Shipping services repository uShip recently implemented what it’s calling the Shipping Price Estimator (SPE), a tool for estimating motorcycle transport cost based not only on distance and weight, but also on trucking routes and availability.
Unlike a directory or classifieds site, uShip.com uses a reverse-auction style format where transporters bid against each other to win the job, which drives down the final price to the consumer. The company also presents a feedback score and consumer reviews for each transporter in its network, so consumers can evaluate their options based on the expected service level and dependability of each provider, in addition to the price quote.
The newly introduced SPE dynamically adjusts for shifts in supply and demand in the market. The estimate is powered by the Transportation Price Index (TPI), a tool for tracking transportation prices expressed in dollars per ton-mile. As the TPI changes, results from the SPE will change, ensuring the most up-to-date estimate.
As an example, let’s say you’ve found a bike you’re interested in buying, but you’re in Chicago and the motorcycle is in Dallas. By selecting the shipment category and plugging in the ZIP codes, you get a shipping estimate of $352.31 based on actual transactions in the uShip marketplace, distance, routing and carrier capacity.
The SPE provides “vital information for anyone considering an out-of-area motorcycle purchase or sale and for motorcycle dealers and industry pros that have frequent cycle transport needs,” says uShip’s Joshua Hinsdale.
Read this article at Dearlernews.com.
