In Haul Now 2.0, Roadrunner is planning to open the platform to external drivers and partners to enable enhanced visibility for customers and further enable their Owner Operator model.
The Haul NOW app originally debuted in 2019 as “one-stop shop” for independents creating visibility of available loads within the network, enabling proactive online booking and improving communication between dispatch and drivers, while also allowing drivers to view documents, access historical dispatch and settlement information and obtain directions to service centers.
The 2.0 version of the free app provides drivers a single place from which to choose loads, plan consecutive trips, update status, check settlements, review routes and loads, contact terminal dispatchers, receive important reminders in real time and reach out for help if necessary, giving the company's driver force autonomy over their businesses via functionality that currently exists only in consumer ride sharing apps such as Lyft and Uber.
"For all the talk about the Uberization of freight, this is the real deal. Drivers can finally schedule their own loads," said Roadrunner's Head of Technology, Operations and Linehaul, Tomasz Jamroz. "The more miles they drive, the more pay they earn. This is consistent with our mission of empowering entrepreneurs to pursue the American dream, Haul Now means less downtime and more earnings for drivers."
Using GPS location and available hours of service, Haul Now allows drivers to find available loads at their desired terminal and filter by the number of miles they want to drive. Roadrunner's proprietary algorithm ensures optimal driver assignment by preselecting teams versus solo drivers, or selecting hazmat if required to assign the best drivers and ensure strict service and fast transit standards are met.
The interface, designed for ease of use, shows terminal information like the address, hours of operation and contact information, in a centralized location. Assigned loads are stored in one place for easy review of pickup details, rate per mile, destination information and more. Additionally, all settlement information is easily viewed to see the total money earned and what payments are pending.
When Roadrunner kicked off development of Haul Now, Executive Chairman of the Board Chris Jamroz said the company "set out to create the world's best app for drivers and demonstrate that Roadrunner is the 'Smart Long Haul' choice. The feedback we've received has been overwhelming," he added. "We are excited, because we're just getting started."
Director of Technology David Rumpf noted that the app, which is available in both the Google Play and Apple App stores, was designed and developed while working closely with Roadrunner drivers, linehaul team, and it UX/UI product team.
Refinement of the platform is ongoing, and Roadrunner has built an internal team focused on product-centric design and a continuous development life cycle with multiple planned subsequent releases. In Haul Now 2.0, Roadrunner plans to open the platform to external drivers and partners to enable enhanced visibility for customers and further enable its owner operator model.
