Logistics: Uber Freight launches in the U.S.

By

Matthieu Guinebault

Published
May 29, 2017

After making a splash in personal transportation, Uber could soon be doing the same in the logistics sector with the launch of Uber Freight in North America.

The goal is to offer American hauliers the same technical ease as Uber has in transporting passengers. Via its application, Uber Freight puts transporters and clients in contact, finding and reserving hauliers situated on the route the client searches for. The payment for this B2B service is made, as for Uber trips, via a mobile phone.

Should the project be a success, it could give rise to self-driving lorries - Uber having recently acquired Otto, a self-driving specialist, in the summer of 2016. It remains to be seen in Uber Freight will set off the same arguments as Uber, which drew the ire of many cities' taxi companies over questions of unfair competition. In any case, American transport companies may soon react - as will e-commerce businesses, whose deliveries will shortly be taking to the road in Uber lorries.