Heavy Duty Trucking Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Unilever Strikes Deal with Convoy to Move Freight

Uber-for-trucking startup Convoy has struck a multi-year deal with consumer goods giant Unilever to move the company's goods through its online freight-matching service.

by Staff
November 2, 2016
Unilever Strikes Deal with Convoy to Move Freight

Unilever and Convoy sign the transportation partnership agreement. Seated, from left: Kees Kruythoff, President of Unilever North America, Dan Lewis, CEO of Convoy; Standing, from left: Seref Alptekin, Camille Chammas, Reginaldo Ecclissato, Senator Bill Bradley, Wendy Herrick, Grant Ries, Jonathan Atwood, Tinsley Corbett, Matthew Algar, Ramesh Daga Photo: Business Wire

2 min to read


Unilever and Convoy sign the transportation partnership agreement. Seated, from left: Kees Kruythoff, President of Unilever North America, Dan Lewis, CEO of Convoy; Standing, from left: Seref Alptekin, Camille Chammas, Reginaldo Ecclissato, Senator Bill Bradley, Wendy Herrick, Grant Ries, Jonathan Atwood, Tinsley Corbett, Matthew Algar, Ramesh Daga Photo: Business Wire

Unilever North America has agreed to a multi-year deal with the freight-matching “Uber for trucking” startup Convoy to help facilitate the company’s shipments through its online service.

Through its online system, Convoy will match trucks with available capacity in local markets with Unilever’s freight moving needs. The system is designed to connect carriers and shippers in a fast and efficient way to improve on-time rates, reduce empty miles, lower operating costs, and provide transparency through GPS tracking.

Ad Loading...

Unilever is a consumer goods company representing more than 400 brands, including Dove, Lipton, Hellmanns, and Breyers.

“Unilever is one of the largest companies in the world, yet they’re incredibly agile and forward-thinking— especially in their approach to supply chain innovation,” said Dan Lewis, Convoy co-founder and CEO. “Their vision to reduce manual processes and make trucking more efficient aligns directly with ours.”

Convoy works through a network of trusted carriers that are pre-screened and certified before joining. The system will automatically offer shipments to the best available carriers for location, timing, and price.

Ad Loading...

Fleets and owner-operators use the Convoy app to find new jobs and the payout amount and, after completion, Convoy will process the payment within 24 hours.

Convoy launched in 2015 after receiving funding through an investment group that included Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, eBay founder Pierre Omidyar, and other high-profile investors. Since launch, the company has raised $18.5 million in venture capital funding.

“We are very impressed with Convoy’s approach to technology-enabled trucking services. Equally as important, we share a focus on driver health and well-being,” said Reginaldo Ecclissato, senior vice president, Unilever Supply Chain Americas. “Convoy has put the driver experience at the forefront of their proposition and delivered a progressive app to address many of the long-standing issues facing the driver community.”

In the growing world of “Uber for trucking” online freight matching services, the actual Uber has also recently joined the mix with Uber Freight. While the service has not yet launched and details are scant, the company has indicated that it will connect drivers with loads as a freight brokerage service.

A website for Uber Freight is currently live with an option for carriers and shippers to make contact with the service. The company is reportedly already working with a few carriers and shippers in a soft launch until it officially launches in 2017.

More Fleet Management

Illustration of a chalkboard with a hand drawing an arrow curving away from a partially erased straight arrow with the words "Embracing Change," the Heavy Duty Trucking Logo and the "cover feature" graphic.
Fleet Managementby Deborah LockridgeAugust 1, 2026

How Innovative Trucking Leaders Turn Change Into an Advantage

As the pace of change accelerates in trucking, the fleets that adapt best have more than the latest technology. They have cultures that embrace improvement.

Read More →
Illustration of past due invoices with red X on top with background of a truck at a loading dock
Fleet ManagementJuly 27, 2026

Freight Broker Bonds Just Got Harder to Get. Here's What That Means for Your Fleet.

When it gets harder for a freight broker to prove they are financially sound, the ones who cannot clear that bar get pushed out of the market. And those are exactly the brokers who used to leave motor carriers holding the bag.

Read More →
Photo of cable bridge crossing Detroit River
Fleet Managementby Deborah LockridgeJuly 23, 2026

Long-Awaited Canadian Border Bridge to Open in Detroit

For trucking, the bridge opening should offer immediate improvements in efficiency and reliability, with new customs facilities, expanded inspection capacity, and direct freeway-to-freeway connections.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Blue International heavy-duty truck with Aurora driverless truck software coming head-on on an interstate highway
Equipmentby Deborah LockridgeJuly 22, 2026

Aurora Rolls Out Next Generation of Driverless Trucks for Commercial Freight

Aurora's latest autonomous trucks it's rolling out with International feature lower-cost hardware designed for a million miles as the company expands commercial driverless freight operations across the U.S. Sun Belt.

Read More →
American Trucking Associations for-hire tonnage graph
Fleet Managementby Deborah LockridgeJuly 21, 2026

Freight Tonnage Down, Rates up, as Lower Capacity Powers Trucking Recovery

The recovery from the freight recession continues to be driven by reduction in capacity rather than by increased demand.

Read More →
Cyberstop column header depicting images of ChatGPT prompt on a smartphone and shadowy hooded figure
Fleet Managementby Ben WilkensJuly 17, 2026

Think Your Trucking Fleet Isn't Using Much AI? Think Again

Shadow AI — the use of unauthorized artificial intelligence tools at work — is becoming increasingly common, putting sensitive company data at risk. Learn how trucking fleets can protect sensitive data while embracing AI.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Photo of semi trucks with Panther, ArcBest, and ABF trailers backed up to docks, with ArcBest logo superimposed on top
Fleet Managementby Deborah LockridgeJuly 17, 2026

ArcBest Consolidates Brands, Cuts Workforce

The company will bring three business units under the ArcBest brand, eliminate about 2% of positions, and expects the changes to generate $40 million in annual savings.

Read More →
Cover of ATRI operational costs study with graph clip art and photo of trucks on highway in the background
Fleet Managementby Deborah LockridgeJuly 15, 2026

Trucking Fleets Faced Record Operating Costs During Third Year of Freight Recession

ATRI's annual operational cost report shows carriers trimmed fleets, delayed equipment purchases, and ran older trucks as expenses continued to outpace freight rates.

Read More →
Micheline AI Assistant.

Michelin Adds AI Assistant to MyConnectedFleet Platform

Michelin’s new generative AI tool delivers instant fleet insights, helping managers analyze fuel use, tire maintenance, vehicle status, and operational performance without manually creating reports.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
LytxOne Platform.

LytxOne Platform Now Features AI, Compliance, and Asset Tracking Tools

New enhancements add AI-powered insights, asset tracking, compliance automation, and configurable privacy controls to Lytx's all-in-one fleet management platform.

Read More →