After the success of Uber, a revolution in online business has started and it’s been termed as “Uberization”. We can easily classify the growth of the transportation sector as before and after Uber.
It gave many entrepreneurs the confidence to launch their own on-demand business. And Uber for trucks is one of them.
In this article, we are going to discuss in detail about the Uber for trucks app and it’s development process. Let’s begin.
What is Uber freight?
Before we get into Uber for truck development, let’s start with “Uber freight”, Uber’s own logistics app to hire trucks/carriers.
In 2017, Uber launched its shipping platform called Uber freight. As like it’s ride-hailing platform, Uber freight also connects shippers with the carriers.
Uber for freight app is available in both web and mobile applications to cater to the need.
How Uber for Trucks App Works?
The Uber for trucks app works in the same way as their own ride-hailing app,
- Shipper creates an account using a mobile number, email, or social account.
- Also, the carrier creates their account by providing some necessary information like name, truck details, etc.
- Shipper places the booking request adding all the details such as pickup and drop off location, the weight of the shipment, etc.
- The driver/carrier accepts/rejects the booking placed by the shipper.
- The shipper pays the carrier after the successful delivery of shipment.
Key Players of the market
The on-demand trucking market is a relatively new business model and there are few companies out there doing a great job.
Some key players in the industry,
- Convoy – Convoy is an American trucking company founded in 2017 by Dan Lewis & Grant Goodale. It’s a digital freight platform that connects shippers with the carriers with the help of innovative technology.
- Transfix – A New York based trucking company started in 2013, which revolutionized the movement of shipments across the world by their technological solutions.
- Trucker Path – Trucker Path launched its mobile connecting truckers and the shippers in 2013. It is one of the successful on-demand transportation companies right now.
- Cargomatic – Cargomatic is a marketplace that connects shippers with a network of truckers. They provide web and mobile applications to track the shipments.
How to build an Uber for trucks app?
If you are about to build an app like Uber for trucks, then you need to know that there are two separate apps to be developed for shippers and carriers.
And they both have different operational functions and features to perform the intended task.
Steps to build your own Uber for trucking app
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Have a clear idea about your business model
In the trucking market, there are two kinds of business models available, one type is that you already have a fleet of trucks, now you need an application to manage your fleet and another is that you need to build a marketplace like Uber that connects truckers with the shippers.
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Do thorough market research
Before entering into any market, you have to research your market trends and competitors. This will help you in creating your platform with features that are different and more useful than others.
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Choose the features for your MVP
As a startup, you don’t necessarily need to build a full-fledged application. You can create a minimum viable product (MVP) to start your business and then you can add more features. So choose your features wisely.
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Select the best software development company
This is the most important step in the development process, choosing the development company to build your app. But keep in mind that you have to build your application from scratch and it takes time.
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Test and launch your app
You are at the final stage of your app development process to fulfill your dream. Test your application and you are good to go
Features that can be incorporated into your minimum viable product are,
Features of shippers application:
- Simple Registration Process – The Shippers can register their profile via app by providing either their mobile number or email address. (You can also use Twilio SMS gateway to ensure the safety of your platform)
- Multiple listing categories – The shippers can choose from the list of trucks that are available and make their booking by filling out the details of the shipment, location, etc.
- Map integration & Live tracking – Integrating maps help shippers to locate their exact pickup location and also the drivers/carriers to know the location of the shipment. Also, live tracking can be used by the shippers to track the shipment in real-time.
- Payment options – The shippers can choose from the list of payment options available to pay conveniently for the shipments. It’s important to provide a secure payment gateway like Stripe or Paypal into your application.
- Ratings and Reviews – The shippers can leave a rating and feedback for the carrier/driver after the trip. This enhances the driver’s reliability.
Features of carriers application:
- Registration – The carriers/drivers can register by entering their personal and vehicle information.
- Trips – By this feature, drivers have an option to view their previous or upcoming trips. And they can accept or decline the trip request by entering the valid cancellation reason.
- Payout method – The drivers can receive payments directly through the application.
- Push Notification – The driver gets real-time updates on the upcoming trips, shipper location, etc via push notification feature.
- Dynamic routing – By this feature, the drivers can know the possible shortest route to the destination.
Some other features that can also be incorporated are,
- Multi-Language
- Earning reports
- Fare estimation
- Driver status
How much does it cost to build an Uber for trucks app?
The cost of building an Uber for trucks app varies depending on the type of platform, the technology you choose, the complexity of the application, etc.
The development time and cost of Uber for trucks app can be roughly around 3 months and around $35 – 45K. As we said, it will vary depending on your specifications.
It’s difficult to build an app from scratch especially if you are a budding startup. To resolve this, many companies have developed clone script solutions like Uber that have every feature to get your business up and running.
And these clone scripts are budget-friendly too, it’ll cost around 3000 to 4000 USD. All you have to do is buy the premade script, customize it based on your need, and launch globally.
Conclusion:
Hope you got some idea of developing your own Uber for trucks application and it’s up to you to choose from the two development options available ( From scratch and purchasing a script).
What are your thoughts? Which is best suited for your business? Share your thoughts with us.
