With the introduction of a new in-app bidding feature, Uber Freight's network of 50,000 carriers are now able to submit bids and get feedback on loads through the mobile app. This additional information aims to complement the existing dynamic pricing engine to improve functionality and streamline the traditional bidding process.
In a recent blog post, Uber Freight wrote, “it’s vital that carriers and drivers have access to loads with transparent pricing so they can make fast, informed decisions about their business.”
This has been a highly requested feature on the digital logistics platform, which spun off the ubiquitous rideshare coordinator in 2017. Shippers who use the service include AB InBev, Nestle, LG, and Land O’Lakes.
“Especially in turbulent market conditions, this enables Uber Freight to more quickly establish the best rate for both sides of the marketplace,” a company spokesperson said.
Enhanced visibility
Through a partnership with BluJay Solutions and connecting to its Transportation Management platform via API, shippers are able to “instantly access Uber Freight’s real-time pricing and tendering capabilities, with reliable capacity,” according to Uber Freight. The BluJay digital tool facilitates the transport of $18 million in annualized freight.
“It has become more important than ever for supply chains to be flexible and dynamic to keep pace with a constantly changing market,” said Laurent Hautefeuille, head of business development at Uber Freight. “Together with BluJay, we’re making our tech-forward approach to freight available to more businesses looking for increased foresight and control of their operations.”
The addition is available within hours for North American shippers, with the European market to receive the application soon. Food manufacturing and packaging businesses are expected to experience immediate benefits.
“For many BluJay customers, right now it’s more crucial than ever that their products make it to grocery shelves on time,” said Bill Madden, vice president of Managed Transportation Services (MTS) at BluJay. “We have been successful in our ability to rapidly and accurately execute on behalf of our customers, and have leveraged solid support through BluJay’s Uber Freight API integration. For example, we were able to stand up the platform and push the first load tender all inside of a single business day for one of our food manufacturer shippers. We’re seeing early adoption across both our managed customers and our TMS shippers, all with the same goal of making the right decisions quickly to keep freight moving through the supply chain.”
Continuous improvement
Previously, Uber Freight had added a data field for internal reference numbers when building loads after conducting discussions with a national beverage fleet. Now the shipper can type in a shorter sequence (of four digits, for example) as a shortcut to find longer reference numbers, making it much easier for customer service, finance, or accounting to find proof of delivery requests.
“It’s a small thing that solved a super-specific problem, but it makes the workday much better for them,” said Matt Wiseman, Uber Freight senior product manager.
