will revise the "Last updated" date at the top of the page. For significant changes — such as the addition of new marketing cookie categories — we will provide additional notice through the cookie consent banner on our website.
We encourage you to review this Cookie Policy periodically. Your continued use of haulcortex.com or the HaulCortex platform after a policy update constitutes your acknowledgment of the updated policy.
If you have questions about our use of cookies or want to exercise any rights related to cookie-based data collection, please contact us:
Email: hello@haulcortex.com
Mail: HaulCortex, Inc., 200 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606
Phone: +1 (312) 847-2193
For EU/EEA residents, if you believe our cookie practices violate applicable data protection law, you have the right to lodge a complaint with your national data protection authority.