The freight shipping platform Ontruck has seen its growth in monthly shipments triple in the UK since it launched in the country in January, as shippers and hauliers continue to join the platform’s network. The weight in tonnes delivered by UK hauliers using the platform has now surpassed 53,000 tonnes. We previously featured Ontruck as one of the top Spanish startups to look out for in 2018, and interviewed its founder Iñigo Juantegui in October.
Founded in 2016, Ontruck is on track to becoming the default platform for European road transportation, with plans to enter into new European markets by 2019. The Madrid-based startup now counts over 130 employees and has raised €36 million in venture capital.
To date, Ontruck’s platform across the UK and Spain has helped reduce empty miles in the trucking industry by 10%, saving truck drivers a total of €500k and over 350,000 liters in fuel. Ontruck’s platform also helps smaller hauliers to grow as a business by providing a way for them to earn more money, optimise vehicle capacity and get paid faster, allowing them to build a larger fleet.
Tom D, an Ontruck haulier, said: “I joined Ontruck in October 2017 as an artic owner driver and have been working full time on the platform ever since. My business passed 500 jobs completed; I regularly exceed earnings over £2,500 per week!”
Shippers also benefit from the platform with rapid acceptance times, as 80% of loads are accepted within five minutes, and can choose from a selection of 2,200 trucks and vans.
Ontruck’s technology also reduces ‘empty’ kilometres by linking shipment orders together, and improves efficiency by reducing manual work, human error, idle time, and improving driving time through GPS-assisted routing.
UK Managing Director of Ontruck David Jennison said: “We’re seeing very encouraging signals as we close the first full year of trading. Not just in terms of top line growth, but also in underlying health metrics such as customer retention, order frequency and service levels. 2019 is going to be an exciting year, and we are excited about continuing to deliver the triple bottom line benefit of lower costs for shippers and higher earnings for carriers to surpass our own 93% success rate. We also take great pride in the environmental benefit of lower emissions and congestion that Ontruck has helped alleviate.”