Article brought to you by eTruux
Despite the fast-paced world of logistics and its slim margins, eTruux is helping to build trust between shippers and carriers with its innovative platform. At the helm of this transformation is Shan Ravin, CEO of eTruux, whose vision of transparency has been instrumental in shaping the company’s trajectory.
In the November 5 episode of FreightWaves’ What the Truck?!? with Malcolm Harris, Ravin delved into how eTruux is navigating industry challenges and innovative strategies for the future.
eTruux began in 2013 as a TMS software company. By 2018, the company expanded its offerings to include ELD manufacturing. The turning point came in 2020, when COVID-19 highlighted inefficiencies in logistics.
“We realized most of our trucking companies were struggling,” Ravin said. “The problem at that time was most of the trucking companies were not able to take care of the shipments that were already there. Finding capacity was an issue,” he said.
Because eTruux already provided both TMS and ELD solutions, Ravin saw an opportunity to provide a comprehensive solution that combined these capabilities. This strategic integration became the cornerstone for what eTruux would evolve into: a seamless platform that enables greater operational transparency and efficiency across the logistics chain.
California’s Assembly Bill 5 (AB5) posed significant challenges to independent owner-operators by changing the way workers are classified. When AB5 was enacted, it forced many trucking companies to restructure.
“Owner operators didn’t have a way of handling this, and the trucking companies couldn’t keep them,” Ravin said. “Many of them relied on our platform and came under our wing.”
eTruux offered these operators a technological solution that ensured compliance while maintaining operational independence. The platform facilitated a connection between shippers and independent drivers, effectively sidestepping the hurdles introduced by AB5.
Another critical issue in logistics is pricing transparency, where carrier rates fluctuate significantly. eTruux addresses this through a pricing model focused not only on fairness but also on motivation.
In Ravin’s opinion, the market doesn’t have to be like that. He says that what’s paid to the trucker is often not a fair amount. “If the pricing is always based on getting a quote that will satisfy the shipper based on the load, then it’s not based on what is paid to the trucking company,” he said.
This approach challenges traditional practices where carriers often receive payments significantly disconnected from shippers’ rates. By ensuring drivers see the actual load payments, eTruux intends to give carriers the opportunity to pursue more fair pay. Etruux believes aligning compensation more directly has a positive impact on service quality and reliability.
“The industry could be streamlined to where we have a much more beautiful relationship between the shipper and the carrier, and that’s what we’re working to create,” Ravin said.
Technology is the backbone of eTruux’s platform, which is built to streamline operations from dispatch to delivery. Digital transformation has been key to eTruux’s success.
“No more pen and paper,” Ravin said. “We build a digital bridge starting from the customer to the trucker and all the way back.” The eTruux platform digitizes most processes, enhancing real-time communication and operational fluidity.
Through its integrations, eTruux makes for seamless transitions from order placement to delivery completion and minimizes the delays and errors typical in traditional operations.
With safety and reliability as top priorities, eTruux capitalizes on its real-time tracking capabilities. Once a load is booked on the platform, both shippers and carriers are kept informed on the shipment’s status. GPS tracking is widely available these days to know where the truck is, but not what the load status is. eTruux’s system lets the shipper know when the load is picked up and delivered, as well as who signed when picking up and delivering, all in real-time.
“Once the shipper enters the load to the system and a trucker accepts, everyone can have peace of mind,” Ravin said. The marriage between carrier GPS and shipper interface provides unprecedented transparency and eliminates uncertainties that used to be unavoidable.
Looking toward the future, eTruux is exploring autonomous vehicles as a potential evolution of service. Though Ravin maintains a firm belief in the invaluable role of human drivers, he says that logistics companies have to adapt to industry changes.
“When we’re short on drivers and trucks, the industry will adapt to autonomous trucks to fulfill shippers’ needs.”
While autonomous fleets are on the horizon, eTruux is committed to supporting drivers while positioning itself to lead the charge in embracing innovative solutions.
By offering an integrated platform that addresses contemporary and future challenges, eTruux hopes to strengthen the connection between shippers and carriers and, in doing so, foster an ecosystem of trust and mutual benefit.
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