Digital freight business DigiHaul has developed The DigiHaul Ecosystem, a suite of products designed to provide small and mid-sized carriers access to valuable services addressing major pain points such as cash flow, fuel prices and the current fleet shortage.
The DigiHaul Ecosystem will be available to DigiHaul carrier partners and includes the following products:
Surplus Fleet – historically any surplus fleet across a shippers’ network would have been auctioned to the highest bidder, but carriers in the DigiHaul Ecosystem will now be able to access this at favourable rates. This is particularly beneficial as backlogs in the manufacturing of new vehicles have pushed up second-hand prices, making it even harder for carriers to expand their fleets. The surplus fleet product also gives carriers access to newer, more environmentally friendly vehicles and the ability to push forward their own sustainability ambitions at the same time.
Fast-tracked payment terms – DigiHaul is offering carriers the option to have invoices paid in 24 hours. Estimates suggest this could save carriers between 3.5% and 4% versus traditional financing. While 30-day terms are standard in the industry, it’s not uncommon for hauliers to still be waiting for payment 60 or even up 120 days later, so fast-tracked terms will reduce the need for bridging finance and help keep hauliers solvent.
Fuel Hedging – backed by DigiHaul, the fuel hedging product will give carriers the ability to fix their fuel prices, providing them with certainty during periods of high volatility. With prices for petrol and diesel at a record high in the UK the hedging product is specifically designed to help minimise the level of shock felt by small and mid-size carriers.
Back-office support – carriers can access a white labelled back-office support systems, reducing their reliance on outdated paper-based POD systems and enabling them to reduce paper waste and enhance efficiency.
Martin Willmor, CEO DigiHaul, said:
“At DigiHaul, we are committed to helping smaller carriers access the same market opportunities as larger operations, which has driven our decision to create the DigiHaul Ecosystem suite of products.
Carriers are facing challenges across the board from driver shortages to increasing costs, it’s vital that the industry finds ways to support them. We truly believe that the products we’re now offering will give those operators the resources they need to get through this turbulent period and grow their business in the future.”
As the UK’s largest carrier network, DigiHaul now has over 800 hauliers on its platform creating access to new opportunities and the chance to operate more efficiently and generate extra revenue through backhaul matching. Equally, shippers can access to immediate capacity with upfront pricing and a simple, transparent online freight booking system.
