China Daily Global Edition (USA)
Truck Alliance app aims to roll out a range of services
Truck Alliance, also known as Huochebang and a Ubertype service for trucks, plans to ramp up its offerings to include a range of conveniences for drivers.
Luo Peng, president and co-founder of Truck Alliance, said the app will provide A-to-Z services covering auto loan applications, purchase of trucks, finding commodities to transport and vehicle sales in the future.
Earlier this month, Truck Alliance had said it received $156 million in funding from Baidu Capital, the investment arm of Chinese internet giant Baidu Inc.
The money, Luo said, will be used to expand Truck Alliance’s truck service business, increase value-added services and boost human resources.
“The market for truckers is huge — so huge it’ll be worth more than 1 trillion yuan ($146 billion yuan) in the foreseeable future. Just as Alibaba Group Holding Ltd offers infrastructure for e-commerce, we’ll provide infrastructure for the logistics industry. In the future, truckers simply need to drive as we’ll take care of all other things for them,” Luo said.
Also known as Truck Alliance, Truck Alliance is also backed by Hong Kong-listed Tencent Holdings Ltd.
Using big data technology, the app helps match trucks nationwide with commodity owners in need of transport. It also provides follow-up services such as sales of electronic toll charge cards for highway transportation and auto finance-related services.
At the China International Big Data Industry Expo in Guiyang, Luo said the company had 3.7 million registered vehicles by the end of April. It also boasts 630,000 corporate members, covering 90 percent of the counties.
It expects to cover more than 95 percent of the counties by the end of 2017.
Pony Ma, chairman and CEO of Tencent, said at the expo that Truck Alliance has utilized opportunities in innovation.
Using big data, Truck Alliance is able to help drivers to directly find commodities waiting to be shipped, without worrying about potential empty return trip.
With the digital economy booming, Truck Alliance will see more innovations connecting the real economy with internet-related technologies, he said.
On Thursday, the company inked a deal with China Shenhua Rail and Trucks Co, facilitating road-and-rail transport, which will likely reduce costs and improve efficiency in the logistics sector.
Luo said the deal marked a new possibility to expand abroad in future.
“We’re able to offer needed services for clients in the home market. I believe we’ll be qualified to help the countries and regions participating in the Belt and Road Initiative. By then, our overseas business will naturally expand and grow,” Luo said.