Uber Freight Finds Small Businesses More Shippers

The trucking industry is undergoing a huge transformation with the integration of digital technology. Uber Freight is pushing this transformation with a new platform designed to connect shippers and carriers of all sizes more efficiently.

Uber Freight for Shippers

The new platform will provide an automation process for drivers and shippers so they can finalize deals with real-time data on upfront load pricing and tenders.

The news of the new feature from Uber Freight was announced on Fleetowner, which was written by Josh Fisher.

In the news, Fisher quotes Stefan Sohlstrom, Uber Freight’s product manager, who explained why automation is so important in the trucking industry.

Sohlstrom said, “The platform was built with shippers to help transform a process that typically takes them hours to complete and often leave them in the dark on market prices and whether they were getting the right carrier.”

The back and forth negotiations that used to take hours talking on the phone is now part of an easy to use workflow drivers and shippers can carry out on their desktop, laptop or mobile device. Once they agree on the terms, they can confirm the job along with the rate and even make payments.

Addressing the Small and Medium Sized Business Market

While large shippers have their own transportation management solutions in place, Sohlstrom said this was not the case for small businesses.

He told Fisher, “As soon as you go to the mid-market or SMB side for shippers, you actually see a lot more of a manual process. There’s a lot of sticky notes, you see a lot of terminal PCs and fax machines.”

Uber Freight saw an opportunity and built the new platform from the ground up to address the specific needs of small operators. This includes providing a platform for carriers to book a load instantly with a click of a mouse, along with transparent pricing, fast payments and guaranteeing its shipping quotes.

When it comes to guaranteeing the shipping, Sohlstrom told Fisher Uber Freight will cover the difference if its quote was wrong. This is based on the quotes shippers build and the number of days before the actual job.

Shippers will now be able to tender a load quickly, see the price in the marketplace instantly, gain access to Uber Freight’s network of carriers and drivers, track freight in real time and streamline the management of document.

The new platform is now available after six months of beta testing with select shippers.

Images: Uber Freight

This article, "Uber Freight Finds Small Businesses More Shippers" was first published on Small Business Trends