Convoy Launches Dedicated Freight for Owner-Operators and Small Fleets Nationwide

In-app offering increases opportunities for recurring work that was previously inaccessible to small carriers, reducing the time required to find loads 

Seattle, WA — July 15, 2020 — Convoy, the nation’s most efficient digital freight network, today introduced dedicated freight, providing every owner-operator and small fleet carrier equal access to predictable work and income. This nationwide offering enables carriers to bid on dedicated freight contracts that can last up to 6 months, within the Convoy mobile app, reducing time spent securing individual loads, enabling carriers to focus on driving and generating revenue. 

Today, 90% of carriers in the U.S. have 10 or fewer trucks. These owner-operators and small fleets can spend up to 10 hours each week searching for individual loads to keep their trucks full.  That equates to 520 working hours each year, not driving and not earning. Dedicated loads offer carriers guaranteed revenue with consistent work hauling the same shipment along the same route. Historically, dedicated freight has been reserved for large or medium-size carriers because of the inaccurate perception that small carriers are less reliable. Convoy uses machine learning and automation to identify the most reliable drivers which has resulted in exceeding industry benchmarks around safety and reliability. 

Now, owner-operators and small fleets have access to steady and stable work through the Convoy mobile app. Carriers can search for, and bid on, dedicated freight contracts that include up to 40 live and drop loads per week, for as long as 6 months. Once a carrier wins a dedicated freight contract, Convoy’s automated system sends loads directly in the app.

“This is the first time we’ve had access to dedicated freight. As a small operation, we’ve never been able to access anything like this from the traditional brokers we’ve worked with,” said Kenia Vazquez from KRV Transport, a San Antonio, Texas-based carrier who has been working with Convoy since 2018. “Dedication gives me peace of mind that I don’t have to be constantly looking for new shipments. With dedicated freight I know I’m going to have the loads I want and that I need to keep my business running.”

“Many customers and brokers will ask you, “do you have 20 trailers?” in order to access their dedication contracts. And for us, with only six trucks, that would be impossible to secure those contracts,” said Inderjit Gill, JSG Logistics, a Freemont, California-based owner-operator who has been working with Convoy since 2019. “But the fact that Convoy closed that bridge and made it possible so we could be known as a dedicated carrier on a dedicated route has saved our business during turbulent times. Thanks to Convoy, we don’t need to have a huge business in place to be part of a dedicated workflow.” 

“Right now, about 20% of our shipments that we do with Convoy are dedicated and I hope to grow this with more of my business increasingly being dedicated,” said Eliza Cruz, Beep Beep trucking, a Sacramento, California–based owner-operator who has been working with Convoy since 2016. “Drivers want to be able to book their shipments a week in advance. With dedicated freight, we don’t spend a lot of time looking for freight and we can focus solely on driving.” 

“Small fleets and owner-operators comprise the vast majority of carriers in the U.S. and we are proud to provide them with access to the same dedicated freight opportunities that larger fleets have enjoyed for years,” said Amir Pelleg, Senior Director of Product at Convoy.  “With freight demand experiencing extreme volatility as the economy adapts to a new normal, it is vital for all carriers to have easy access to predictable and consistent work.”