Online transport marketplace uShip adds brokered freight to help brokers and 3PLs connect with its thousands of registered carriers verified and monitored through CarrierWatch. Until now, brokers and carriers could only bid on shipper-posted freight. Starting today, brokers can now post brokered loads as well.
Orlando, Fla. – April 07, 2011 – uShip, the online transport marketplace, today introduced brokered loads into its online freight exchange, allowing brokers and 3PLs (third-party logistics providers) to leverage its spot market exchange to connect with thousands of verified and rated carriers. Announced from the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA) Convention & Tradeshow in Orlando, Fla., uShip’s brokered load service is currently in beta and available through invitation only at http://www.uship.com/freight-brokers/
Unlike traditional load boards, uShip is a true transactional exchange, meaning all loads are posted with fixed-price offers with competitive carrier bidding and tendering taking place online. Until now, uShip only allowed brokers and carriers to bid on shipper-posted freight, but starting today, brokers can now post brokered loads as well. The transactional model also allows for a high-integrity feedback rating system and eliminates the need to charge subscription fees. In fact, uShip’s exchange is completely free for brokers, while carriers pay only a small, flat transaction fee for completed brokered loads.
“Over the last six years, uShip has pioneered the transactional exchange model – first on the retail shipper side of the market and now with brokered-loads. Today’s current load board model leaves much to be desired, so it is a natural evolution for us to bring our high integrity exchange with unique loads, online bidding and tendering, and guaranteed online payments to the brokered load market,” said Matt Chasen, CEO and founder of uShip. “While we’ve proven the model with thousands of active brokers and carriers, we’re now letting brokers and 3PLs take advantage of our spot market exchange to drive down their costs while easily managing, paying and tracking carriers online.”
“uShip’s unique transactional exchange goes beyond the traditional load board model,” said Charles Myers, former president of Getloaded.com and past member of the TIA Board. “Pre-qualified carriers either take a load at the posted price or bid against other pre-qualified carriers in an online auction format. When the carrier accepts a load at the posted price or wins the bid, the load is tendered to the carrier and the remainder of the transaction is completed online. Through this exchange approach brokers will be able to drive down costs and carriers will get fair market value for the loads they move.”
uShip’s advanced brokered-load exchange addresses brokers’ key issues with traditional load boards while offering uShip’s pre-existing products and services:
- Unique loads: uShip’s loads are 100% unique and not reposted or duplicated on other load boards
- No subscription or transaction fees: Brokers can post freight free of charge
- No phone calls: Carriers accept broker’s price or place a competing bid online
- Verified, monitored carriers: only carriers verified by CarrierWatch can participate
- Real ratings and reviews: eBay-like feedback system for shippers, brokers and carriers
- uShip’s got your back: Guaranteed delivery and online payment
- Online tender: Automatic tendering to carriers directly through uShip
- Shipment Tracking: GPS tracking, pick-up and delivery notifications, and status updates
- uShip mobile “apps”: remotely manage loads on Apple® iPhone and Android
- Private Exchange (coming soon): Bring your own carriers and create a private network freight exchange
About uShip
uShip provides shippers, brokers, carriers and owner-operators with one of the most advanced online spot market freight exchanges available today, specializing in large items such as cars, boats, household goods, motorcycles, heavy equipment and more. Since 2004, the uShip reverse-auction marketplace has attracted $200 million in business transactions, one million customers, and 200,000 feedback-rated and verified brokers and carriers. The Austin-based company operates globally with localized sites in the US, Canada, Australia, UK, Germany, France, The Netherlands, Austria and the European Union. http://uship.com
