Uber News: Freight Service Expands Into Canada, A $68 Billion Industry

Uber announced Wednesday that it is expanding its Uber Freight service into Canada, a country whose trucking industry is worth $68 billion. Uber Freight is managed by an app, and connects shippers with carriers, providing real-time pricing and tracking.

"We are thrilled to expand to Canada, our neighbor and critical trade partner, to together unlock the massive opportunity the North American trucking market represents," Lior Ron, the head of Uber Freight said. "With our sophisticated marketplace technology and reliable carrier base, Uber Freight is uniquely positioned to solve industry challenges, such as tight capacity, both in Canada and elsewhere at scale."

Martin Brower, a logistics service provider for restaurant chains, is one of the first shipping companies to use the service in the Canadian market.

The app will be available in both English and French, the two official languages of Canada. The service will allow local carriers and drivers to book not only domestic loads, but also across the U.S.-Canada border. This could allow better integration between the U.S. and Canadian trucking and shipping industry.

The U.S. trucking industry is worth nearly $800 billion.

Earlier this year, Uber Freight expanded to Europe, launching operations in Germany, Poland and the Netherlands. The service also continues to expand in the United States, establishing its headquarters in Chicago.

Uber Freight launched its operations in 2017 in the United States, and has become a quick success. The service had $359 million in bookings in 2018, placing it in the top 30 freight brokerage firms in the U.S. Uber Freight has more than 400,000 drivers in its carrier network and over 1,000 shippers.