A Chat with Scott Robertson, Co-Founder at Digital Freight Marketplace: HaulageHub

Tell us about HaulageHub.

HaulageHub is a UK-based digital freight marketplace which leverages innovative AI technology to transform how shippers and hauliers connect, optimising efficiency while reducing the sector’s significant carbon footprint.

The haulage industry has long grappled with inefficiencies, most notably the high prevalence of empty runs – trips made by Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) without carrying any cargo. These runs account for over 30% of all HGV miles in the UK, leading to substantial operational costs and more than five million tonnes of avoidable C02 emissions annually.

Our advanced model matches load opportunities with a haulier base of 1500+ firms, reducing these empty runs and ensuring increased profits. The technology ensures that loads are allocated to those with historically empty routes. By continuously analysing data in real time, we are able to match hauliers with available loads within the vicinity, accordingly reducing unnecessary mileage, saving fuel, and reducing costs.

How did you come up with the idea for the company?

HaulageHub was founded by Craig and I in 2021. The idea behind our company emerged from our desire to address the damaging environmental legacy left by the haulage sector, particularly empty running which contributes a considerable number of needless emissions.

We identified a gap in the market for a road haulage company with a primary focus upon improving the environmental impact relating to transport operations, along with a desire to tackle the inefficiencies that have traditionally marred the sector. As such, we founded HaulageHub, endeavouring to show that there is a real business case for sustainable logistics and that sustainability efforts need not come at the cost of profit.

What is your advice to aspiring entrepreneurs?

My advice would be to just get started You shouldn’t be afraid to fail. Founding your own business can be intimidating but every entrepreneur has stood where you are and felt those same anxieties – look at where they are now! There is no rigid timeline for founding a business and you don’t need the approval of others to take that first step – it’s all up to you.

What most excites you about HaulageHub?

The opportunity to have a genuine, positive impact on the environmental legacy of our sector greatly excites me. When I first started working in logistics, it was commonly accepted that the carbon footprint left by the industry was a fixed, impenetrable problem, that came with the nature of the business. HaulageHub shows that this doesn’t have to be case and the 1500 + hauliers that we service have bought into our vision for a more sustainable, efficient industry.

We are devoted to streamlining the logistics process, reducing the sector’s environmental footprint, and fostering economic growth. I’m so excited to see how our commitment to such continues to disrupt the haulage sector for the better.

How has the company evolved over the last couple of years?

We are only growing stronger, with an increasing portfolio of clients including Menzies, WS and Owens Group amongst our ranks. Growing our network of hauliers has always been a priority and we have evolved to include partnerships with the Road Haulage Association (RHA) and FORS, enabling more hauliers to access our platform.

What can we hope to see from HaulageHub in the future?

Our five-year vision is ambitious and impactful. We aim to consolidate our position as the UK’s premier freight marketplace and expand internationally, helping to reduce CO2 emissions on a global scale. We plan to expand our product offering to include solutions in Warehousing, along with integrating electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles into our haulier network. By the end of this period, we envision HaulageHub to be a global leader, driving transformative and sustainable change across the haulage sector.