This blog might please the people (startups & entrepreneurs) in logistics who have seen the success of Uber Freight and are keen to make some changes in their own business to get an advantage. We mentioned some top features which you should consider while developing an app like Uber for pickup trucks.

When Uber started out, it was an on-demand cab service alone, initiated with the sole intention of helping the passengers to look for cabs from within the convenience of their homes. However, times have changed, and Uber as a service has evolved. It has not just entered the on-demand food delivery service but also has opened the gates for several on-demand ventures. It is no longer an ordinary term used for mere convenience; it is a term that defines on-demand in many ways and instructs convenience to the end-users.

Not many industries are left untouched by Uber. It has also entered the trucking and freight industry with an Uber Freight app. We can draw the conclusion that mobile apps targeted at the logistics industry represent a niche in the market.

As part of this discussion, we will try to understand the need for Uber-like service for the Trucking and Freight industry, and how it will prove to be advantageous. We will also go through the several must-have features for this Uber-like freight application. Importance of Uber-like mobile app for the Trucking & Freight Industry.

To understand the importance and need for an Uber-like mobile app for the logistics industry, let’s understand the problems in the freight transportation industry in the U.S.

The problem on Logistic market:

» As recorded by the American Trucking Association, more than 80 % of freight in the US is moved using trucks. However, gross revenue barely exceeds $700 billion. If properly tapped into the market, the deliveries will accommodate a good amount of revenue and scope.

» A reason for that might be the empty containers which are repositioned with a cost equivalent to a full container, as they don’t find cargos for a return leg.

» The cost of repositioning and maintaining the empty truck depends on the waiting time for it to be filled.

» Also, to move empty trucks that will not make any money on shipping, the industry has to spend almost $16 billion per year, which accounts for 15 percent of all operational costs related to container assets.

» In such a situation, a shipping company usually contacts freight brokers to help them get connected with a carrier. But, they have to pay a huge amount as commission to these middlemen. And as the system is not too transparent, there could be a loss of time and money both, for the company.

We could notice the huge and complicated system that exists for the freight industry at the moment. At times like these, Uber-like mobile app comes to the rescue. The app can definitely bridge the gap between shippers and truckers, eliminating the need for middlemen.

There are times when the shipments need to be released immediately, and the carriers are waiting for the trucks to get these shipments loaded. The Uber-like mobile app for the freight industry would lower expenses, improve visibility across a company’s entire supply chain, and most importantly, prevent trucks from having to move while empty.

Advantages of Uber-like app for Trucking

Here are a few benefits that we believe the Uber-like app will offer to the freight and trucking industry.

» More control and impressive tracking abilities: This is an advantage for the truck owner. They will be able to track their trucks and would be able to know where the truck drivers are heading to with the GPS integrated into the systems. They can feed the systems with routes, and set the speed limits, as done with the cabs. This will help them know if the route being taken is different and whether the trucks are headed towards their destination or not. This will also help them with data analysis and insight development for the freight systems.

» A more efficient system: The Uber-like app for logistics will not only tell the drivers location and other details, it will also give insights on the capacity being utilized by the freight company and the number of trucks that remain unutilized. It will also help them increase or decrease the available resources to meet their needs. The idea is to manage the capacity and lower the cost while increasing efficiency.

» Easy to get new requests: This is more of an advantage for the drivers. They can efficiently manage their rides and get new requests from the app. This means they can drive as much as they want and earn more with this new application.

» Complete job information: Earlier the freight drivers had to depend on the job owners or the truck company owners to tell them details about the job. A lot of miscommunication and poor job details were a result of this on-the-road communication. With the personalized Uber-like app, the owners can list out the job and other necessary details. The drivers would have in-depth knowledge about the job to be performed.

» Performance tracking made easy: The drivers and the truck owners can track into the performance of the drivers, their earning, their rating and other details. The messages from the customers are also listed out in the app, making it easy for the drivers and owners to know why the customer was satisfied or dissatisfied.

» Bookings made easy: The shippers for a long time had limited control over the shipments. This has been eliminated with the release of this app. You have better control of the shipments, will be able to book them with ease and can schedule the pick up and drop as well. You will be able to know the pricing for the shipment beforehand and have a full-view tracking of the shipment available with the app.

» Easy payments: With the Uber app for freights, you can pay online for the shipments that you are planning to send, and it is completely secure.

Admirable Features in the Uber Freight App

The Uber application for the freight industry is divided into a shipper, driver, carrier and the admin, as there are three players involved in this industry. Here we will talk about the must-have features for the Uber-like app, irrespective of the player, which will help you create value for the end-users.

» Schedule Bookings: This is a feature that will help the shippers schedule the pickup of their shipment as well as the intended drop and other factors. The shipper can also browse through the pricing at this point and will be able to determine how to send their shipment to the destined place.

» Payment Integration: With the advent of mobile apps convenience has been rated as the most important factor for the end-users. Apart from booking, they would love for easy payment methods at the end of their booking. This is why your application should integrate all the possible payment methods, thus offering convenience to the end customer. Make sure you have a secure and highly reliable payment module in your app, as that will help you convert better.

» Maps & In-built Navigation: The carriers need to plan the route for the delivery so that it is easy for the drivers to complete their drop. The in-built navigation and maps system will allow the carriers to feed in the pre-defined routes and also help the drivers with the navigation. It will also help the carriers keep an eye on the route optimization, and track the drivers to the destination. The fleet status, the productivity, the overall movement of the drivers and other details can be tracked with these maps and navigation features. The GPS system will provide live feeds of the trucks. Apart from this, the truck drivers will get a live insight into the traffic of the route and will be offered an alternative route to travel through.

» Fare Estimation: For both the shippers and the carriers, this is an important feature. It will help you calculate the approximate pricing of the goods that you are planning to courier based on the total weight, the location and other details that you have entered.

» The Trip History: It is important for both the shippers and the drivers as well as the carriers to maintain a record of the trip. They should know how long it took to complete the route, and the number of halts and the reasons. The trip history will also include the shipper’s feedback as well as the earnings of the driver. It will help the driver keep an eye on the earning and the carrier knows which driver is good for the job.

So, if you are planning to build an Uber-like app for the freight industry or you have an idea of your own which could reinvent logistics, Coruscate will become your technology partner, and help you with developing your idea into a fully-defined app model. We have been working on various app ideas and filling the gaps in the mobile application industry. You can check out our portfolio to get an insight into our work. Give us a call. We look forward to helping you develop an amazing “Uber for trucking”.

Note: We do not make clones of any exact application, clone means to us is how better we can execute your app idea with existing app features and experience.