The Gig Economy Comes to Trucking

Uber Freight is a new service and app that allows owner-operators to bypass traditional freight brokers and locate and contract loads for themselves. Photo: Uber Freight

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I first ran across the idea of a “Gig Economy” a couple of weeks ago and immediately grasped its meaning. There’s no official definition, but in broad terms, it characterizes a labor market in which people seek out short-term freelance work in addition to, or as opposed to, employment in the conventional sense.

This new concept is reflected in last week’s launch by Uber of its long-anticipated Uber Freight service and app, which basically allows owner-operators to bypass traditional freight brokers and locate and contract loads for themselves. It’s an interesting concept from the company that can arguably be called the tech enabler for this new Gig Economy.

This is the positive side of technology in action today, acting as an enabler for people who want to better their lives-– and it’s nothing new. It’s also a sign of the times. According to pretty much any survey you care to look at today, Americans work more hours (and take less time off) than any country except for South Korea. Meanwhile, real wages for blue- and middle-collar workers have flatlined over the past 30 years. To put it in a nutshell, all great Americans work harder than ever for paychecks that simply do not provide them with the earning power needed in today’s economy.

So when Uber suddenly appeared back in 2009 as a way for anyone with a smartphone and a decent automobile to make a few bucks on the side, it took off like wildfire. There was pushback, of course. Conventional taxi companies were less than thrilled at the idea of pretty much anyone horning in on their action. And regulation-loving municipalities all …Read the rest of this story

Source:: http://www.truckinginfo.com/blog/truck-tech/story/2017/05/the-gig-economy-comes-to-trucking.aspx