Trucker Path has expanded the availability of a shipping marketplace platform to help carriers and drivers find loads, the company announced.
Trucker Path this week launched the public beta testing of its shipping marketplace platform called Trucker Path Truckloads. Trucker Path began private testing of Truckloads in March with a limited number of fleets and owner-operators. The shipping marketplace platform is now available upon request.
Now any truck fleet or operator, shipper or broker interested in trying out Truckloads can access it via a web portal or directly from the Trucker Path application. “Direct access via Trucker Path offers drivers accustomed to using the application a seamless and familiar entry into the shipping marketplace,” according to Trucker Path. “Carriers and drivers can also find a feature called Trucker Path FastPay, which guarantees settlement for approved shippers within 48 hours of the delivery.”
To find a load, carriers can open the Trucker Path web-based client in their browsers and scan available loads using various search parameters. Or truck drivers can use the Trucker Path app to scan the surrounding area for new truckloads or view them in a list. The drivers or fleets then make an offer on the available loads. This triggers the negotiation between the driver or fleet and the shipping party, during which the customer can see the trucker’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) information and rating. After both parties reach an agreement, they receive all the relevant information about each other and the freight.
“During our first phase of private testing, we offered the Truckloads platform to a select number of users, including three major trucking firms, each with more than a billion dollars in revenues,” said Ivan Tsybaev, CEO. “Working with them, we’ve developed an easy-to-use application, which will help more truckers find new loads. Our Trucker Path app already provides truckers access to information about parking, fueling and other points of interest along their routes. This is a great way to complete the package by offering them a load finder.”
“Our mission is to innovate one of the most outdated forms of transaction in the trucking industry by providing an easy-to-use app that simplifies the interaction between brokers and carriers,” Tsybaev added. “With 70% of freight being moved by trucks, these antiquated transactions create huge amounts of wasted time for carriers and brokers. By making the process of finding and closing loads simpler, we can make the jobs of drivers, dispatchers, brokers and fleet managers a lot easier.”
Carriers can register for an account at no cost and then search the site for available loads. The Truckloads platform has attracted over 300 brokers, the company said. And there have been more than 30,000 loads posted to over 15,000 truck operators and fleets, according to Tsybaev.
During the public beta testing, carriers or drivers won’t need to pay a transaction fee to use the Truckloads shipping marketplace platform. The application is also open to brokers and shippers, who can register for a free account and post available loads on the site.
Tsybaev said based on the experience of the initial testers, he sees how Trucker Path Truckloads could make long-haul truck driving more appealing to a younger generation who are turned off by the amount of time drivers must spend away from home.
“With Truckloads, brokers find it easier to match carrier capacity with the needs of shippers,” he added. “Consequently, drivers spend less time waiting for their next shipments or they find more shipments closer to home. That allows them to go home more often, spending less time on the road hauling empty trailers to their next loads.
“The Truckloads platform facilitates transactions,” he added. “Our platform allows carriers to find quality loads to help them fill their back hauls and maximize capacity. But the platform also does so much more.”
Brokers, carriers and shippers can negotiate prices, assign or accept loads, or get or provide status updates of the shipments from the time of pickup to the time of delivery. They can access the information using an online portal, Tsybaev said. Or they can have load status updates from the platform delivered directly to their fleet management software.
Trucker Path recently began offering truckers the ability to search for truck parking. Over the past six months, Trucker Path has been averaging about a 20% month-to-month growth rate and has attracted a user base of nearly 300,000, the company said.
“Because the Trucker Path application attracts so many truckers, it offers brokers a huge pool from which to choose the right carrier,” said Charles Myers, vice president of business development. “With more than 80% of drivers now using smartphones, it makes sense to do as much of the work as possible on those phones. Trucker Path Truckloads includes tracking, document transfer and payment features, as well as load sourcing, making our shipping marketplace platform one of the simplest and most effective tools in the industry for brokers and carriers.”
