Freightera Celebrates Customer Service Week 2019 with Stellar Reviews and “2020 Consumer Choice Award”

October 9, 2019

As we all know, customer service is a pillar of good business. And ever since we entered the market, our Client Care team has been both the means of achieving our goals and one of our main goals itself.

Our mission is to make freight shipping easy, accessible and green. And there’s no way to do that without putting an emphasis on service with a smile!

We’re proud to say, without any contrived modesty, that our customer service is the best one in this stressful industry of freight shipping. Our team functions like a small, close-knit family, and although we highly value professionalism and good training, we put a strong emphasis on warmth and empathy as well. In the era of Internet and automation, it’s sometimes hard to remember that there is a real person behind that email you get – and we try to remind ourselves of this every single day!

In the spirit of Customer Service Week 2019, we’ve talked to Yelena, our Client Care team leader.

Customer service week 2019

Freightera CEO Eric Beckwitt’s Commentary on a Green New Deal for Freight Transport Published on FreightWaves

October 3, 2019

“Last Friday, I joined the Global Climate Strike in Vancouver, Canada, with a group of colleagues representing a coalition of prominent British Columbia businesses promoting a clean economy. It was inspiring and energizing for all of us to walk the streets with what the press estimated was 80,000 people, many families with small children and thousands of students attending with their entire schools. Vancouver schools and many colleges were closed, and you can’t argue that the political lesson we all learned on that day was invaluable. It was a hopeful, bright event on a gorgeous sunny day in Vancouver. Vancouver, along with many other cities in North America, demonstrated what huge people power lies behind the climate action and sustainability movement of today.

Many progressive politicians are taking note. The Green New Deal legislation in the U.S. Congress is inspired by the “New Deal” public works projects of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt in response to the Great Depression. The “Green New Deal” addresses both climate change and economic growth, directing investment in renewable energy infrastructure to avoid severe climate change while increasing employment. In this brief report, let me illustrate how the polluting and inefficient freight transport industry in North America could be transformed by a “Green New Deal for Freight Transport.” How can we do this with existing, rapidly developing technology?

In a groundbreaking new study, LUT University and Energy Watch Group reveled that by 2050 the world economy can run on 100% renewable energy with zero CO2 emissions. Energy cost with 100% percent renewables is projected to be slightly less than in 2015, and employment in the energy sector is projected to increase from approximately 20 million (2015) to 35 million (2050). In North America, the transition to 100% renewal energy is projected to be associated with an increase in employment in the energy sector, from 1.8 million jobs (2015) to a peak of 3.8 million by 2025 and 2.7 million by 2050. Cost of freight transport in this scenario during the transition to 100% renewables will decline by 70%, with cost of trucking falling the most.”

Global Climate Strike protest photo by Freightera CEO Eric Beckwitt

Freightera Tops 100 Fastest-Growing Companies List in British Columbia

August 22, 2019

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, August 22, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Freightera, the rapidly growing Vancouver-based B2B Freight Marketplace offering instant all-inclusive LTL, FTL and rail freight quotes in Canada and the USA, was recently listed as #3 of 100 Fastest-Growing Companies in B.C. by Business in Vancouver Magazine. See the list on the BIV website.

Companies must have had $50,000 in sales in 2014 and $1 million in 2018 to qualify. Founded in 2014, Freightera grew 5,366.7% from $97K to $5.3M in revenue in 2018. Today, the Freightera marketplace connects 13,200+ businesses with over 20 billion freight lanes from 800+ transport carriers in the platform. Shippers love the combination of best prices, best inventory and excellent customer service we offer and routinely save over 50% on the transportation cost using Freightera,” says Eric Beckwitt, Freightera CEO. “We are happy to make the very top of the BIV Fastest-Growing Companies list. It’s a big recognition and a huge honor for everyone in our enthusiastic team.”

For more information, please read the full press release.
Business in Vancouver Top 100 Fastest-Growing Companies in BC

Freightera Plans to go Public

August 2, 2019

Freightera, a Canadian-based digital freight marketplace, plans to go public.

CEO Eric Beckwitt confirmed to FreightWaves on August 1 that his Vancouver-based firm is seeking a listing on the TSX Venture Exchange through a process similar to an initial public offering.

“Our intention to be a publicly listed company,” Beckwitt said.

Freightera is utilizing a Canadian process known as a qualifying transaction, which allows a private firm to merge with a publicly traded holding company.

Beckwitt said he could not disclose details or a timetable pending regulatory approval. However, a public disclosure by OV2 Investment on June 30, the company Freightera is merging with, valued the company at C$34 million.

“It is conservative,” Beckwitt said. “We’ll see what the market does.

For more information, please read the full article.
Freightera to Go Public Homepage

Freightera First to Market With Freight Service From Five Major US and Canadian Railroads, Moves Forward on Go Green Roadmap

May 15, 2019

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Freightera, North America’s freight marketplace offering all-inclusive freight rates from hundreds of carriers of all sizes and transport modes, just launched door-to-door full truckload service from Union Pacific, Canadian National and Canadian Pacific, three of the largest railroads in Canada and the U.S. This coverage combined with existing service from CSX and Norfolk Southern makes Freightera the only freight platform in North America offering comprehensive coverage from the major railroads. Freightera is currently in the process of obtaining live rates from the remaining two Class 1 railroads.

“Intermodal transport by rail is usually the least expensive way to move freight long distances,” says Freightera founder and CEO Eric Beckwitt, “but until now, freight shippers were unable to go to one platform and get instant all-inclusive rate quotes from the major railroads. Now they can do that with a click of a button. No phone calls or brokers necessary. They can also compare rail rates with the leading trucking companies’ rates and get a clear sense of available services and optimal cost for each shipment.”

Shipping freight by rail offers many important advantages over trucking. In the Freightera platform, a recent sampling of long-haul full truckload rail rates reveals 45 percent cost savings on average over truck rates with guaranteed availability. In Canada, Freightera rail rates are around 40 percent cheaper than long-haul trucking rates.

For more information, please read the full press release.
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Freightera in Trucks.com Article about Expected Fast Adoption of Digital Freight Brokerage Solutions

March 29, 2019

Silpa Paul, Frost & Sullivan commercial vehicles industry analyst, mentions Freightera among key automated-on-demand solutions in her article in trucks.com earlier this week and states that we are entering the era of fast adaption of brokerage digitization. Silpa Paul’s authority comes from prolific work in the space. She has published more than 30 research studies covering trucking and logistics.

“The trucking industry is in a phase of digital transformation, with connected devices bringing greater visibility and transparency across the supply chain. The installation of telematics devices in trucks has jumped exponentially and will cover nearly half the trucks in operation in North America by 2025.

In an era of smartphones, smart cities and smart mobility, the North American trucking industry is headed toward its “smart” future. This is pushed by the 2017 mandate that heavy-duty trucks be equipped with electronic logging devices that digitally track how long truckers drive each day to make sure they comply with federal rules

A key segment of the trucking industry that has struggled to digitalize is the brokerage process. Digital brokerage solutions – whether digital load boards DAT or Truckstop.com or automated-on-demand solutions like those offered by Convoy, Uber Freight, Loadsmart, Transfix, Next and Freightera – are modernizing the brokerage process. All are using technology to automate and remove redundancies.”

For more information, please read the full article.
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Freightera Wins 2019 Ready to Rocket Placement Among Top Private Technology Companies in British Columbia

Freightera Makes Rocket Builders’ ICT “2019 Ready to Rocket” Prediction List Highlighting Companies with Highest Growth Potential in BC

March 14, 2019

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Freightera, a leading freight shipping marketplace offering instant freight quotes and online shipment bookings in North America, was recognized as a top private company in the ICT category by Rocket Builders. Selected from hundreds of companies evaluated in the “2019 Ready to Rocket” category, Freightera was recognized for its impressive market traction and revenue growth to date, as well as future growth potential.

“Each year when we choose the Ready to Rocket companies, we are looking for those companies that leverage the latest trends and offer a unique, compelling value proposition. Freightera is an excellent example of a company taking key steps toward achieving its commercial potential,” said Geoffrey Hansen, Managing Partner, Rocket Builders.

For more information, please read the full press release.
Freightera-Ready-to-Rocket-winner

Green Freight Guru Grows Low-Emissions Marketplace

February 17, 2019

It’s been great to see the media attention pouring towards Freightera in the recent months, but having Freight Waves article about our green mission coming out on Valentine’s Day was rather auspicious. We loved the article’s angle and depth. Freight Waves journalist Linda Baker wrote a comprehensive article giving justice to Freightera’s unique story.

“Although automating freight systems is usually good for the environment as well as the pocketbook, few digital logistics companies have made a big deal out of the emissions reductions that go along with making transportation systems more efficient. Not Freightera, a Vancouver, British Columbia-based startup that has created what is perhaps the first green freight marketplace featuring rail services and carriers committed to energy efficiency and reducing their carbon footprint.”

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Frost & Sullivan: Freightera Among Key Automated Freight Solutions in North America

Frost & Sullivan places Freightera among 'Key Automated On-Demand Brokerage Solutions in North America' along with Uber Freight and Convoy

January 15, 2019

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ – Frost & Sullivan, the top 25 global market research and analysis firm, just placed Canadian startup Freightera among the leading global freight digitization startups in their new report “Global Digital Freight Brokerage Market Opportunities, Forecast to 2025.”

Frost & Sullivan research showing Freightera among ‘Key Solutions’ for freight automation and high growth potential to 2025.

According to Frost & Sullivan, global logistics spending is expected to grow from $7.9 trillion in 2017 to $16.9 trillion USD in 2025, with transportation accounting for a majority of the spending at about 70 percent, or $11.8 trillion USD. There is a huge opportunity for firms that can successfully automate and disrupt this market.

For more information, please read the full press release.
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Freightera Celebrates First Year with 1.8 Billion Freight Lanes in Canada and US

North American Businesses Just Got Access to Vast New Online Freight Rate Inventory in Canada, US and US-Canada Cross-Border Transportation Markets

July 6, 2015

Freightera, North America’s online freight marketplace offering business shippers instant fixed-cost quotes from carriers of all sizes and one-click booking, celebrated its first year by doubling inventory to 1.8 billion freight lanes.

“With this expansion we now offer multiple competitive quotes between most communities in Canada and US,” says Freightera’s founder and CEO Eric Beckwitt, “Our shippers manage warehouses, distribution centers and manufacturing facilities. They ship to various locations across North America every day, and we give them the ability to ship freight with the ease, speed and convenience of online travel sites. Enter your dimensions and destination and get instant rates with a single click.“

For more information, please read the full article.

Canadian Shipper: Freightera has a Plan to become the Amazon of the Freight Industry

January 7, 2019

Canadian Shipper just published an article about Freightera’s ambitious mission. The story is written by Dan Goodwill, one of the top journalists and leading experts on freight transportation in North America. It describes the state of the industry that is vitally important economically, enormously large and highly fragmented. “Shippers that move freight across North America have always faced the challenge of finding a set of trucking and rail service providers with the precise range of services, geographic coverage and rates that meet their needs. Since no single asset-based transportation provider can meet the needs of all shippers, the trucking industry has long relied on the thousands of third-party brokers, essentially travel agents for the freight transportation industry, who connect shippers and carriers.”

Freightera, very much like online travel sites, removed the brokers from the equation and connected shippers and carriers directly. “Freightera is one of the only companies that has created a fixed cost model with data directly from carriers. It has found a way to enter carriers’ rates from multiple modes in their data management system so shippers can compare rates from carriers of all sizes and transport modes in one place.”

For more information, please read the full article.
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The Future of Sustainable Freight Hauling – Freightera Featured in “Digital Supply Chain”

December 18, 2018

Mediaplanet just published and distributed in USA Today their special edition about innovative technological solutions for transportation and supply chain management. This ‘Digital Supply Chain’ issue aims to help businesses navigate new technologies for improving efficiency of their supply chains, increasing productivity and gaining a competitive edge for their companies. Mediaplanet interviewed Freightera CEO Eric Beckwitt about our green freight mission, what we are working on and what we see coming.

For more information, please read the full article.
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