Today’s Pickup: Uber Freight adds new features to apps to decrease empty miles

Good day,

Uber Freight has added two new features to its app that it believes will help truckers find loads quicker and reduce empty miles.

The Post My Truck feature allows carriers and drivers to post when and where their truck(s) will be empty and whether they prefer local, short, or long-haul, all through the My Loads tab. The Uber Freight app then previews a list of available loads matching the criteria and will send push notifications as additional loads become available. Drivers can choose the load that works for them.

Uber Freight is also making it easier for drivers to find backhauls with the new Reload feature. With ‘Reloads,’ when carriers and drivers go to book a load through the app, Uber Freight will preview a list of backhauls and reloads — loads picking up near their drop off location — that they can book next.

The two new features are designed to help truckers not only book a load, but to book a load where the is a revenue opportunity on the back end, increasing their utilization and profit.

The Uber Freight app is available for both Android and iOS devices.

Did you know?

According to DOT, there are 38 Mexican-domiciled trucking companies with operating authority in the U.S., totaling fewer than 400 trucks.

Quotable:

“ATA’s proposed solution is the Build America Fund. The Fund would be supported with a new, indexed, 20 cent per gallon fee built into the price of transportation fuels collected at the terminal rack, which will generate nearly $340 billion over the first 10 years. This proposal will stabilize the trust fund for many years and provide the resources necessary to reduce the project backlog.”

– Chris Spear, ATA president & CEO

In other news:

U.S. output figures revised downward

U.S. output for the third quarter has been revised downward slightly by the Commerce Department, coming in at 3.2% growth instead of the initially reported 3.3%. (Wall Street Journal)

XPO reports strong jump in e-commerce volumes

XPO Logistics reported a 24% increase in e-commerce volumes from Black Friday through Cyber Monday. (Reuters)

ATA asks Congress to support transportation fund

American Trucking Associations President Chris Spear asked a Senate Committee on Wednesday to create a special transportation fund through a 20 cent per gallon fee. (Transport Topics)

Trucking among industries pushing for NAFTA tweak

Trucking lobbyists are among many business groups pushing the Trump Administration to tweak, not trash, NAFTA, as the next round of negotiations approaches. (Logistics Management)

Spot rates drop

Spot van and refrigerated rates have fallen from record highs for the week ending Dec. 16, DAT said. Van rates dropped 2 cents to $2.08 per mile while reefer rates fell 4 cents to $2.36. (Heavy Duty Trucking)

Final Thoughts

ATA and trucking leaders told a Senate committee on Wednesday that more revenue needs to be raised for infrastructure. ATA’s proposal is a 20 cent per-gallon fee on fuel, assessed at the rack. The approach remains consistent with ATA’s belief that a fuel tax increase is in order, but to date, any tax increase for infrastructure has fallen on deaf ears in Washington.

Hammer down everyone!

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