App Could Change the Way Freight Movement Works

Freight movement has been a huge topic of discussion in recent years in the transportation business. We need trucks to get goods to and from trains and planes to take to stores so we can grab a chicken for dinner tonight or that new couch you've been wanting.

Unfortunately, with congestion increasing, trucks are being blamed for clogging roadways and a truck driver shortage is looming because many truckers are nearing retirement age. So trucking is facing some major challenges.

A Seattle man thinks he has the answer that will reinvent the $800 billion freight hauling industry. Dan Lewis recently launched "Convoy,"an on-demand service for arranging regional and local shipping.

Convoy is a business-to-business platform that connects truck drivers with freight that needs to be moved between distribution centers and retailers or from suppliers to job sites. It automates the process of third-party brokers making multiple phone calls and haggling over price. Truckers, who are often paid per load, will now be able to spend less time sitting empty and waiting for direction.

Using smartphones, companies can be instantly connected with companies that ship freight.

The shipper enters the pickup and drop-off locations, what needs to be moved, type of truck needed and any special instructions, and a price is instantly calculated based on distance, weight and other variables. An alert goes out to the closest driver available for the job who has the proper equipment.
The trucker can accept or decline. The shipper can monitor progress the whole way with GPS tracking, automatic alerts and photos sent by the driver.

Convoy takes a percentage of the sale of each delivery.