DB Schenker “Invests Millions” in Digital Future with Freight Marketplace Agreement

DB Schenker has invested millions in the digital future, signing a five-year partnership agreement with US-based online freight shipping marketplace uShip for exclusive collaboration in Europe. The goal of the partnership, worth tens of millions, is to harness new, digital innovations that get freight moved faster and more efficiently, helping optimize services for customers and partners.

“To keep innovating faster, we partner with companies that use promising digital business models,” said Markus Sontheimer, CIO/CDO at DB Schenker. And Matt Chasen, the CEO of uShip, said: “DB Schenker has a clear vision of how technology and innovation can create a more efficient, higher-quality digital freight network. We are excited that they have chosen our industry-leading web and mobile platform to transform their road freight business.”

The uShip marketplace platform, which has been successful at matching shippers with carriers in over 19 countries, is leading the movement that is bringing freight transport to mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. It will first be used in DB Schenker’s land transport sector. “As the market leader in European land transport, we want to tap the potential we have for greater efficiency and further optimize our unique land transport network for the benefit of both, our customers and our carriers,” said Ewald Kaiser, Board Member for Land Transport and CEO of Region Europe at DB Schenker.

Starting in late 2016, DB Schenker will launch its own “Drive4Schenker” online platform, which will use the uShip software platform to match drivers and cargo, enabling some 25,000 Schenker-approved transport partners to find additional cargo along their routes in real time. For shipping customers, the uShip PRO platform will mean faster service, because available transport orders and freight capacity will be visible immediately, including on secondary routes. The result will be smart, real-time web-based management of all the types of freight in European land transport, across all the stations transport orders pass through. Carrier reviews, pricing, quote comparisons and complete transport monitoring and processing will also be included.

“Drive4Schenker” will start in Germany and other selected European countries, with the entire European land transport network to be integrated step by step.