Uber Freight is boosting its efforts to disrupt the industry by launching new headquarters in Chicago.
The company plans to invest $200 million in the region annually through headcount, real estate investment and other local expenses.
The new headquarters, located in the city’s historic downtown, will serve as the company’s first engineering hub outside of San Francisco.
The platform connects those who wish to ship parcels with available freight capacity. Shippers can generate quotes in real-time and book their shipment through the application.
Uber Freight launched in the US two years ago. Uber says the industry usually requires large amounts of time to negotiate and book shipping.
The software debuted in Europe in March, launching in Netherlands. Uber said Europe’s freight market is highly fragmented due to small and medium-sized carriers making up more than 85% of the total carrier pool.
