Trucking app seeks to ‘revolutionize the trucking industry’

In the modern age, the phrase “there’s an app for that” has become commonplace. The trucking industry is no exception.

Truckbook is a virtual trucking platform that provides owner-operators with a number of features designed to make their lives – and jobs – a little easier. On May 10, the Rocklin, Calif.-based company announced they had raised $3 million in seed funding.

According to the press release, Truckbook will use the funding to further “its mission to revolutionize the trucking industry through a combination of AI and automation solutions that enable owner-operators across the U.S. to maximize their business potential while reducing the overhead that creates a barrier to entry for prospective owner-operators.”

Started in 2018 as a community-powered navigation app for truckers – which displayed the fastest available routes to destinations while avoiding delays and obstacles like low-bridges, tight turns, and bad weather – the company has grown to meet the needs of owner-operators.

In 2021, Truckbook launched its virtual carrier platform. The AI-driven platform provides users with smart load booking. According to a company statement, this “enables owner-operators to maximize their revenue by finding high-value routes to eliminate empty miles, all while giving the owner-operators control and flexibility over their own schedules.”

Truckbook also offers drivers 24-hour payment for completed jobs, discounts on fuel and insurance, and options for truck financing.

Taking the next step

The $3 million investment comes from Sacramento, Calif.-based venture capital firm Moneta Ventures. Sabya Das, a partner in Moneta Ventures, will be joining Truckbook’s board of directors as part of the company’s investment. He says he is excited to be part of this next stage of development.

“Truckbook’s Maps app is one of the most widely used app for truckers, and their innovative new platform for owner-operators can transform livelihoods for millions of existing and aspiring owner-operators in America today,” Das said in a statement. “The Moneta team is thrilled to work with truly exceptional cofounders like Pardeep and Mac, along with the rest of the Truckbook team, to bring the full functionality of Truckbook’s owner-operator platform to the growing trucking community nationwide.”

According to a statement from Truckbook, their iOS and Android apps are the number one app made by truckers for truckers. Pardeep Singh Bajwa, Truckbook’s founder and CEO, says that securing the funding it a big step for his company.

“We set out to create a solution that impacts the lives of millions of truckers. By leveraging top notch engineering and data science teams, we allow operators to choose their own schedule and maximize their profit,” Singh Bajwa said in a statement. “Getting support from partners like Moneta is a huge step forward for us. This investment will help us solidify the trust we have built with the trucking community to become the virtual carrier of choice for owner-operators along the West Coast.”

Other resources for owner-operators

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association offers its members a number of tools, like an online fuel surcharge calculator, to keep costs in check and maximize profits.

Additionally, the Association’s Truck to Success can help lay the foundation for a successful business model.

Participants in the three-day course receive step-by-step guidance from leading industry experts on topics such as insurance, permits, licensing, equipment financing and compliance issues. This year’s course will be held Oct. 25-27 in Blue Springs, Mo. Both virtual and in-person options are available. The deadline to register for Truck to Success is Oct. 10. LL