Cannon Express, Inc., Springdale, AR, has announced the formation of Carriersco-op.com, an Internet transportation site to serve small to mid-size carriers and compete with mega-sites sponsored by industry giants.

According to the Cannon announcement, Carriersco-op.com will offer an online market for loads and a cooperative buying service aimed at lowering costs and preserving the independence of participating carriers. Cannon president Dean Cannon said Carriersco-op.com will counterbalance recently announced carrier Internet sites run by industry giants, which he said could eventually compromise the independence of smaller carriers.
"In the long term," he said "I belive it will become all but impossible for the other trucking companies to maintain their customer relationships or compete with the giants because of the additional revenue the big ones gain from the smaller carriers. This will allow the conglomerates to lower their own expenses to the point that smaller companies will not be able to compete in the marketplace.''
According to information on the site, Carriersco-op.com will begin operations on April 1. Members will pay an annual membership fee of $1,000.