Following the lead of technology innovations in the taxi industry, South Africa’s road freight sector is set for a similar shake-up.
According the latest Logistics Barometer, published by Stellenbosch University, transport remains the most significant portion of logistics costs, accounting for 57% of the total in 2014.
Linebooker, a start-up spun off from the innovation arms of CSS Logistics (part of the Oceana Group), has launched an online-bidding platform that connects transport customers and trucking companies to offer transparent pricing, as well as end-to-end delivery facilitation services.
“It’s time for South Africa’s road freight industry to join the 21st century,” says Naudé Rademan, MD of CCS Logistics and Linebooker. “Technology exposes the imbalanced relation between buyers and sellers, and with our online tools and a single point of service, customers can enjoy more control and insights over the transport of various goods and products.”
Operating nationally, Linebooker is challenging an industry plagued by opaque pricing and antiquated systems. With its online bidding platform, transport customers can quickly submit load requests online to alert multiple transporters that are given a two-hour window in which to provide the best quote, often competing up to the last second. For transport customers, the system offers average savings of up to 13% per load. The entire delivery process is facilitated, including vetting of transporters and truck availability – and there is just a single creditor, with a set fee based on the value of the load.
Transporters benefit from access to more customers, a single debtor and payment within 15 days, plus improved load balancing.