SEATTLE, WA - Trucking is a hot industry in the tech world as a number of giants race to modernize one of the biggest markets in the U.S.
Amazon seems to be upping the stakes in that race, with Business Insider reporting that the retail and e-commerce giant has an Uber-like app for trucking in the works, aimed to be completed by summer of 2017.
Designed to make it easier to connect truck drivers to shippers in need, much like Uber connects drivers to riders, a person with direct knowledge of the matter told Business Insider that the service would extend Amazon’s reach in an $800 billion industry.
Amazon declined when the news source reached out to comment, but those close to the matter said that a Minneapolis office in particular is expected to have over 100 engineers focusing on this project by next year, while the team overall is scattered around Seattle, Minneapolis, and Amazon's offices in India.
While there are some hiccups when it comes to trucking regulations that will need to be addressed, it appears to be worth the leap for the retailer-shipper turned logistics company.
Once on the market, the app would offer:
- Real-time pricing and driving directions
- Personalized features such as truck stop recommendations
- A suggested "tour" of loads to pick up and drop off
With the added possibility of tracking and payment options that could speed up the entire shipping process, the report noted that this would cut the need for a third-party broker, which typically charges upwards of 15% commission for paperwork, phone calls, and delivery arrangements.
The report also notes that, though the industry may be slow to adopt new techniques and innovations, truck driving is the most common job in 29 states. Could Amazon, with its already-established shipping network and rapidly-growing package volume, get ahead of Uber and Google in truck technology?
We can't wait to find out.
