Why Join a Freight Exchange?

Freight exchange platforms are revolutionising the haulage industry, cutting time and costs and boosting efficiency and profits. With accredited members, thousands of load and vehicle postings, and swift trades, haulage exchanges are beneficial to the industry. Below is a snapshot of how these exchanges promote business in different areas of haulage.

Owner Operators

For owner-operators or self-employed commercial truck drivers, membership of a freight exchange is an enormous advantage. Drivers can easily find customers among the thousands of member businesses that post loads in the exchange every day, which means less time searching for jobs and more time driving. They can also maximise each job by easily finding a load to fill the return leg of their journeys so there isn’t a single mile wasted. With such a wide array of jobs available, drivers can pick and choose the type of work they want. With member accreditation and reviews, drivers can make sure they are working with someone they can trust. Overall, an online haulage exchange platform is an invaluable business and networking tool to the self-employed truck driver.

Haulage Companies

Haulage companies that already have their own fleet of trucks can expand their businesses further without increasing overhead costs by utilising a freight exchange. These companies can take advantage of the tens of thousands of loads posted to exchanges each month, expand their capacity, and take on new customers without increasing their fleets. The wealth of available loads also means haulage companies can cut down on so-called "dead mileage" – that is, their trucks will never be travelling empty.

In addition, haulage exchanges provide a way for companies to search for the best price, thus increasing profits. By tapping into a huge and growing membership, companies can expand their network of trusted contacts and associates. Most exchanges allow member parties to leave feedback on one another’s services to assist in choosing the right person for the job.

Freight Forwarders

For firms that contract with a carrier to move loads, a freight exchange can also prove to be an advantage. Freight forwarders, as experts in logistics, will appreciate how an exchange makes it simple and quick to access available vehicles and drivers. Transactions are conducted online with professional tools, rendering paperwork a thing of the past. Freight forwarders can also promote relationships with new contacts to form a reliable group of sub-contractors they can turn to again and again.

As the saying goes, "time is money", and freight exchange platforms are saving plenty of both time and money across the haulage industry. These convenient, efficient platforms are invaluable to independent drivers, companies, and forwarders alike. With up-to-the-minute postings, professional tools, and enormous (and expanding) memberships, these exchanges show no signs of going out of favour.

Norman Dulwich is a correspondent for Haulage Exchange, the world's largest neutral trading hub for haulage work in the express freight exchange industry. Over 4,000 transport exchange businesses are networked together through their website, trading jobs and capacity in a safe 'wholesale' environment.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.