Dive Brief:
- A new last minute delivery app called "Roadie" has emerged, which enables savings on gas and carbon emissions through driver convenience, DC Velocity reported last week.
- Drivers check the app for available loads based on the direction they're already heading, and then make bids, maximizing available space in their delivery vehicles. The app mirrors the process of LTL shipping, applying a long-understood cost-reduction strategy to the last mile.
- Roadie is a startup based in Atlanta, and is already running in all 50 states. Drivers can earn from $8 to $50 for local gigs and $650 or more for long-distance delivery.
Dive Insight:
With increasingly conscious customers keeping an eye on how their packages are delivered, Roadie is the latest in a string of applications that may very well gain traction within supply chains.
As one of the least efficient links in the supply chain, the last mile is a hotbed for innovation. Big companies and startups alike are looking for ways to cut costs in the process, while keeping the process as convenient as possible for customers.
Recent innovations include services like Amazon's Instant Pickup points, where customers can collect their own items, and the more controversial Amazon Key, which allows delivery staff to deposit packages within customer homes. But crowdsourcing apps targeting drivers may be the next to gain traction.
By putting sustainability in the drivers seat, companies can make the last mile process more efficient while saving highly variable costs such as fuel. That's why companies like DHL and UPS are investing in new equipment and tools, too.
Using data to match driver direction with the load-pickup process, apps like Roadie could truly transform the industry.
