Lanehub unveils platform for shippers to market backhaul space to each other

Trucking technology platform Lanehub said today it has introduced a feature that allows shippers with private fleet and dedicated contract carrier capacity to market their otherwise-empty space to other shippers.

Under the feature, called "Backhaul Assist," users can determine if a profitable opportunity exists for a shipper with assets to provide a partner shipper with needed capacity, Lanehub said. "At a time when there is a shortage of truck capacity, and many private and dedicated fleets have trucks that still run empty or with inconsistent freight," such a service should increase equipment utilization and reduce costs," said Mark Hackl, founder and CEO of Green Bay, Wis.-based Lanehub.

Hackl said he hit on the capability after finding that while many for-hire carriers have been focused on the spot market, shippers with private fleets, or those using dedicated carriage, were expanding their equipment use and seeking out partners with reliable and recurring traffic flows that could fill space on trips to home base.

"Backhaul Assist is for those that are bringing trucks to the table and need a partnership to collaborate in a simple and transparent manner to meet their mutual needs,' Hackl said.

Lanehub operates what it calls a "Collaborative Transportation Network" for shipper and carrier members to match traffic and capacity. To date, freight and capacity matches have been identified on more than 80 percent of the 70,000 shipping lanes in the Lanehub platform, it said.