Partner News: Proxibid, uShip Deal Addresses Online Buyers' Transport Pain

Shipping large, oversized items has traditionally been a major pain point for buyers, especially within online auction marketplaces, such as Proxibid, where unique, valuable and oversized items need to get transported with care. 

To help address this issue and bring greater efficiency Proxibid’s auction process, uShip is pleased to announce Proxibid and uShip have joined forces to provide Proxibid’s online bidding community with direct access to uShip’s network of transporters. 

‘Shipping Wars’ Season 2 Hits This Summer

 A&E has ordered new 26-episode seasons for three of its popular real-life series:  Shipping Wars, Storage Wars and Storage Wars: Texas.   All three will launch this summer.   uShip serves as the backdrop of Shipping Wars which premiered in January to 3 million total viewers. 

Shipping Wars trucker (and Baja road race enthusiast) Marc Springer loads a vehicle for transport to Mexico.

If you haven’t seen Shipping Wars, it follows six independent truckers who competitively bid to transport oversized, bulky loads found on uShip.com. From rookie haulers to seasoned veterans, no shipment is too big or bizarre for these carriers, who compete in a high-stakes, deadline-driven race where any setback can cost big bucks.

“America is at a crossroads where people are finding new ways to make money and earn a living,” A&E’s EVP programming Davod McKillop told Deadline.com. “We’re holding a mirror up to this trend in our programming and it’s proven to be incredibly relatable to our viewers yet remain highly entertaining.”

Check out the transporter leaderboard at http://uship.com/shippingwars or catch video from Season 1 episodes, the “uShip Utorial” or watch the uShip Webisode, checkout A&E’s Shipping Wars site.  Below is Shipping Wars pilot episode that aired Jan. 10:

Matt Chasen Discusses uShip's Growth, JOBS Act Importance (Video)

While in Washington, D.C., last week attending the JOBS Act Bill Signing Ceremony at the White House (see photo below), uShip CEO Matt Chasen stopped by Journal of Commerce for a quick hello.  Senior Editor Bill Cassidy interviewed Matt on a number of topics, including uShip's growth, global footprint and the importance of the JOBS Act for entrepreneurs. 

Matt Chasen Attending JOBS Act Bill Signing at White House on Thursday

uShip CEO and Co-Founder Matt Chasen is in Washington, D.C. this week  after being invited to attend the White House as President Barack Obama signs the JOBS Act into law on Thursday (April 5). 

Chasen joins a select list of invitees at the Bill Signing Ceremony in the Rose Garden, including partners from top venture capital firms and CEOs from several other Internet companies.

If you aren't familiar with the JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Startups) Act, it is rare bipartisan legislation that will designate a new “emerging growth” category of company that could conduct IPOs without certain financial disclosures and governance requirements for up to five years and less than $1 billion in annual revenue.

Living the Transport ‘Dream’ on Apple Gadgets and uShip's Mobile App

Jumping into the cab of Scott and Susie Bawcom's Ford F450 truck, you’d think you just walked into an Apple Store.

The Bawcoms are die-hard Apple fans who use the tech products to run Dream Time Transportation (uShip profile), their shipping business of Nashville, Tenn. 

Their gadget lineup would make Steve Jobs proud:  2 iPhones, an iPad2, a MacBook Pro and Apple’s iCloud service.  They also have Comcast Xfiniti 4G Wi-Fi and a Rand McNally Intelliroute TND 710 Truck GPS.

And with 100 percent of their business coming from uShip.com, the Bawcom’s iPhones and iPad are loaded with uShip’s free mobile app so they have complete control of their account while managing customers’ shipments of boats, aircraft, RVs, cars, motorcycles, snow mobiles, and ATVs. 

Scott and Susie Bawcom have several Apples a day.

What They're Sayin' About 'Shipping Wars'

A&E's new real-life series 'Shipping Wars' (which features uShip.com) has been receiving some nice reviews and visibility -- but what's not to like about a giant gnome and American's independent truckers?  Tune in Tuesdays at 9/8C to catch all the action, only on A&E.  Here's a run-down of the buzz...

uShip Featured in A&E’s New Reality Series ‘Shipping Wars’ Premiering Jan. 10

A&E just announced that its latest original real-life series -- "Shipping Wars" -- premieres January 10.  We’re excited to write that uShip plays a significant role as the show follows independent truckers on uShip who competitively bid against each other to transport oversized, bulky and truly bizarre loads found on our site.

The 10-episode half-hour series begins with back-to-back episodes Tuesday, January 10 at 9PM and 9:30PM ET/PT.

The competition begins on uShip, the world’s largest online shipping marketplace, where these truckers haul anything if the price is right. The high-stakes race is on as they set out to deliver the loads in time, and any setback can cost big bucks.

From rookie haulers to seasoned veterans, no shipment is too big for these professionals to handle. Check out A&E’s brief descriptions of the featured truckers, or visit their profiles on uShip:

• Scott & Suzie Bawcom (uShip handle: dreamtimetransportation)
• Jennifer Brennan (uShip handle:  texascowgirl)
• Roy Garber (uShip handle:  arbiesteam)
• Jarrett Joyce (uShip handle:  jjncsu2000)
• Marc Springer (uShip handle:  snortnboartransport)

Be looking for more information on the Ship Happens blog about the show, the truckers, and more leading up to the premiere.

“Shipping Wars” is produced by Megalomedia for A&E Network.  Executive producer is Jonathan Nowzaradan.  Co-executive producers are Tom Mireles, Jeff Keels and Graham Davidson.  A&E executive producers are David McKillop, Elaine Frontain Bryant and Neil A. Cohen.

 

DOT Final Hand-Held Ruling: Hands Free or Hand It Over

Drivers who violate the restriction will face federal civil penalties of up to $2,750 for each offense and disqualification from operating a commercial motor vehicle for multiple offenses.

The cell phone final rule is here.  To learn more about the U.S. Department of Transportation's efforts to stop distracted driving, visit http://www.distraction.gov.

Read the full story on TheTrucker.

Infographic: How Far Away are People Looking to Move?

Many customers that arrive at uShip are looking for a safe, reliable and affordable way to move their belongings to a new home. 

Which brings up a solid question: Why do people move?

Data from the 2010 US Census shows that more than 4 in 10 people move for reasons related to housing-- like the intent to move to a larger and better home. Another 3 in 10 move for family reasons, which includes marriages and breakups. The remaining 3 in that group of 10 move for work and the catch-all 'other reasons.'

How far are people looking to move?

This infographic from Trulia.com shows how far people are willing to move, based on data pulled from thousands of home searches on the site. What we find out is that only a minority of Americans (4 in 10) on the move are relocating locally.

For any of these categories, families have to consider how and at what cost they can move their belongings. And clearly, with Americans moving at greater distances than ever (almost 1 in 4 moving 500 miles or more), that's an expensive and potentially complicated proposition.

Thankfully, online tools like Trulia and uShip can make long-distance moves a bit easier for everyone.

Load Board + LinkedIn + eBay = uShip Pro [Invite-Only Beta Now Open]

uShip has grown into the largest transportation exchange in the world with over 1 million shipping customers, 10,000+ brokers and 200,000+ carriers moving billions of dollars worth of freight since we started in 2004.

With a high volume of loads passing through our site, uShip is now offering frequent shippers and  brokers a next-generation load board that helps them build, automate and optimize their transportation network.  It’s called uShip Pro and is available now as an invite-only, limited Beta at http://www.uship.com/pro/. 

uShip Pro:  Load Board + LinkedIn + eBay

Through uShip Pro, you can build your approved carrier network by easily inviting your current carriers and finding great new ones on uShip.

It works similar to social networking sites such as LinkedIn where you build your trusted network of business contacts and then share information only with that inner circle (i.e. The Circle of Trust).  uShip Pro works the same way in that only carriers in your approved network can book your posted loads.

uShip Pro also works a lot like eBay, where customers make purchases online instantly or through the auction process.  As eBay has done for sellers, uShip Pro gets high frequency shippers and brokers the best possible rates when carriers either instantly accept the offer price or place competing bids online.

If you want to attract new carriers and expand your network, you can also show your loads publicly or post to uShip’s entire network of pre-qualified carriers with no service charge.

uShip Pro Benefits

• Reduce phone calls with carriers
• Lower costs through online negotiation with carriers
• Get the best possible rates when carriers accept your price or place competing bids online
• Dispatchers and agents manage their loads independently through Pro account sub-accounts
• Track carrier performance, status and monitor compliance
• Online real-time pricing and load dynamics analysis
• Free apps for Android and iPhone
• Full integration with your existing TMS
• Tender loads to your carriers online and track status from dispatch through payment
• Posted loads accepted by carriers are automatically tendered, or tender directly to carriers without posting

Request an Invitation

Online at http://www.uship.com/pro/, uShip Pro is available as an invite-only limited Beta.  Click on the Request Invitation button and we’ll be in touch.

See you at Intermodal Expo/TransComp

Offline, the uShip team is telling people about it this week at Intermodal Expo/TransComp, the largest transportation trade show in the country, put on jointly by the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA), National Industrial Transportation League and the Intermodal Association of North America.   The show runs through Tuesday in Atlanta.  If you’re attending the show, swing by and say hello and meet the team.