Convoy is trucking along.
The Seattle startup now has more than 225 employees and 100,000 truckers on its platform that matches truck drivers with available jobs.
That’s up from 120 employees this past July, when Convoy raised a $62 million round from investors like Bill Gates, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, Code.org founders Hadi and Ali Partovi, former Starbucks president Howard Behar, Expedia Chairman Barry Diller, and others.
Convoy is making inroads in transforming the $800 billion U.S. trucking industry, creating a more efficient way to match truckers with the loads they carry. It launched on the west coast and is now working with drivers and shipments across the nation.
The startup helps facilitate shipments to more than 400 customers, including 20 Fortune 500 companies, and makes money by keeping a percentage of each transaction. It has deals with giant corporations like Anheuser-Busch and Unilever.
Convoy today announced new product features for truck drivers. “Automated Detention” helps drivers get paid more efficiently for their wait time at loading docks. “Suggested Reloads” shows the number of available reloads near a drop-off location. “Request a Load” helps owner-operators match empty trucks with available loads.
Convoy, which won Startup of the Year at the 2017 GeekWire Awards, also announced a partnership with Goodyear. Convoy carriers can now get 20-to-45 percent off on Goodyear commercial tires and have access to Goodyear’s Fleet HQ Roadside Service.
The new features are part of Convoy’s focus on helping truck drivers with more automation and technology, said Kristen Forecki, vice president of carrier engagement and expansion.
“The fact that we really help carriers grow their business and operate more efficiently is something that is really unique to Convoy,” she said.
Convoy competitors include Uber Frieght, which this week began offering an incentive program for truck drivers. There’s also freight-booking startups like Transfix and uShip. That’s all in addition to large incumbents like C.H. Robinson and XPO Logistics.
