Thank you for your hard work, continued partnership, and honest feedback as we celebrate 10-4 Day.

Improved trailer quality 

We heard from you that trailer maintenance while on the road can be a big hassle, so in June we launched an improved trailer inspection process in the Convoy app to give you access to a higher-quality fleet. By gathering more information at trailer pickup and delivery, we’re able to repair trailers faster, saving you time and reducing your chances of being blocked during your load. Learn more here. 

Faster bid responses

We’ve heard from many carriers, including AMA Transport, that you’d prefer to find out more quickly if you’ve won a load so you can better plan your schedule. This year we launched instant bid responses to make booking loads faster than ever. Bids are immediately accepted, countered, or rejected, helping you win loads faster at rates that work for you. 

Better work predictability with day rate contracts

Some carriers, like T F Trucking, asked us to make it easier for small carriers and owner-operators to have more income predictability through contract work. In response, we introduced day rate contracts so you can book full days or weeks of work in one click, without worrying about scheduling. Running a day rate contract gives you the ability to know you’ll get paid for a full day of work, and be able to return home every night. Interested in a day rate contract? Drop us a line with your preferred lanes and rates.

Easier access to Spanish phone support

In the past, our carrier phone service didn’t give you the option to hear the menu in Spanish, or be directly connected to someone who could speak Spanish. After hearing feedback about how frustrating this could be, we took action. Now, as soon as carriers call Convoy customer support, they will have the option to press “9” if Spanish is their preferred language, and they can be directly connected to one of our Spanish-speaking agents. 

More trailer flexibility

Did you know you can earn more and reduce empty miles when you haul power-only with Convoy and use our trailer for other work after your initial load? Based on feedback from carriers like ASBAT Transport, we increased the time you can use our trailers by up to two weeks! During that time you can use the trailer like it’s your own to haul loads—even those booked through other companies. Learn more here. 

More scorecard insights 

Many of you told us it would be helpful to better understand how your carrier scorecard is affected over time. In January, we launched the carrier scorecard on our web app to make it easier for you to find a detailed breakdown of quality scores, areas for improvement, and more. Also, you can now easily request a review of any shipment you want us to take another look at. 

Report trafficking in the Convoy app

You can make a huge difference in helping the efforts to stop human trafficking. This year we put a one-click feature in the Convoy app, allowing you to easily report suspicious activities related to human trafficking to the National Human Trafficking Hotline operated by Polaris. Learn more here. 

Tell us more

Have ideas for how we can make Convoy better? Let us know how we can improve your experience by selecting “Give Feedback” in the Services tab of the Convoy app.

The post Your feedback in action: happy 10-4 day! appeared first on Convoy.

Improving the lives of truck drivers and carriers is at the core of what Convoy is all about. This week, we could not be more excited to celebrate the dedication of all the carriers we work with. Happy National Truck Driver Appreciation Week!

Drumroll please….announcing the 2023 Haul Stars Awards Winners

As part of our celebration, we are proud to announce the winners of our fifth annual Haul Stars Awards*. This year we are recognizing eleven carriers for their outstanding work and industry leading quality. Each winner will receive their own commemorative trading card along with a $250 Target gift card, and a Convoy swag box.

We have two new award categories this year. The Electric Ace award, going to the carrier who completed Convoy’s first fully electric shipment and is charging forward to power the future of freight. This year also marks the first year that our shipper customers have officially joined us in celebrating these outstanding carriers. Target, Unilever, and Ardagh are each recognizing a top carrier with a Team Captain award, these are awarded to the top-performing carriers in Convoy’s network who hauled their loads over the past year. These three shippers wanted to join us in the celebration because of their deep appreciation for the carriers who keep their business moving.  

To continue with tradition, we will be presenting the award for Most Valuable Carrier to a carrier with impeccable quality scores who has gone above and beyond to make our app better. We will also be recognizing Division Champs, awarded the carrier in each region with the top quality scores. Join us in celebrating the eleven 2023 Haul Stars Award winners. You can read more of their stories throughout the week on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. 

Earn more with less hassle

Beyond recognizing these amazing Haul Stars Award winners, we’re celebrating all carriers with a special offer. This week, any carrier who hauls with Convoy is eligible to save $700 on a two-month trailer rental**. 

We’ve seen carriers increasingly looking for better access to trailers to grow their fleets as they expand their businesses. This year we’ve made access to Convoy trailers more flexible than ever. Our trailer return options on power-only loads have increased from 7 to 14 days and carriers can now rent trailers from Convoy for a month or longer. These are just a few of the ways Convoy is working to help carriers earn more with less hassle. 

Looking to rent a trailer? Claim the discount now.

TruckYeah, Convoy celebrates you

From all of us at Convoy, we want to thank each and every truck driver for keeping this country rolling. We appreciate your hard work, and look forward to seeing you on the road.  

*Haul Stars Awards terms and conditions apply.
**Trailer Rental Promotion terms apply.

Meet the winners

The post #TruckYeah, It’s National Truck Driver Appreciation Week appeared first on Convoy.

Convoy, the nation’s leading digital freight network, announced today a unique, in-app feature aimed at fighting human trafficking. The new feature enables the 80,000 carriers in Convoy’s nationwide network to immediately flag suspicious behavior and take action when they encounter potential cases of human trafficking.

Human trafficking is a crime of exploitation that affects individuals worldwide. According to the US Department of State, each year, an estimated 600,000 to 800,000 men, women, and children are trafficked, and this $150 billion industry is growing. Truck drivers traverse the vast expanse of the United States, venturing into truck stops and other less-frequented areas. This unique vantage point grants them enhanced opportunities to identify potential victims of human trafficking and promptly report any suspicious activity they encounter.

Convoy recognizes the critical role that technology and transportation professionals play in combating this crime. Building upon an existing partnership with Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT), Convoy has integrated a one-click reporting feature within the Convoy app, allowing drivers to easily report suspicious activities related to human trafficking. This activity could be an individual not understanding where they are, an individual or individuals who were demonstrating an inability to speak freely or who’s communication was being monitored or controlled, a minor who is seemingly under an adult’s control for financial gain, and more. Through this new feature, drivers can now text, call, or submit a tip to the national human trafficking hotline operated by Polaris, facilitating a rapid and effective response to potential cases. By leveraging its network and actively involving carriers, Convoy aims to raise awareness, aid in the recovery of victims, and support law enforcement efforts to apprehend perpetrators.

“We commend Convoy for their ongoing commitment to combat human trafficking,” said Molly Griffiths, Corporate Engagement Manager at TAT. “By providing truckers with a simple and efficient way to report potential cases, Convoy is demonstrating their commitment to the safety and well-being of vulnerable individuals. We believe that this in-app resource will further mobilize the transportation industry in recognizing and reporting instances of human trafficking and sets a positive example for the industry on the role technology plays in making a tangible difference.”

TAT has been at the forefront of combating human trafficking within the transportation industry. Through their educational initiatives and mobilization of transportation professionals, TAT has significantly contributed to the recognition and reporting of human trafficking instances. Convoy partnered with the organization in 2021 to establish a certification program for drivers as part of Convoy’s Haul Stars program, a membership group representing the most elite carriers who operate the more than 400,000 trucks in its network. Training is crucial because it educates truckers — who are on the road all the time — but also because their calls and reports can help build a wealth of evidence and allow victims to seek justice.

“Convoy is proud to launch this new in-app feature that empowers carriers to take a stand against human trafficking,” said Amir Pelleg, Vice President, Carriers and Marketplace at Convoy. “By providing our carriers with a simple and efficient way to report suspicious activities, we are fostering a culture of vigilance and solidarity within the transportation industry. Together with Truckers Against Trafficking, we can make a real difference and contribute to rescuing victims.”

The post Convoy empowers carriers to combat human trafficking with new in-app feature appeared first on Convoy.

In a recent interview with James Pitts, J.R. Pitts Service’s founder, we learned how he transitioned from being a company driver to an owner-operator and built a successful trucking company from scratch. With a rigorous network strategy learned during his time as an LTL driver, James has grown his company from a single truck to eight trucks in just over two years. In this interview, he shares his insights on what has allowed J.R. Pitts Services to succeed in a challenging market, the importance of having a hazmat endorsement, and tips for fellow carriers and drivers.

How long have you been in trucking and how’d you get started with Convoy?

I’ve been trucking for about 23 years. I started as a company driver like everybody else and then, a few years ago, I got on with FedEx as an LTL driver. I thought I’d retire with them, but before the pandemic, they let a bunch of drivers go. I had some money and wanted to buy a truck, but didn’t think I’d have enough money to run it on my own. Through a friend, I got connected with a small company that was willing to let me put their numbers on my truck and teach me the business. That was great – I knew the driving part and I knew how to put loads together, so once they helped me learn the business side I was good to go. I ended up staying with them for about a year before going out on my own. 

Once I got my authority, I tried Convoy and started running loads from Union City to Fort Pierce and back. A guy named Anthony from Convoy’s dedication team saw my pattern and asked if I wanted to run the lane on a dedicated contract. I only had one truck, but he took a chance on me, and we’ve been growing ever since.

What has allowed J.R. Pitts to succeed in today’s market?  

I learned a lot about how to build a freight network when I was at FedEx running LTL and know what drivers around here want – they want to be home every night. Here in Valdosta at the state line between Georgia and Florida, I can have drivers pick stuff up in Atlanta, bring it down here and have another driver take it down to Florida and vice versa. We use this approach with my trucks and with my leased-on owner-operators. This strategy keeps our trucks moving and my turnovers low.

What else have you learned in your career that’s been useful in this market?

So much. First, my mindset has always been focused on consistent freight. I’m not the type of guy who runs to the loadboard to find the highest paying load. Sure, you might make a little less on a load, but in the end, you make more. When I was getting into this business an old fella told me, “James, a fast rolling dime will outrun a slow rolling quarter any day.” I put that thought together and realized that’s what Walmart does – volume and consistency – and that’s what I try to do with my business. Second, the more certifications or endorsements you have, the better. For example, LTL carriers will require all their drivers to have a hazmat endorsement because companies are willing to pay a lot of money to get a couple of pallets across the country if it’s hazmat. So, I saw the importance of hazmat and now I’m making all my drivers get their endorsement to ensure that we can pull those higher-priced loads when they come through.

What’s the process for getting a hazmat endorsement? 

It’s pretty easy. You need to get some training, pass a test with your state, clear a federal background check, and update your insurance to cover Hazmat. It doesn’t cost much to do and frankly, I’m surprised more carriers don’t do it.

I suppose some people are worried about the training part. In my case, I’ve got some friends that used to train at larger carriers, so they can get my guys going. Some of the training options are online, but having someone there in person who can explain things like what a placard is, where it goes, and how to use it is a big help.

How much extra should carriers expect to pay for insurance? 

It depends, but it’s not that much more. I think my insurance is about 25% more than friends who don’t haul hazmat. We haul enough hazmat that the extra cost is worth it since we make more money on those loads. However, you have to be careful to make sure you’re offsetting the extra cost. If you’re dispatching leased drivers on your authority, you also need to make sure they have all the necessary hazmat insurance and endorsements. Keep in mind that with hazmat, it’s not just about the extra money you get on a load. With hazmat, I can do more for a broker, and that opens up more opportunities.

Do you have tips you’d share with your fellow carriers and drivers? 

Absolutely. Carriers need to understand that the market goes up and it goes down. When it goes up, I capitalize on the rates and save your money. I don’t spend it on cars or whatever. Then, when it goes down like it always does, you don’t have to worry as much because you have money to keep the business running. I just had a truck breakdown the other day, my favorite truck. The engine locked up when I was coming home from Locust Grove. Between towing and repairs, it’s going to cost me maybe $20,000, but I’ve got money in a maintenance account, so I’m not worried about it.

Also, you need to have a strategy. In today’s market, I keep telling guys to quit looking for that one big score. They might find a $5,000 load out to Arizona, but they’re going to spend $2,000 in fuel and they’ve got no plan to get back home. For me, I look for consistent freight on lanes I know, usually with dedicated contracts. Profit is profit, and I know how to make this strategy work.

Finally, for the new guys, find someone who will teach you the business. Learn from them before you go out on your own.

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The post Grow your business with hazmat appeared first on Convoy.

Today we’re excited to introduce instant bid responses, a new feature in the Convoy app that helps carriers save time planning their schedules, maximize their earning potential, and get peace of mind in knowing that they have a load booked. This new capability is rolling out throughout January to the 97% of carriers and drivers in our digital freight network who use our app to find, bid on, and book loads.

Traditional freight brokering has typically been a time-intensive process. It requires carriers to first build relationships with brokers to gain access to shipments. And for every shipment, there’s back-and-forth negotiation over the phone, which can take hours or sometimes days. Apps like Convoy have eliminated much of this hassle by helping carriers find and book loads they otherwise wouldn’t have access to, while eliminating many of the pitfalls associated with phone negotiations, including haggling, language barriers, and gender and cultural biases. However, many apps still require carriers to wait several hours to learn if they won or lost a load, which leads to uncertainty and delays in finalizing their schedules.

Instant bid responses address these challenges by providing carriers with immediate feedback and reduce the response time on bids submitted from hours to seconds. Through this upgrade, approximately 98% of bids on Convoy-sourced loads will be immediately accepted, countered, or rejected, providing carriers real-time flexibility to quickly book a load or adjust their rates and submit new bids. 

The addition of in-app counteroffers provide real-time, actionable feedback on bids, reducing the risk of a carrier losing a load. To date, engagement with counteroffers has been extremely positive, with many bids receiving counteroffers that are subsequently accepted.

Instant bid responses use Convoy’s dynamic pricing models to quickly evaluate carrier bids and changing market conditions to determine which bids to accept, reject, or counter.

“Instant bid responses are an exciting evolution to the Convoy app experience for carriers,” said Grant Goodale, Carrier Experience Officer of Convoy. “Providing real-time responses to bids was one of the most requested upgrades from the Convoy carrier network, and we’re pleased to now be able to provide a better way for carriers to quickly and more effectively secure loads. At Convoy, it’s our mission to help carriers earn more with less hassle, and instant bid response is an important step forward in fulfilling that promise.”

Instant bid responses are rolling out now to all carriers in the Convoy digital freight network. 

The post Introducing the next generation of bidding technology: instant bid responses appeared first on Convoy.

There’s a misperception that truck drivers don’t care about carbon emissions. Recent data suggests otherwise. In the latest Sustainability in Trucking Snapshot survey of 588 truck drivers, dispatchers, and owner-operators, 27% reported that they were already measuring their carbon footprint today. Further, 34% of carriers surveyed reported feeling pressure to reduce carbon emissions in their business, with the top motivator being “greater awareness of the environmental impact of carbon emissions.” 

Sustainability, or the pursuit of maintaining conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony to support present and future generations, affects everything we do. The sustainable choices we make today in how we operate can significantly impact the future of our businesses and their resiliency in a competitive market. Companies do not work in isolation. They are embedded in society and impact individuals, communities, and the environment. Operating a successful business entails strategically managing a complex variety of elements. 

How sustainability can benefit your business

1. Differentiate your carrier business

Operating with a sustainability mindset sets you apart. A McKinsey study published in September 2022 on where the “world’s largest companies stand on nature” stated that 83% of Fortune Global 500 companies have climate-related targets. Companies are digging deeper into their supply chains to figure out how to reduce carbon emissions. If you are using bio-based fuels, electric trucks, or safe and efficient driving practices, those may soon become factors enabling you to win a bid. 

It offers distinct competitive advantages:

• Differentiate your carrier from competitors, as shippers prefer companies with a distinct focus on people and the planet.
• Engages a sense of purpose, resulting in a better product, more streamlined operations, long-term cost savings, happier employees, and a new customer base who prefers to do business with a sustainably minded company.  
• An increasing number of banks and lending institutions prioritize financing companies with a sustainability mindset, as they see it as a commitment to the long-term future and viability of the organization, the industry, and the global community.

2. Expand your business

Making a sustainable impact translates to added value for anyone doing business with you and puts you in a better position to win. This added value will enable you to steal market share from those who don’t operate sustainably and puts you at an advantage when considering booking loads, financing, and more. 

We’re increasingly hearing that shippers are starting to prioritize brokers and carriers who can deliver higher fuel efficiency with proven data to back it up. When incorporating environmentally conscious practices into your business, you need the ability to speak to it clearly and have the data to show that your vehicles are operating efficiently. Consistently tracking the right data makes it easier to have this information readily available for your financing department and planning. 

3. Access new business opportunities

With sustainability moving front and center in the corporate world, an organization operating with a People, Planet, and Profit mentality can take advantage of a wide range of new business opportunities never before available.

A supplier diversity program is a proactive business program that encourages the use of minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned, LGBT-owned, and service-disabled veteran-owned. Becoming certified as a women-owned business sets you apart and gives you a distinct advantage to win more business. Shippers are increasingly asking us to provide them the “Certified Diverse Supplier” data for Quarterly and Annual Business reviews and are willing to pay a premium to work with “Certified Diverse carriers”. We asked 200 shippers in June of this year, “How much are you willing to pay for diverse carriers?” 26% said they’d pay up to 10% more per load, and 13% said they’d be willing to pay more than 10% per load. We are starting to also see a strong interest in a similar incentive structure for “greener” freight options.  

As a new carrier, I know supplier diversity programs were going to give my business a competitive advantage and stand out with companies like Convoy. Today I’m hauling dedicated loads on my favorite lanes and working hassle-free.”

Trielle Hart, KDZ Brands Transport & Logistics Inc.

4. Reduce operating costs

It’s not a secret that the trucking industry suffers from waste. When you look at your operations through a sustainability lens, there are many opportunities to drive efficiency. Research shows that 35% of the time, trucks are driving on the road empty. These empty miles, or deadhead miles, are not good for the environment, nor for your wallet. Newer innovations in the freight industry, however, present an opportunity for carriers to reduce empty miles, eliminate harmful carbon emissions and save money. Convoy’s batching capabilities allows drivers to bundle their shipments, reducing empty miles from the industry standard of 35% to 19% (a 45% reduction). By finding backhauls, carriers avoid the environmental and financial costs of hauling empty. If the industry as a whole is able to achieve the same efficiency improvements that Convoy has seen in our bundled shipments, it would reduce CO2 emissions by 40 million metric tons. This is the equivalent of taking more than 8.6 million passenger vehicles off the roads for a year. 

We are continuously searching for ways to improve sustainability and reduce emissions across our entire value chain. By working with Convoy, we are able to lead this charge by collectively addressing the challenge of empty miles within the industry, streamlining our business, and contributing to a more sustainable future.”

Charmaria Gurley, Gurley All Freight

To conclude, sustainability adds value to your carrier business by providing a unique point of differentiation from your competition and enabling you to earn more customers who want to do business with a sustainability-minded company. It can also give you access to new business opportunities while achieving cost savings in the short and long term. Ultimately, this can lead to growing your revenue through additional business and making it easier to access financing to expand operations.

Hauling loads with Convoy

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Already hauling with Convoy? Open the Convoy app to start booking.

The post Four ways sustainability can grow your carrier business appeared first on Convoy.

The advantages of hauling reefer loads are not without costs. Before entering the market, you’ll need to invest in specialized equipment, get additional insurance to protect yourself against spoilage, and train your staff to ensure dispatchers are making smart booking decisions and drivers have the skills needed to haul this specialized freight. 

We sat down with Shain Ferriss of Greenmiles, a transportation company founded in 2013 and based in Willard, Missouri. While Greenmiles does power-only loads and has a dry van trailer, 80-85% of their volume is reefer. Shain shared his insights on the market and tips on how carriers can get ahead with reefer freight. 

Why should carriers get into the reefer market? 

Reefer demand is more reliable and there is less competition. The products that move in reefer vans need to get moved no matter what’s happening in the economy. You know, nobody’s gonna stop eating chicken anytime soon, even if we were in a recession. So with reefer, a soft market might cause us to pull back a bit, but we know we’ve got a much better chance of survival than a carrier that does dry van loads.

What type of trailers and reefer units do you run at Greenmiles? 

We’re in the process of upgrading our entire fleet and at this point we’re mostly running 2022 and 2023 Wabash 53’ trailers with Carrier reefer units. The Wabash trailers have great build quality and we spec them out so they’re very efficient. For example, we have lift axles on the front so that we get better fuel efficiency when we’re running light.We also increased the insulation by about 50% to reduce the load on the reefer unit and give us more time in case of a breakdown. As far as the reefer unit, the carriers’ units are really fuel efficient and do a great job cooling. Some people say they’re a little loud, but it’s not something that’s going to affect my buying decision. We’ll probably use this set of trailers for 10 years.They’ll last a lot longer, but over time the insulation deteriorates and the cost of maintenance increases, so that cycle makes sense for our business.

Should carriers specialize on any specific type of reefer freight?

We don’t focus on any particular commodity at Greenmiles. With our equipment, we can do frozen, refrigerated, or heated. So as long as it’s not hazmat, we’ll haul it. Most of our fleet is running in the Midwest and South East, but really we go anywhere. I like to say we’ll deliver to the Statue of Liberty if you want us to. We have a few guys who like to chase produce, so they’ll go to California, Florida, or wherever the market’s hot. We get most of our loads on the spot market, probably close to 97%. We keep a few direct customers, mainly plant nurseries where we’ll dedicate a truck for a few days here and there, but by and large, we’re focused on finding loads on our favorite lanes that pay what we need them to pay.  

Besides the rate, what should carriers consider when looking at a specific load? 

Without question, facilities and their service levels. People think facilities will prioritize reefer trucks, but the reality is they prioritize whatever they need. Utilization is always important in trucking, but the cost of a reefer set up makes it even more important. Think about it. You’re looking at about 300 grand in equipment and it’s not making you any money when your driver is sitting at a facility. How much would you charge me if I wanted to borrow $300,000 for 24 hours? I tell my drivers and dispatchers to look at Convoy’s facility reviews, talk with other drivers, and use that information when they negotiate the rate. For example, we work with a grocery receiver here in Springfield on a regular basis, and I advise my drivers to add somewhere between $500 to $1,000 to whatever rate they come up with because I know they’re going to spend the whole day there.

What advice would you give a carrier that’s considering getting into the reefer market? 

Above all else, go to work for someone else who hauls reefer or hire someone who can teach you. Do not jump into the reefer business and try to wing it until you figure it out. This isn’t a niche business, but it is a very specialized part of trucking and even little mistakes can cost you dearly. With a dry van, you just need to make sure your load is blocked and braced properly. But with reefer, you need to understand the commodity you’re hauling. Let’s say you book a lettuce load from a freight broker. More than likely the freight broker probably got the lettuce from a produce broker. By the time you see that lettuce load on the board, you’re a few steps removed from the farmer and in a game of telephone with the requirements. So you may see they’re asking you to run that lettuce at 45 degrees, but you know that’s not going to work for lettuce. To succeed in reefer, you need to be able to spot inaccurate information and work across the shipper and receiver to get it fixed. Otherwise, you’ll be losing money and customers.

Why do you like to haul reefer loads with Convoy?

Convoy’s a great source for reefer loads, but what really sets them apart is the people. We don’t have issues often, but when we do, I know it’s going to be rectified and the time to resolve will be considered in the resolution. I’m spoiled when it comes to Convoy.

If you’d like to learn more about Greenmiles you can visit them on Facebook.

Hauling loads with Convoy

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Not a Convoy carrier? Sign up today and find your next reefer load on our free load board!

The post How carriers can find success in any market with reefer freight appeared first on Convoy.

Improving your experience

Get paid even faster

Suggestion from Jordann Transportation Inc

Getting paid fast is incredibly important. Thanks to a suggestion from Jordann Transportation Inc, now you have two ways to get paid fast. With Convoy QuickPay^TM, get your cash for free in two days, straight into your bank account. If you need your money faster, you can get paid within eight hours for a low 1.5% fee. No new contracts, credit cards, or bank accounts required. 

Enjoy more flexible trailer returns

Suggestion from TWCO Freight LLC

We know carriers hauling power only loads like using Convoy trailers for backhauls to reduce empty miles. Thanks to carriers like TWCO Freight LLC who asked for longer rentals, we increased the flexibility. Now you can extend the return time by 12, 24, 48, or 72 hours and can haul with whoever you want during that time. TruckYeah! 

Expand your fleet with trailer rentals

Suggestion from Genn W Spagnola

It’s been difficult to find trailers over the past couple of years. We heard from carriers like Genn W Spagnola that they need access to trailers for extended periods of time. We are excited to offer you the opportunity to rent our high-quality dry van trailers. This is an easy way for you to temporarily expand your fleet or get access to a trailer when you need it. Convoy trailers can be rented in increments of 30 days and can be used on any loads you haul.

Get access to more freight

Suggestion from G.R. Express, LLC

Partner loads give you even more loads on the lanes you love, keeping your trucks full and reducing empty miles. You can book partner loads and get Convoy benefits like Convoy QuickPay, hassle-free detention and single-tap lumper code requests. Thank you G.R. Express for reminding us that having access to more loads is always a top priority. 10-4. 

Better understand your payments

Suggestion from Darwin Eduardo Gonzalez

We know how important getting paid is to your business and we’re always looking for ways to get better. When carriers told us that our payment display was confusing, we took a closer look. We reorganized the load payment tab to clearly show what’s been paid and what remains to be paid. Thank you for the great feedback.

Save on legal services

We hope you never need it, but just in case we’ve added Off The Record legal services to our TruckYeah Savings program. This benefit gives you access to high-quality legal services at excellent rates. Get 15% off services with the code TRUCKYEAH.

Music to your ears

Suggestion from Climatic Carriers

Have you noticed our new on-hold music? This year at the Mid-America Trucking Show, several of you, including Climatic Carriers, told us that our on-hold music was….well, horrible. Roger that! We always try to answer the phone quickly, but if you do find yourself on hold, we hope you like the new music.

Update your email address quickly

Suggestion from Burgos Express Corp

If you’ve ever tried to change the email address on your Convoy profile, you know that it used to require a phone call or email to Convoy…until now! Thanks to Burgos Express Corp’s suggestion, you can make an email address update directly in the app. This means you’ll start receiving rate cons and notifications to your new email address sooner so you can keep truckin’ along. 

Tell us more

Have ideas for how we can make Convoy better? Let us know how we can improve your experience by going to the “Give Feedback” tab in the Convoy app to submit feedback. 

The post Happy 10-4 Day! appeared first on Convoy.

As part of our celebration of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, we are proud to announce the winners of our fourth annual Haul Stars Awards*. This year’s twelve amazing winners are also invited to participate in the Haul Stars program, which is a membership group representing the most elite carriers operating in our digital freight network. 

Each winner will receive their own commemorative trading card along with a $500 preloaded Convoy Fuel Card. Additionally, Haul Stars winners get a note from Convoy co-founders Dan Lewis and Grant Goodale and a Convoy swag box.

Join us in celebrating the 2022 Haul Stars Award winners. You can see more of their stories on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Carriers interested in learning more about joining Convoy’s Haul Stars program can contact haulstars@convoy.com. Plus, don’t miss the other ways we are tipping our hat to truck drivers during National Truck Driver Appreciation Week. Eligible carriers will get paid via Convoy QuickPay within eight hours of completing a load, for free**, on loads booked this week.

*Haul Stars Awards terms and conditions apply 
**Free same-day QuickPay terms apply

The winners

The post Announcing the 2022 Haul Stars Awards Winners appeared first on Convoy.

Carriers get paid in eight hours for FREE with Convoy QuickPay for loads booked this week

Driving a truck is one of the most common and underappreciated professions in America today. Every day, truck drivers transport the goods that make life easier and more accessible for all of us. As the saying goes, “If you bought it, a truck brought it.”

Life on the road is challenging. Imagine spending multiple nights away from family each week, driving a large, heavy truck through inclement weather, and dreading the inevitable (and costly) mechanical issues common in the industry. Truck prices and insurance premiums are expensive, especially for new drivers. After a long day, many truck drivers even struggle to find a safe place to park their trucks so they can sleep. Between COVID, high fuel prices, and low rates, many trucking companies are struggling to stay in business. 

At Convoy, we are committed to improving the lives of truck drivers and carriers. Our team obsesses over enhancing the trucking experience and making it easier to earn more with less hassle. In the past year we’ve expanded the ways our carriers can get paid, added new benefits to our TruckYeah savings program, and made renting dry van trailers more flexible than ever. In celebration of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, we’re giving eligible carriers free* same-day payments via Convoy QuickPay on loads booked between today and Friday. 

From all of us at Convoy, we want to thank each and every truck driver for keeping this country rolling. If you happen to see a truck on the road today (or any day), give them a smile, say thank you, and give them space to safely merge onto the freeway. You might even get a trucker salute in return!

Grant Goodale,
Convoy co-founder and CXO

— — —

*Terms apply

The post Celebrating National Truck Driver Appreciation Week appeared first on Convoy.

Seattle, WA — Convoy, the nation’s leading digital freight network, today announced an enhancement to its Convoy QuickPay^TM service that allows every eligible carrier to get payments delivered directly to their bank account within eight hours of load completion, freeing up cash flow to keep their businesses running. With this expansion, carriers now have the flexibility to get paid within two days for free, or within eight hours for a 1.5% fee, directly through the Convoy app with no new contracts, specialized credit cards, or new bank accounts to open. 

This year, carriers have faced unprecedented market conditions, with record-breaking inflation increasing over 9% and diesel prices rising 64%, all the while their rate per mile has decreased 28% year over year. Cash flow is more important than ever for carriers to stay in business, and quickly accessing cash is challenging. Carriers typically wait 30 days to be paid or have to commit to long-term contracts with factoring companies that require them to spend up to 4% of the total shipment value just to secure the capital they need. Other companies that offer same-day payment services only make funds available through digital wallets or specialized credit cards. 

With today’s new QuickPay option, the time carriers spend waiting to get paid for their work is reduced from 30 days or more down to eight hours or less, with funds deposited directly into any bank account a carrier chooses on any day, including weekends and holidays, at any time, including outside of business hours. 

I’ve seen firsthand how much it costs carriers just to keep their trucks moving, very often spending over $1,000 to fill up their tank. Carriers shouldn’t be penalized with high fees and unfair contracts just to get paid quickly. With this QuickPay expansion, they get just that; no hoops to jump through and no commitments, just the money they have earned, in their bank account of choice, quickly and without hassle.”

Grant Goodale, co-founder and CXO at Convoy

Every month over 75% of shipments hauled by carriers in Convoy’s network are paid with the free, two-day QuickPay option. With today’s enhancements, Convoy now gives eligible carriers, regardless of size, two different QuickPay options to choose from: 

• Get paid in two days for free
• Get paid in 8 hours or less for a 1.5% fee

“I love what I do, but I have to admit this year has been really hard,” said Chris Blake, of LVL UP Transport LLC. “I had a big repair bill come in right before the holiday weekend. I was looking at my options and I would have had to borrow money for a crazy fee or stop operating for a few days until I got paid. Convoy QuickPay got me paid in just a few hours. Without a doubt they helped keep my business running when things got tough. It’s a game-changer.”

Both QuickPay options are now available to every eligible carrier on any load hauled with Convoy. To qualify for QuickPay, carriers simply need to assign the driver to the load, have the driver turn on their location services for the Convoy app during the entire trip, and upload documents within 24 hours of delivery.

Learn more about Convoy QuickPay. 

The post Convoy Announces Enhancements to Industry-Leading QuickPay Service appeared first on Convoy.

Technology has turned Thomas Singletary’s Tithing Transport into a top-performing carrier, helping him grow his business and give back to his community. Of more than 3 million truck drivers on the road today, 90% are small carriers and owner-operators just like Thomas. Are you tapping into this capacity?

Small carriers are the backbone of the American supply chain. More than 90% of the nation’s 3 million truck drivers are small carriers and owner-operators running six trucks or fewer. Yet, they often face greater challenges than their larger counterparts, such as lack of access to quality loads from enterprise shippers, uncertainty about where their next job will come from, and unfair financial treatment.

But this is changing. Technology is improving their quality of life and affording them the same opportunities as large trucking companies. When given such opportunities, small trucking companies leave a lasting impression on the industry and their communities. One such company is Tithing Transport LLC, owned by Thomas Singletary. 

As the son of a truck driver, Thomas was introduced to the industry early and officially earned his CDL in 2005. But after seven years of driving, in 2012, Thomas fell on hard times. He faced mental health issues and experienced homelessness. He stepped away from driving. “When I was at my lowest, there were people who didn’t even know me who showed kindness and tried to help me turn my life around,” he said. “And it lit a fire under me to find a way to give back to others who were also struggling.” 

With the support of his community, Thomas worked to get back on his feet. He found a job and started saving. It was his now-wife who convinced him to get back on the road. Thomas started over with a small box truck running local loads. Eventually, he upgraded to a 53-foot trailer, then another one. With the hiring of a second full-time driver, Tithing Transport was born in 2015. Since then, Tithing Transport has grown to five trucks and eight employees.

“Without today’s technology, we would not have been able to grow the way we have,” Thomas said — words that pack a punch considering he knows what it was like from the days of his father driving. Bidding on desirable lanes, planning routes weeks in advance, ensuring his backhauls are full, and monitoring driver performance have all fueled his growth. “One thing that is incredibly helpful about Convoy’s technology is that I can view our carrier scorecard and share feedback with my drivers,” said Thomas, “so we can continue to improve our service and gain access to even more loads.” 

Tithing Transport is a high-performing carrier with Convoy, maintaining 100% app usage, high on-time pickup, and zero cancellations. This high performance isn’t an anomaly. Convoy’s digital freight network monitors performance in a way that traditional brokers and carriers can’t, and automatically rewards higher performers with a better win rate on the loads they bid on. It creates self-reinforcing behavior that improves the quality of the entire network. 

Despite Thomas’ success, he never forgot the kindness he was shown at his lowest. “The name Tithing represents the idea of giving back to my community, and that’s what I hope to do through my business and community service.” As he saw facilities sending imperfect shipments — water, granola bars, personal care products, and more — to landfills, Thomas knew there was a better way. “Why send products to the landfills when they could be used to help people in our communities?” He began working with shippers to donate the items. “Shippers have the opportunity to do the right thing,” he said. They also get tax benefits from their donations. Now, when he gets an imperfect shipment, Thomas contacts the shipper and offers to donate the goods to food banks and other donation sites in the San Antonio area, the most impoverished major city in the country, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. 

It can be easy for large shippers and brokers to overlook carriers like Tithing Transport. Even the Bureau of Labor Statistics does not account for owner-operators in its monthly jobs reports. But owner-operators and small carriers are the answer to today’s capacity constraints, and digital freight networks like Convoy are bridging the gap. When given opportunity and resources, small carriers deliver for shippers because truck driving isn’t just a job; it’s their livelihood. For Thomas, it’s his life’s work.

This story originally appeared in Convoy’s “The Future of Freight,” featuring 40 thoughtfully curated pages on supply chain disruption, freight procurement, market volatility, and more.

The post Carrier Spotlight: Thomas Singletary appeared first on Convoy.

Jacinda Duran is a third-generation truck driver who spent her childhood on the road — today, driver life looks a little different. Known as Lady Truck’n to her fans, Jacinda shares her cross-country adventures with more than 65,000 followers (her “Truck’n Fam”) on social media. Her voice as a female truck driver has earned her coverage with Yahoo! Finance, Women In Trucking — even as presenter at the 2020 Emmys. We caught up with her on a recent stop in Florida to chat about what it’s like to be a woman in trucking, her tips for how shippers can improve their facility experience, and more. 

On being a woman in trucking

I’m a third-generation lady truck’n. I grew up with strong female role models in the industry [Jacinda’s mom drove for 23 years, her grandmother for close to 50!], so I was never hesitant to get into this line of work. But I understand that not every woman has that experience. Safety is an obvious concern. I’m aware of the risks, but I’m not scared of them. I’m all about being warm without being welcoming. And I take precautions to make myself feel safer. I’ll stop early to shower, so when I get to wherever I’ll spend the night, I don’t have to get out of my truck. Despite the safety concerns, I’ve seen an increase in female truckers in recent years. I think women, myself included, like the independence and freedom of driving. 

We’re seeing this too, in data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Effectively all of the growth in trucking industry payrolls over the past two years has been due to women: Since the eve of the pandemic, employment of women in the trucking industry is up 15%, whereas employment among men has been roughly flat. 

On driving during the pandemic

The world stood still and went home, but truck drivers had to keep going. It felt like truck drivers were the last to know about everything. When I’m on the road, I’m not watching TV or the news. I felt very unprepared. We would arrive at shippers or receivers, and they would ask where our masks were, but we hadn’t received any PPE yet. 

The pandemic elevated how isolating this industry can be. For a lot of drivers, the only human contact you get is during your stops at shippers and receivers. All of a sudden, we weren’t allowed to enter the facilities. Restaurants and rest stops closed. We had a hard time getting access to bathrooms or showers. But we couldn’t go home; we had to keep working. That’s why I was honored to present at the Emmys and show the world on behalf of truck drivers everywhere all the essential work that we were doing in the pandemic. 

On technology in trucking

New technology is evolving the industry. The best part about working with companies like Convoy is the convenience — just getting on [the app] and booking a load. Everything is tracked, so we don’t have to call and check in the way my parents and grandparents had to when they drove. If you’re professional, on time, and perform well, you have access to prime loads from the beginning. We have more communication with dispatchers, shippers, and receivers, but also with our families and friends back home. If I want to visit my kids [Jacinda is mom to Mariah and Shane] or family, I can find loads to where I want to go.

On ways to deliver a better facility experience for carriers

People at facilities have a big impact on the carrier experience. It can be easy to corral truck drivers because we’re all there to do a job, but I would ask that shippers do their best to recognize that we are people, too. Getting a smile or being referred to by name are small things that can make a big difference. 

One of my biggest struggles is finding overnight parking. I often have to reserve a spot; otherwise lots are full before I get there. It would be great if shippers offered more parking or worked with nearby lots to help carriers on their loads secure parking. And with more women truck drivers out there, shippers can help accommodate by offering clean women’s bathrooms — not just port-a-potties — and making sure lots are well lit at night. If I’m going to a facility I’ve never been to before, I’ll look at Convoy’s reviews to make sure I’ll feel safe and comfortable before I bid on the load. 

According to Convoy’s Annual Freight Insights Report, the characteristics of a top-performing, 5-star facility include: 

1. Service, which is a combination of the people who work at the facility and how enjoyable and communicative they are.
2. Short to no loading dwell times
3. A tie for third, between short to no wait times at the gate and trailer pool location
4. Amenities, which can mean restrooms, port-a-potties, or truck stop benefits
5. Parking

On building her Truck’n Fam 

This job can be very isolating since you spend most of your days in a truck by yourself. That’s part of the reason I started sharing my journey on social media — to connect with people and build community. I love when I run into people on the road who know me from social media. One follower told me that I inspired her to get into trucking! I was lucky to have strong female role models in my mom and grandma, and by sharing my story I hope to be that for other women. 

Keep in touch with Jacinda Lady Truck’n on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

This story originally appeared in Convoy’s “The Future of Freight,” featuring 40 thoughtfully curated pages on supply chain disruption, freight procurement, market volatility, and more.

The post Carrier Spotlight: Jacinda Duran appeared first on Convoy.

Over the next decade, the $1 trillion that companies spend each year to truck freight around the country will shift from traditional, offline approaches to digital-first strategies. These smart systems are easy to use, full of rich data insights, and optimized by machine learning algorithms. This pattern of digitization has played out in nearly every other industry, and it’s happening in trucking right now.

The trucking industry links more than 100,000 shippers across the domestic supply chain with a diverse base of more than 1 million carriers and 3 million drivers. It operates in silos with minimal data, opaque pricing, millions of empty miles, and lots of waiting around. This system no longer keeps up with the dynamic requirements of a healthy supply chain.

Trucking is shifting to connected, transparent, and data-rich systems that efficiently orchestrate across shippers, carriers, drivers, trucks, trailers, docks, yards, and more. Carriers and drivers experience higher truck utilization, fewer empty miles, and less wasted time. Shippers benefit with better reporting, more visibility, and real-time pricing and decision-making at lower total costs.

Freight Trucking in the New Digital Supply Chain

Convoy has spent the last seven years building this future of trucking for our customers by connecting small carriers and owner-operators onto a digital platform. This unique access to capacity and a rich stream of data for every load allows us to rethink how we run our trucking services and leads to countless innovations. We aren’t letting up anytime soon, and our recent announcement shows that some of the best investors in the world are behind us. Here are six critical areas in the transition to digitally-driven freight solutions.

1. True elastic capacity
2. Guaranteed coverage for contract freight
3. Democratizing access to freight to maximize efficiency – all carriers and owner-operators available for all freight
4. Reducing total costs with the data and insights generated from transportation
5. A ‘No empty miles’ mindset
6. Self-driving trucks teaming up with human drivers

1. True elastic shipping capacity

The one thing we can always count on in a complex supply chain is volatility. Whether it’s a backed-up facility, a swing in demand, moves outside normal patterns, or a new phase of the freight market cycle, transportation teams are constantly working to maintain access to high-quality service, reliable capacity, and fair prices.

We have invested in creating true elasticity — the real-time ability to dynamically activate trucks, trailers, and drivers to match needs — to provide a high level of service to customers and absorb the swings they experience in their business. For example, over the past several years, our Convoy Go program has become the most flexible drop & hook trailer option on the market. To achieve this, we use technology to continually analyze the number of trailers customers need at a given facility to satisfy upcoming loads. Our systems automatically route and rebalance thousands of trailers and trucks across a geography to ensure customers always have what they need. This elasticity lets facilities operate at peak efficiency, despite unexpected levels of demand. 

The investments we’ve made over the last seven years – in more than 50 machine learning models, predictive trailer routing, and automated backup and spot services for drop freight – provide the foundation for this future, enabling transportation teams to quickly flex their capacity in ways never before possible.

2. Guaranteed coverage for contract freight

In a fragmented industry where freight capacity and service levels are inconsistent, shippers maintain relationships and solicit bids from dozens or even hundreds of carriers to have redundant options, even in a small region or lane. Despite this significant undertaking, coverage can still be unreliable, and reacting to routing guide failure is a regular challenge for every transportation team. 

It’s critical that guaranteed coverage and its game-changing benefits become a reality for shippers. Coverage failures would become rare, dramatically simplifying procurement and operations. Systems would become more tightly integrated, and processes at facilities like dock scheduling and loading would be optimized. All of this would result in significant savings on the total cost of freight.  

At Convoy, we operate a network that reaches tens of thousands of owner-operators and small trucking companies every day — fully automated and more extensive than the traditional approach. Through this network, Convoy can match the needs of our customers in any market condition. Customers adopting Convoy’s Guaranteed Primary program are already receiving these benefits today, including keeping products on shelves, transparent pricing, and cost savings. 

Over the last 18 months, market volatility in freight RFPs has accelerated the shift toward this future state. Freight providers increasingly offer alternatives to the standard freight RFP tools and processes, and shippers are adopting dynamic pricing programs with guaranteed coverage, including Convoy’s Guaranteed Primary and Dynamic Backup.

3. Democratize access to freight to maximize efficiency – all carriers and owner-operators available for all freight

90% of trucking companies have fewer than six trucks and hundreds of thousands of drivers are owner-operators of their own rigs. These entrepreneurs are the backbone of the American supply chain, yet they face challenges not shared by larger counterparts: lack of access to consistent freight and high-quality, high-volume loads from national shippers, an inability to secure efficient drop and hook freight, or attractive dedicated or contracted runs, and opaque or unfair financial treatment. 

As more small carriers and owner-operators use technology platforms to plug into freight opportunities and plan their schedules, they will gain access to the same opportunities and safeguards as large trucking companies. Convoy’s app empowers drivers to service loads from the largest shippers, proactively plan their routes to know when they’ll be home with their families, and lets drivers create schedules that keep their truck full and earnings predictable. It’s still early; there is much more potential to help drivers and small businesses make decisions on the options that impact them most.

Since 2015, Convoy has been building toward this future. Programs like Convoy Go provide small carriers with access to more efficient and lucrative power-only loads. Hassle-Free Detention and QuickPay help carriers get paid quickly and easily. TruckYeah Savings provides financial economies of scale that enable carriers to save on fuel, factoring, and equipment. And through Convoy for Brokers, carriers have more ways to maximize utilization with loads from other 3PLs that have adopted Convoy’s platform to cover their demand. 

4. Reducing total costs with the data and insights generated from transportation

The data and insights generated through freight transportation create substantial value beyond the transportation of goods. Transportation teams increasingly rely on insights gathered from analyzing tender practices, facility operations, driver feedback, and more to increase efficiency and drive down costs. These insights are just the tip of the iceberg.

Digital freight networks like Convoy have systems orchestrating every step of the shipment lifecycle with real-time connectivity from tenders and spot boards to the inside of trailers and the cab of each truck. There is incredible potential to optimize inventory, warehouses, orders, and more by providing quick and accurate signals through real-time APIs, not human transcription. 

Today, some of Convoy’s customers run their daily list of orders through our systems, where we use our signals to consolidate orders into fewer trucks and more efficient routes with lower total costs. This is one benefit of dozens our industry will unlock in the years ahead.

5. Support sustainability in freight transport with a ‘No empty miles’ mindset

Waste benefits no one — it’s bad for carriers, shippers, and the environment. Today, 90% of S&P 500 companies invest in and report annual corporate sustainability goals, up from 20% a decade ago. In March, the SEC announced a climate disclosure proposal tying greenhouse gas emissions and indirect emissions to risk management. As sustainability continues to gain momentum in modern business practices, freight logistics represents a massive, largely untapped opportunity in sustainability. 

With 35% of all heavy-duty truck miles still being driven empty, technology-driven freight operations will become a meaningful and measurable contributor to companies’ sustainability goals. If the industry can achieve the same efficiency improvements that Convoy has seen on bundled shipments, which was shown to reduce the average empty miles of participating carriers from 36% to 19% (a 45% reduction), it would reduce carbon emissions by 40 million metric tons annually. That’s the equivalent of taking more than 8.6 million passenger vehicles off the road. 

Since our founding in 2015, Convoy has been a pioneer in sustainable freight. We’re leading the transformation toward a more sustainable future of freight through investments in technology like automated reloads, multi-load batching, and efficient appointment windows.

6. Self-driving trucks team up with human drivers

The mainstream adoption of self-driving trucks is many years away. As autonomous driving technology matures, the first way this technology will benefit the industry is by allowing trucks to run longer than the current limit of 11 hours of service per day that drivers must follow. Drivers will remain in the truck, but be able to hand off navigating the highway portions to the vehicle so that the human driver can go off-duty, rest, and reset their service hours (read more about my thoughts on self-driving trucks and human drivers here).

As self-driving trucks enter the market, we will see years of mixed fleets containing traditional and autonomous trucks of varying degrees, as well as mixed rules and regulations for fleet operators to follow. Whether a truck can drive autonomously will vary by its load, technology, location, current weather conditions, traffic situations, etc. Doing this effectively will require technology and techniques like machine learning and AI to consider these variables and optimize. This will be a significant opportunity for Convoy and an exciting area to partner in.

This shift in fleet management is a natural fit for digital freight networks like Convoy. The machine learning investments we’ve made in automated brokering and asset rebalancing are the foundation to managing the mixed fleets of the future.

The road ahead

This change is happening today, and I’m grateful for all our stakeholders’ involvement. To our drivers, dispatchers, transportation planners, logistics managers, procurement officers, supply chain executives, brokers, and partners – your insights and feedback continue to drive the work we do every day. 

The post America Needs a Digital Supply Chain and Trucking is Next appeared first on Convoy.

Survey highlights include key trends in trucking and new data insights, outlined below. Download the Sustainability in Trucking Snapshot Report to see the full analysis.

Carrier perspective on empty miles and climate change

Reducing empty miles is still a top priority for carriers

Inefficient truck routing and loading and unloading practices contribute to wasteful fuel consumption. Convoy research shows that 35% of truck miles may be empty miles. In this survey, the regional distance (100–400 miles) represents the biggest share of loads for both the owner operator and the dispatcher and driver groups. It is also this distance that drivers drive empty the most. A carrier that optimizes its freight logistics can save fuel, time and improve productivity, generating fuel cost savings and additional revenue. Trimming just 1% of empty miles from one long-haul truck can save over 100 gallons of fuel.

In this survey, 69% of respondents indicated that empty miles are very important to their business. Furthermore, compared to the response we collected in our previous sustainability in trucking survey of August 2021, a higher percentage of carriers believe reducing empty miles is even more important today. When breaking down the importance of empty miles by role, 63% of dispatchers believe that reducing empty miles is very important, a 5% increase from the previous survey. Similarly, 69% of dispatch drivers believe that reducing empty miles is very important, a 3% increase from the last survey.

Carriers feel increasing pressure to reduce carbon emissions

In our 2021 survey, 35% of respondents reported feeling pressure to reduce carbon emissions. In our 2022 survey, this number has increased to 38%. While previously the top cited reason for reducing carbon emissions was awareness of the environmental impact of carbon emissions, more recently respondents pointed to Government Regulation as the major reason for feeling pressure to reduce carbon emissions.

Views of the impact of climate change on trucking differ starkly by age group

Climate change is impacting trucking. About 61% of respondents said that climate change was an issue of some or a great deal of importance. The age of the respondent made a difference on their view of climate change. The youngest age cohort (aged 21 to 24) showed more concern about climate change, with 43% of respondents saying it was a great deal and 43% of respondents saying it was somewhat of an issue. Only 14% of individuals aged 21 to 24 said that climate change was not at all an issue. By contrast, the oldest cohort (aged 56 and over) indicated that almost one in four thought climate change was not an issue at all and another 15% said they thought climate change was not too much of an issue.

Carrier purchase considerations

Carriers heavily factor fuel economy in their purchase decisions

When considering their next truck purchase, 83% of respondents rated fuel economy as very important.

When examining how important fuel economy is in relation to the respondent’s planned timing for buying a new truck, the survey data suggests that fuel economy becomes more important the sooner the respondent plans to buy a truck. For respondents who planned on buying a truck within the next year, 86% said fuel economy was very important and 10% said it was somewhat important. In contrast, for respondents who planned on buying a new truck more than 3 years from now, only 77% said fuel economy was very important and 14% said fuel economy was somewhat important.

Additionally, respondents believe that higher Class 8 fuel economy standards now will significantly increase operating costs.

The carrier interest, or lack thereof, in electric trucks

When looking at the desire to drive an electric truck by how many years the respondent had been in the business, there’s a clear trend that the longer an individual has been in the business, the less likely they are to want to drive an electric/hydrogen truck. 

In looking at what electric/hydrogen truck respondents are most excited to drive, the Freightliner eCascadia comes out on top at 23%. The eCascadia is followed by Tesla at 18%, and Volvo at 18%. Rounding out the other brands were Kenworth at 12%, Peterbilt at 11%, Nikola at 3%, and Daimler Trucks at 1%. 

Notable respondent demographics

Gen X dominates the trucking industry

An aging fleet of drivers is one of the main reasons for driver shortages. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the average age of a commercial truck driver in the US is 55 years old. In our survey, 45% of survey respondents were over 45 years old, with most respondents between 45 to 55 years old.

Gender differences vary based on carrier roles

Compared to the overall survey breakdown by gender, with 17% of respondents female and 82% male, there are significant gender differences when examining role type. The percentage of female respondents increases to 60% for the dispatcher role, decreases to 7% for the role of dispatcher & driver, and is lowest at 6% for owner operators.

Download the Sustainability in Trucking Snapshot Report to see the full data for sustainability trends in trucking.

Sustainability at Convoy

We are focused on reducing the billions of waste in trucking and improving the lives of truck drivers. Learn more about Convoy’s commitment to supply chain sustainability.

The post Sustainability in Trucking Snapshot Report: March 2022 appeared first on Convoy.

Mark your calendars… Convoy will be at the 2022 Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) in Louisville, Kentucky from March 24-26!

As many of you know, MATS is the largest trucking show in the world. The three-day event offers over one million square feet of exhibit space, over 40 special events, thousands of exhibitors, and tens of thousands of industry attendees.

Where to Find Us

Convoy will be in room NW202 and the mezzanine space on the second floor of the North Lobby. To get there, make your way over to the North Lobby and follow the signage up the escalators to the second floor.

What to Expect From Convoy

Demo the Convoy App & Get Ship Done

Learn how Convoy is dedicated to helping you earn more with less hassle. Whether you’re looking for a demonstration of how it works, or if you’d like to ask any questions, we can’t wait to meet you and tell you more.

TruckYeah—Free Merch!

As always, we have trucking awesome gear to share with attendees. From hats to shirts, to safety vests, and much more, we have what you need to walk away from the event with a one-of-a-kind experience and memorabilia.

The Convoy Lounge

Whether you’re looking for a rest stop or a unique experience to connect with our team, the Convoy Lounge will entice you to spend all day with us. To gain access, show us the Convoy app on your phone and step inside this exclusive room. Inside, you’ll have the opportunity to collaborate with Convoy managers—who knows, your feedback could spark the next Convoy innovation! Plus, you can take a load off in our theater room and enjoy complimentary refreshments.

Play Games & Win Prizes

Feeling competitive? We know you are looking to have fun at MATS, and we made sure to deliver! 

Convoy RC Truck Rally: You’ve got skills to pay the bills when it comes to moving 53’ trailers in some of the toughest conditions. Now show off what you can do on the small scale. Race a radio-controlled big rig through our course to win a prize, with the fastest times getting the grand prize daily.

Post your pics: Snap commemorative pictures in front of the Convoy photowall and share them on your social feed for a chance to win a Convoy prize package.

Spin the Sixth Wheel during Convoy Power Hour: You all know the Fifth Wheel, but every day from 3-4pm you can get your hands on the Sixth Wheel. Step right up, give it a whirl, and win some limited edition Convoy SWAG, gift cards, and some even bigger prizes.

Attend Grant Goodale’s Seminar

Small fleets and owner-operators are the lifeblood of America. These important carriers transport the goods we rely on, but they still face problems every day. Join Convoy’s Carrier Experience Officer and co-founder Grant Goodale to learn how we use technology to help these vital small businesses to thrive now and in the future.

To experience this conversation firsthand, join us Saturday, March 26 at 10:00am in the Pro Talks Theater in the South Wing Meeting Room, B104.

We hope to see you there!

The post Visit Convoy at the 50th Annual Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) appeared first on Convoy.

Happy 10-4 Day from Convoy! October 4th is a day at Convoy where we look back on the feedback that we have gathered from carriers who haul with us, and say “message received” by showcasing the things we’ve introduced this year to help you earn more with less hassle. Today we want to highlight your feedback in action. All of the features below have been launched since the last 10-4 Day and were built based on insights provided by you. Buckle up, and check out all the features that have been developed specifically for you and your business. 

What We Heard: I need to save time in my day 

On the road, every second counts. Whether this means arriving to pick up on time, being the first to book a hot load, or making it home for dinner, there are never enough hours in the day. Copy That. 

Manage Your Schedule

This year we have added the ability to fall off loads directly in the Convoy app, no phone calls required. This gives you the ability to adjust your schedule as needed until 48 hours before your load picks up. 

Real-Time Updates

You can now report a driver as late to a stop or load in the Convoy app. Not only does this remove unnecessary phone calls for you, but it also saves time when you arrive at the facility. When you report late through the Convoy app, our team is able to arrange for a more accurate arrival time at the destination, which makes it less likely that you’ll spend time in detention waiting to unload.

Find Loads Faster

You asked for an easier way to spot the right loads without clicking into every load on your offer feed. To solve this problem we made trailer types visible on offers in our app so you can skim over the latest loads and easily identify the best one for you.

What We Heard: I’m looking to save more on business expenses

Rates-per-mile may fluctuate throughout the year, but core business expenses remain constant. Affirmative.

Save on Business Expenses

To give you the ability to keep more of your earnings, Convoy has partnered with companies across the industry, recommended by you, to offer big savings on core operating expenses. Take a look at the “Savings” tab in our app’s menu to find ways to reduce your expenses on everything from tires, trailers, and TMS services to roadside assistance and more.

Easily Find Fuel Savings

A fuel card is another way to save on your core business expenses. We’ve recently added a fuel card to our TruckYeah Savings program even more convenient to use by building every step of the activation process into the app, enabling you to sign up in a matter of minutes. Once your card is funded, you can manage your spending and find fuel stations with the greatest savings all with the tap of a button. 

What We Heard: Can you make it even easier to find and manage my loads? 

You’ve asked for more tools to run your business as efficiently as possible, while reducing hassle for every member of your team. Roger that.

Manage Bids from Anywhere

The much-awaited addition of a “My Bids” page has given businesses who prefer to work on desktop computers the same easy access to their live bids that exists in the Convoy app. Now you can manage your Convoy loads on the device that is most convenient for you. 

Reduce Trailer Delays

If you haul power-only loads, you may have seen the in-app trailer inspections feature that rolled out this summer. You told us that you needed a better way to share feedback about small trailer maintenance issues without the hassle of calling in and potentially delaying arrival to your next load. This feedback led us to build an in-app trailer inspection tool that gives you the ability to report any issues quickly and efficiently. 

Making Payments Easy

Making lumper payments at the end of a load can cause delays and uncertainty about when you will be paid back. This year, we added the ability for you to get hassle-free lumper codes, right in the Convoy app, eliminating the need for you to make time-consuming phone calls to get reimbursed for your out-of-pocket expenses. 

Efficiently Bid & Schedule

Lastly, we launched transparent auctions this year to solve two of the most common questions around hassle that we receive: “When will I know if my bid won?” and “How can I better target my bid?”. Transparent auctions answer both of these questions by telling you when you’ll know if you won the load, as well as the bid range that will be considered for the load. 

Have ideas for how we can make Convoy better? Let us know how we can improve your experience by going to the “Give Feedback” tab in the Convoy app to submit feedback. 

The post 10-4: Your Feedback in Action appeared first on Convoy.

Today’s announcement is the next natural step in reinventing drop-and-hook freight. We’re building on years of experience in automating the brokering of loads to power-only carriers, efficiently relocating trailers to meet fluctuating demand, and finding backhauls in our network through the use of machine learning. The result is a unique service that enables us to serve our customers in a new way while also reducing waste and inefficiency in truckload freight. 

I’d like to share a bit more about the problems we’re addressing with this new service, and why we think flexible on-demand power-only capacity will be a game-changer for private fleets.

Hauling trailers is inefficient and costly

In the last couple of years, large retailers and manufacturers have increased their investments in private fleets. For these shippers, the massive capital and operational costs of in-housing transportation are outweighed by the benefits—namely, having direct control of their capacity and costs, and ensuring consistent and high-quality service. These benefits have only become more pronounced in the last 18 months as the pandemic has driven up truck costs and tightened capacity. 

Today, trailers within private fleets number more than half a million, and there’s a constant need to haul them from one location to another. This includes moving product from distribution centers to stores, rebalancing trailer pools, and bringing trailers in for repair. The resulting demand for power-only capacity has accelerated in the last decade, as online commerce continues to grow and supply chains require more short-haul, rapid-response fulfillment.

The problem is that power-only capacity is often scarce. According to the National Private Truck Council (NPTC), private fleets have 4 trailers for every tractor, on average. As a result, many shippers operate with a shortfall of power units and drivers needed to haul their trailers. 

When demand surges, these shippers often have to rely on the spot market, which brings higher rates, increased risk from working with unfamiliar carriers, and the possibility of service failure. The risk of service failure has only increased in recent years, as the number carriers offering power units for hire has declined over the past two years. 

Beyond the power-only capacity crunch, private fleets incur significant financial and environmental costs in the form of empty miles. Today 40% of all private fleet miles are driven empty⁽¹⁾, wasting fuel and money while needlessly increasing CO2 emissions. In aggregate, private fleets spend billions of dollars annually on these empty trailer moves.

Save money and the planet with a new approach to power-only

Over the last three years, we’ve developed a unique, nationwide drop-and-hook program called Convoy Go. It consists of thousands of drop trailers that are shared among our customers and the tractors owned by carriers in our network. The program has experienced tremendous growth since we launched with demand from both shippers and carriers, and today there are more than 300,000 dispatch-ready tractors in our network that can haul drop-and-hook loads.

In our conversations with private fleets over the last several months, it became clear to us that the power units in our network could serve a new purpose, supplementing private fleet tractor capacity to help them move their preloaded and empty dry van trailers. In addition, we could help these shippers reduce their carbon emissions from empty miles through the use of backhauls and loadouts (a loadout is when we find a live load in our network to put inside an empty trailer en route to its next stop). 

These conversations led us to pilot the power-only freight program with a number of private fleets, spanning specialty and big-box retailers, food and beverage manufacturers, and packaging companies. Based on the success of these pilots and the increasing organic demand for our power-only capacity, we’re excited to officially launch Convoy Go Power-Only for private fleets. 

At the foundation of this new service are four innovations that help save our customers time and money while improving service quality and shipment visibility:

• Flexible tractor capacity – With more than 300,000 power units in our digital freight network, we offer the nation’s largest fleet of on-demand tractor capacity. And with our unique machine learning models that automatically match trailers to carriers, we can quickly flex capacity, providing reliable coverage as demand fluctuates. In many cases, we can provide next-day, and sometimes even same-day, service for these trailer moves.
• Automated loadouts and backhauls – With thousands of loads moving through our network every day, our machine learning models can often find backhauls or live loads to haul in empty trailers. Both result in cost savings to the company moving the trailer, while also reducing carbon emissions from empty miles.
• Industry-leading GPS tracking – More than 95% of the loads in our network can be tracked end-to-end and in real time based on GPS location services in our carrier app. By signing into our online platform, shippers can see the precise location of their trailers on a map, and share this information with their distribution centers and stores.
• Automated carrier safety and compliance – We’ve taken a unique approach to carrier safety standards that uses machine learning models to ensure that every load is hauled by an extensively vetted, high-quality carrier. The result is a crash rate 16% lower than the industry and 99.95% of loads being delivered without a cargo claim.

Loadouts bring the sharing economy to trucking

Loadouts are a unique part of our power-only service that benefit shippers, carriers, and the environment. For shippers, loadouts can significantly reduce transportation costs by sharing empty trailer space. For carriers, loadouts improve fleet utilization by eliminating deadheads. And for the environment, loadouts reduce CO2 emissions from empty miles. 

In the example below, a traditional distribution center-to-store delivery results in a deadhead on the backhaul. This isn’t uncommon for private fleets, since trailers that deliver product to stores need to then be hauled back to the DC in order to rebalance the asset pool.

With Convoy Go, we can significantly reduce empty miles on the backhaul by finding a live load in our network that requires pickup in the vicinity of the store and drop-off in the vicinity of the DC. Our digital freight network automates the matching of loads to trucks, making this a seamless process. When a carrier uses our app to book the DC-to-store power-only delivery, they see that it’s already been paired with a loadout on the backhaul.

The use of loadouts at scale within Convoy Go brings the sharing economy to truckload freight. In recent years, platforms like Airbnb and Turo have made it possible for people with underutilized assets—in this case, rarely used bedrooms or mostly parked cars—to rent out their spare capacity. This has increased asset utilization and, by extension, lowered their carrying costs. The spare bedroom suddenly becomes a revenue source that offsets a monthly mortgage.

In the same way, loadouts improve the utilization of empty trailers. By sharing this empty space with another shipper, asset utilization increases and carrying costs are reduced. Convoy passes along these lower carrying costs to shippers, resulting in savings of up to 30% on trailer moves.

Try Convoy Go Today

Convoy Go Power-Only is available to private fleets across the nation. Interested in giving it a try? Learn more by visiting convoy.com/power, or drop us a line at sd@convoy.com.

 (1) Convoy Freight Economics analysis of empty miles among private fleets, asset-based carriers, and independent owner-operators

The post Introducing Power-Only for Private Fleets appeared first on Convoy.

Class 8 truck orders are one of the most widely watched data points in the trucking industry. Freight market folklore views them as a kind of canary-in-the-coalmine: When the market is hot, they foreshadow an imminent downshift.

This makes sense. After accounting for delivery lags, higher truck orders should mean that the industry is investing in new capacity — new capacity that could become overcapacity if too much of it happens or if demand unexpectedly softens. By most accounts, this is one reason for the freight industry’s notorious boom-and-bust cycle.

The reality is, truck orders reflect not only business’ plans for the future, but also the legacy of decisions made long ago. Not all truck orders are new investments; some are replacements for older, worn-out vehicles. Our analysis suggests that the trucking industry’s commercial vehicle replacement rate is likely substantially higher than conventionally assumed.

Microdata > Macrodata

Unfortunately, new trucks aren’t delivered with a sticker on the cab indicating if it’s replacing a recently retired vehicle — it’s something we have to estimate. Fortunately, this is exactly the kind of question that the data scientists and economists on Convoy’s Data Science team are trained to answer.

Most estimates of the Class 8 truck replacement rate (at least those that we have encountered in publicly available sources) rely on heuristics from industry anecdotes — for instance, a uniform seven- or eight-year replacement cycle or a long-term moving average of truck orders. From a data perspective, the reliance on high-level summary statistics is not ideal. More granular data — what statisticians call “microdata” — allows more flexible modeling and produces more reliable estimates (and is more fun to work with).

Ideally, administrative data would allow us to track individual trucks over time from their “birth” (manufacture) to their “death” (scrapping) — known as “longitudinal cohort analysis”. To our knowledge, such detailed records do not exist. A close alternative would be to observe the “age” of each active truck at a given point in time, and compare that distribution to the age distribution that would be expected given what we know about annual Class 8 truck production — a method known as “survival analysis” which is widely applied in biostatistics, ecology and demography.

We quickly realized that — by combining detailed operational and safety data that Convoy uses to assess the safety of trucking companies with publicly available vehicle information — we could create an original data set that would allow us to conduct a survival analysis, to provide a uniquely detailed answer to the longstanding question of the trucking industry’s Class 8 replacement rate.

From this insight, pulling the data together was straightforward.

• First, we took a recent snapshot of active commercial carriers registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and state transportation departments. The vast majority of trucking companies are required to maintain federal (or sometimes state) registration, including the number of vehicles they operate. An important note is that the registrations are for trucking companies, not vehicles. 
• Next, we identified the vehicles registered to those carriers. Vehicle identifiers are available for a sample of those trucking companies that have a recent record of safety inspections. We recognize that there is the potential for sampling bias at this stage; however, as safety inspections are conducted at random, we believe the potential for bias is minimal.
• We then merged on the build year for each truck in the sample. This information is publicly available from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

From this data set, we were able to create a snapshot of the age and “birth years” of active Class 8 trucks as of March 2021. Comparing this distribution with cumulative commercial vehicle production data published by FTR, we were able to estimate a “life expectancy” range and annual replacement rate for Class 8 trucks.

Unexpected Results

Our analysis suggests that the average lifespan of a Class 8 truck is eight years, precisely in line with conventional wisdom. Importantly, however, the age distribution is not normal: The median Class 8 truck is only six years old. A handful of older trucks drive up the national average, but the “typical” truck is substantially younger.

The implied replacement rate from these results suggests that the trucking industry needs to see annualized Class 8 truck orders somewhere between 369,700 and 374,400 (midpoint of 372,200, or 31,000 per month) in order to just keep the current level of truck capacity constant. This is somewhat higher than other estimates that we’ve seen.

As of June 2021 Class 8 truck orders are running at an annual pace of 431,000 — above both replacement rate estimates, but less dramatically so in the case of ours. (Moreover, due to elevated delivery lags associated with the global semiconductor shortage, there is a longer-than-typical delay between when new truck orders are booked and when the freight market begins to see the effect of net capacity gains.)

A second implication of our analysis is that the truck production deficit is larger than other replacement rate estimates would suggest. During soft freight markets — such as the market conditions that prevailed from late 2018 through early 2020 — it is not uncommon for truck production to fall below replacement needs leading to a net decline in active vehicles. Looking purely at active truck counts may understate the true magnitude of this phenomenon since some small carriers may attempt to extend the lifespan of their vehicles during lean times with the hope of deferring large capital expenditures.

Our estimate of the industry’s truck replacement rate suggests that the capital investment deficit accumulated over the past two years totaled 39,000 trucks as of June 2021, compared to a surplus of 164,000 via more conventional estimates of the replacement rate.

Takeaways

Class 8 truck orders are an important metric to watch for everyone with a pulse on freight market developments. Understanding what portion of truck orders represents replacement — and what portion represents net growth — is critically important to accurately interpret this industry guidepost. Get the number too high and you’ll underestimate the extent of capacity growth and downside risk to the freight market; get the number too low and you set the stage for contract failure, which exacerbates market inefficiencies contributing to waste and higher prices.

In the absence of the ideal-world data we all wish we had, we must make decisions with the messy real-world data we actually have. But real-time exigencies are no excuse for napkin math. Naive estimates drive suboptimal decisions, and the predominance of suboptimal decision making creates more problems downstream. As an industry, we can and must be more rigorous.

View our economic commentary disclaimer here.

The post Survival of the Fittest: How Convoy Data Science Used Survival Analysis to Estimate the Class 8 Truck Replacement Rate appeared first on Convoy.

Still, the American labor market has made a remarkable recovery a year after the U.S. economy shut down during the early weeks of the Covid-19 pandemic, pushing 17 million workers into sudden unemployment and throwing the trucking economy into a brief freefall. April jobs market data released this morning by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) would have been unimaginable just a few months ago.

During the dark days of Spring 2020, few would have anticipated that just 12 months later firms would be struggling to find enough workers. But that is indeed happening: More than a third of companies surveyed by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in April 2021 cited labor availability as a “major constraint” to growing their businesses and the National Federation of Independent Business’ index of businesses unable to find skilled workers hit an all-time high going back to the 1970s. Casual talk of labor shortages is inherently controversial: Those looking to hire tend to see shortages around every corner while existing workers will often point to more generous compensation as the most obvious market clearing mechanism. 

Rising prices signal some degree of — perhaps temporary, perhaps more enduring — supply/demand imbalance in the freight market. The fact that trucking industry employment reported today by the BLS was still 3% below where it was on the eve of the pandemic in January 2020 adds further fuel to the idea that something isn’t working in the labor market for truckers. (As we’ve previously noted, the employment numbers reported in BLS’ monthly jobs report don’t cover the full universe of truck drivers.) It’s worth asking: Where did all the drivers go?

Household survey data through March suggest that there is no one-size-fits-all explanation for the trucking industry’s labor woes. (The survey data is available only through March since publication of the detailed results lags the BLS report by several weeks.)

• Shadow supply of owner-operators is elevated, but new entrants have offset exits. Active employment among owner-operators is at or above pre-pandemic levels (depending on the benchmark one references), but there is also evidence of elevated numbers of owner-operators sitting on the sidelines of the labor market (e.g., employed but not working, unemployed, or having recently left the labor market for retirement or other reasons). The gap between elevated slack and net employment gains for owner-operators has been driven by reasonably strong new entrants. 
• New driver recruitment, not workers on the sidelines of the market, is the primary challenge for fleets. The situation is very different for company drivers: Employment is below pre-pandemic levels according to various benchmarks, and there is no evidence of elevated numbers of company drivers on the sidelines of the labor market. If anything, indicators of shadow supply are below pre-pandemic levels for company drivers. This suggests that the main challenge for fleets is recruitment and retention: New driver inflows are well below historic norms. Since fleet employment outnumbers owner-operator employment by several orders of magnitude, their inability to attract new drivers has contributed to a net decline in the number of active for-hire drivers.

The slow and inelastic response of labor supply to trucking demand is the industry’s headline preoccupation. There have been other smaller, easily overlooked, shifts in the backdrop. 

BLS data disaggregated by gender show that women are still a tiny fraction of trucking industry employment, but they have made substantial progress over the past year, particularly at companies that focus on local/regional hauls. As of March, the number of women employed at truck transportation companies is 2.3 percent above where it was before the pandemic, while among men, employment is still 4 percent below where it was. At firms that focus on local/regional hauls, employment among women is 18 percent above pre-pandemic levels — which works out to about 5,000 additional employees — while among men it’s 2 percent below, a net decline of about 5,000 employees. Employment of women at long-haul fleets is also above pre-pandemic levels, but by a much smaller margin. (Publication of employment data by gender lags the official Employment Situation Report by several weeks, so the March 2021 data is the most recent.)

Over-the-road lifestyle considerations have long been identified as a barrier to women in trucking, but the industry is slowly and gradually shifting toward more and more reliance on shorter local and regional hauls as supply chains and distribution networks adapt to more active inventory management. This should make trucking more attractive to all workers who have a preference for staying closer to home. It will also amplify the impact of efficiency gains, since the most practical productivity enhancements focus on helping truckers make the most of their regulation-constrained hours.

View our economic commentary disclaimer here.

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