Uber is launching its freight brokering app in the Netherlands, marking the software’s European debut.
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.
Using the platform is free for shippers and carriers, with Uber pocketing the difference between the buy and sell price.
The app will be available in Europe in the next few weeks, with a wider European expansion expected later. 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.
It launched in the US two years ago in an effort to disrupt the industry, which Uber says usually requires large amounts of time to negotiate and book shipping.
“By removing some barriers between carriers and shippers and creating better ways for them to work together, we aim to unite the industry towards a more efficient and transparent future, one that benefits everyone,” the company said in a blog.
Due to its advanced infrastructure, coastal and central European location, and digital maturity, Netherlands is a something of a hotbed for software solutions to logistics.
Quicargo, a Dutch company which connects businesses with available freight capacity, won €3 million in funding in October. Its software application allows businesses moving goods to search in real-time for empty lorries, promising up to 30 percent reductions in freight costs.
