Daimler Truck to rely on Uber Freight data to determine US charging corridors

A quick detour – Uber Freight is the ride-hailing app’s digital platform for shippers and carriers. Logistics operators can book, schedule, and complete loads, track status and monitor performance, and manage paperwork. Existing partners include WattEV and CHEP, and Uber’s network currently leverages $18 billion in active Freight Under Management, according to DTNA.

As for Greenlane, Daimler Truck North America set up the $650 million joint venture with NextEra and BlackRock in 2022 to establish a nationwide charging and hydrogen network for medium and heavy-duty vehicles. By 2026, Greenlane wants to offer its charging and hydrogen filling stations on “critical freight routes along the east and west coasts and in Texas” and had mentioned in earlier news that it would set up its own software.

With Uber Freight coming on board, this may have become easier. Greenlane mentions the provider’s “vast network data”, which would augment its own data analysis to “determine corridors that are prime candidates for early deployment of heavy-duty battery electric vehicles, charging infrastructure needs, and the addressability of shipping lanes for electrification”. 

Greenlane also wants to explore using Uber’s technology to develop in-app scheduling, fuel card discounts, and other options and deploy these directly to carriers.

In support, Uber Freight said it was unveiling a white paper that exemplifies the types of data-driven insights Greenlane will consider as it explores where and when to install its charging and hydrogen fuelling stations. Included in the analysis are findings regarding lane and region prioritisation and facility enhancement recommendations for shippers.

In another survey, Uber Freight found that 13% of US shippers are currently utilising electric trucks, while 77% said they were considering them today or in the future. The company also found that shippers are willing to pay an extra $90 per load for green transportation.

Lior Ron, CEO of Uber Freight, said they were “thrilled to work with Greenlane on this initiative, as this collaboration exemplifies our commitment to reducing the impact of logistics on the environment and further establishes Uber Freight as a leading logistics network choice for customers looking to adopt and deploy electric trucks.”

Patrick Macdonald-King, CEO of Greenlane, added, “Our national network of EV charging and hydrogen fueling stations, together with our Uber Freight collaboration, will make the electrification transition easier for shippers.”

daimlertruck.com, uberfreight.com (white paper, download after registration)