Uber for truckies?

Channel 40: more loads and instant payment on delivery

Channel 40 says it's Australia's first fully independent online platform for owner/drivers and freight owners.

"You could say Channel 40 is a cross between Uber and Facebook for Truckies," says Channel 40 founder, Tom Cavanagh.

"Freight owners can see exactly where their load is at any given time. Drivers can see what loads are available anywhere in Australia. And it's fully transparent, so drivers get immediate payment on delivery and freight owners get certainty about pick-up and delivery times."

Cavanagh – who owns Dubbo's EMS Group – says he established Channel 40 largely out of frustration over his own shipping challenges. Today Channel 40 has grown to involve over 500 drivers, carrying $95,000 in freight in its first full month of operation.

"Running a mining and agricultural machinery rental business based in Dubbo with a big annual freight requirement, I wanted to make shipping easier," he says.

"It turned out the way to do that was to put power in the hands of drivers and freight owners. That's why we built Channel 40.

"Whether you're an owner/driver, a mid-size fleet owner or a large fleet operator, the savings on fuel costs and vehicle wear and tear are fantastic for everyone in the industry," Cavanagh says.

"You might even need to ship a new truck you buy on www.trucksales.com.au. Easy – just get on the Channel 40 app."

How does it work?

Freight owners take a photo of what they want shipped, enter dimensions and weight, plus the pick-up and delivery address. For general requirements, drivers can search for available loads. For express loads, drivers in the area are automatically notified of the job and can respond with a click of a button.

What about pricing?

With Channel 40 the shipper can opt for a fixed price, or the price can be negotiated on the fly. Once the price is agreed, the job is allocated to the successful driver and the freight shipper can see where the truck is and how long until pick-up or delivery. Drivers and freight owners are all rated so you can be sure of the quality and reliability of the people you are dealing with.

Payment and insurance

Payment is via credit card or bank transfer through the Channel 40 system. Money is held in escrow until delivery of the goods and then when freight owner clicks the 'accept delivery' button the money is transferred straight to the driver. All loads have $3000 cargo insurance automatically included, with the ability to add insurance to each load via the app.

How do I get onto Channel 40?

You can sign up to the platform in less than a minute on the www.channel40.com.au website, or download the app from either Google Play or the Apple app store. Once you're on Channel 40, you can send and respond to shipping orders instantly – wherever you are in the country. All you need is a smartphone (or any other connected device) and a credit card.

Cavanagh says he's very excited to see hundreds of drivers already signed up to Channel 40.

"We shipped $95,000-worth of freight in January and that was before the app was live on all platforms," says Cavanagh.

"We really want to thank all those users who have helped us iron out some of the bugs. We are working around the clock to improve the experience based on their feedback."

Uber for truckies?

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