One interesting thing that Uber/Lyft/similar did in terms of markets was make it much simpler for people to track and view the reputation of a particular driver - which shapes behavior.

I wonder if something like Convoy would do similar -> rapidly highlight the unreliable truck drivers. Allow a good truck driver to carry their reputation from manufacturer to manufacturer, etc.

There's another side to that, too: Highlighting shippers that are unreliable or hostile to drivers. E.g. shippers or facilities that have disorganized staff, incur egregious waits, etc.

Is there something that incentivizes the facilities to stay unorganized? If no, then maybe there is a way to help them get better (and make money on that helping)?

As someone who worked in a will-not-be-named supply chain, the incentives are a combination of the silo-ing that occurs in any sufficiently large corporate structure, and the simple fact that if a corporation can not spend money, they will not spend money.

Case in point: In our (relatively small) facility we had two different switcher trucks (the really tiny semi trucks with hydraulics in the backs so they could jack up trailers without assistance, and without the driver leaving the vehicle). Over the course of one Christmas, both broke down because the company was always cheap about maintaining the things, which is especially bad because in our climate not maintaining trucks is a terrible, terrible idea. For about a week near end of December, route drivers were having to dock their own trailers on the building and according to them, were not being paid for that time, so they either had to hand the keys to their $90k-ish trucks over to complete strangers to let them do it, or do it themselves without pay after having driven usually 3-4 hours before.

Most of the disorganization in places like this is simple shit, but the corporates constantly decline to spend literally ANY money on maintaining literally ANYTHING, plus as a corporate entity we're incentivized to be as quiet as possible, i.e. not submitting things up the chain that need doing or buying, and even better to cut costs continuously, usually by sidestepping maintenance or janitorial work.

Mind you: this business was not even remotely in trouble, it's one of the largest shipping companies on the fucking PLANET, it's just in a corporation's DNA to be stupid and cheap.

Yes there is. It costs money to train and retain good workers. Cut costs, increase revenue, decrease service. As long as it's not too terrible you still have a business.

There are a lot of people running businesses poorly (from and efficency standpoint) and still making a buck.

I feel that for most companies playing in this space, freight brokering is just a transitional step. It can't work long-term, just like Uber can't be viable without self-driving cars.

However, it's the best way to understand how the industry operates - if you're serious about disrupting it.

This really is the other side of the automated trucking coin. This way they can build enough of a network to start brokering freight for autonomous trucking companies and hiring short distance truck drivers, much like pilot/captains in shippng.

Exactly. The ultimate goal isn't incremental improvement of the current way for doing things, it's fundamental change.

What's the cause of "unreliable truckers"? Is it that their ability to be on time is unreliable because of uncertainty in the travel time and traffic, or that the humans themselves do their job unreliably?

Both of those cause truckers to be unreliable. You can also include accidents, and delays at other facilities.

I was left asking, what is the real difference between Convoy and any other freight broker? The collect more data? I thought IBM was already in that business.

How's IBM in that business?

IBM has a few initiatives in transportation + blockchain (Maersk, also trucking in Brazil).

Anything else?

I have a vague recollection of IBM working with trucking companies to collect routing and shipper's source and destination information to optimize routing.

Possibly part of their "smart shipping containers" thing that has apparently evolved into the blockchain Maersk deal.

https://www.forbes.com/2006/08/06/smart-shipping-containers-...

Why is it advantageous to a warehouse to have the trucker sit idly by for long periods of time?

I guess, it gives you extra free storage and workflow contingency. You tell the trucker you need them early. If they turn up early and you happen to have the stuff ready early great - you have some warehouse space freed up. If you're late however - no biggy - the transport is available to take it, immediately, effectively in demand when it is effectively ready. Maximum flexibility, zero additional cost.

it's not? it may be a case of incompetence instead of malice.