Online freight marketplace uShip announced that 16 asset-based LTL carriers, including national carriers R&L Carriers and Roadrunner Transportation Systems and a host of regional carriers such as Averitt Express, Pitt Ohio, and Midwest Motor Express, have committed to uShip’s LTL (less-than-truckload) spot rate marketplace.
Related: uShip’s instant LTL rates take out the middleman
The new service lets carriers publish real-time, dynamically-priced rates to – and work directly with – small to midsize shippers posting freight to the uShip freight marketplace, ultimately helping LTL carriers optimize their highest yield profit segment.
“uShip is offering a true neutral online marketplace where LTL carriers can update their rates as often as they want and gain incremental market share from smaller shippers – both of which lead to accelerated growth at strong yield levels,” said Jim Bramlett, general manager of LTL Freight at uShip and 36-year freight industry veteran. “Carriers are excited about providing instant rates to shippers because we can help them maximize asset utilization and control their own pricing, while supporting their existing 3PL contracts.”
Rounding out the list of LTL carriers that have committed include AMA Transportation, American West Transport, Atlas Motor Express, Benton Global, Daylight Transport, East/West, Frontline Freight, NTC (Nebraska Transport Company), Pilot Freight Services, SHIFT Freight and Southwest Motor Transport Inc.
Today, uShip has thousands of business shipments available to carriers through 250,000 registered business shippers that represent more than 35 percent of the total shipping volume processed through its site. The LTL spot market platform underscores uShip’s push into instantly-bookable, non-auction-based shipments as part of its ongoing commercial freight expansion.
“For millions of small to midsize shippers not under a freight contract, uShip’s marketplace provides direct carrier access, instant capacity and transparent, competitive pricing from top service providers,” said Bramlett.
How It Works
When shippers post palletized LTL freight on uShip.com, LTL carriers’ dynamically-priced offers are shown, driven from their pricing engines. LTL freight shippers then evaluate those instant upfront rates and decide whether to book one or post to uShip’s open marketplace for more quotes. In order for rates to match the reality of the shipment, carriers set pre-defined parameters, including specific lanes, freight type, restrictions, pickup/drop conditions (dock, forklift, etc.), and seasonal pricing.
