PORTLAND, Ore. – Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) says a custom-built app has helped it and its carrier partners greatly improve the efficiency of transporting spot loads.

The app was developed by Loadsmart. It offers a platform to help both carriers and shippers through the internet and mobile devices.

“To manufacture trucks, we need carriers to deliver components and parts to our plants,” said Lori Heino-Royer, director of business innovation at DTNA. “Offering a customized app to our contracted carriers gives them first access to our spot business and improves critical points in our supply chain.”

Daimler says the app replaces phone calls and the pen-and-paper process, with a more efficient digital platform that leverages data and machine learning technology. A pilot program was run in the fall of 2017, which saw the time needed to process a spot shipment go from five hours, to just 18 minutes on average. Carriers received payments in two days, rather than 30.

“We saw Daimler Trucks North America’s participating fleet customers increase their average number of spot loads moved by more than 50% and improve their average time to accept, process, and deliver a spot shipment by over 90%,” said Ricardo Salgado, Loadmsart CEO. “Working with the largest truck OEM is core to Loadsmart’s vision to build the future of logistics by interconnecting all players in a powerful platform.”