Freight Vehicle Matching and Operation

Abstract

A network computer system operates to monitor a location of multiple freight vehicle. For each freight vehicle of a candidate set, a determination is made as to the amount of additive travel that the freight vehicle would likely incur in traveling to a loading location of a new freight load, based at least in part on the monitored location information communicated from the operator device associated with that freight operator. The network computer system implements a matching process to match the freight load with one of the freight vehicles of the candidate set. The network computer system also determines a shipment value for transporting the freight load, based on the additive amount of travel which the freight vehicle is to perform. In some examples, the network computer system directs the matched freight operator to the loading location, using a device of the matched freight operator.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving a freight load request from a computing device of a shipper, the freight load request identifying a freight load and a loading location for the freight load;   determining a first threshold travel range based on the loading location for the freight load;   determining one or more first candidate freight operators for traveling to the loading location that are within the first threshold travel range based on a current location and a current route of the one or more first candidate freight operators; and   implementing a process to match the freight load request to a matching freight operator among the one or more first candidate freight operators, wherein implementing the process includes:
 (a) determining an amount of additive travel for each of the one or more first candidate freight operators to pick up the freight load at the loading location; 
 (b) selecting the matching freight operator for the freight load request based on the amount of additive travel for the matching freight operator being lowest among the one or more first candidate freight operators; and 
 (c) transmitting a notification to the matching freight operator, the notification including information about the freight load request. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein selecting the matching freight operator for the freight load request comprises selecting the matching freight operator for the freight load request based on an amount of additive travel distance for the matching freight operator being lowest among the one or more first candidate freight operators. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein selecting the matching freight operator for the freight load request comprises selecting the matching freight operator for the freight load request based on an amount of additive travel time for the matching freight operator being lowest among the one or more first candidate freight operators. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the freight load request indicates a loading time that is immediate; and   determining an amount of additive travel for each of the one or more first candidate freight operators comprises determining the amount of additive travel for each of the one or more first candidate freight operators based on a current location for each of the one or more first candidate freight operators.   
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the freight load request indicates a loading time that is for a future time interval; and   determining an amount of additive travel for each of the one or more first candidate freight operators comprises determining the amount of additive travel for each of the one or more first candidate freight operators based on a likely future location for each of the one or more first candidate freight operators.   
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the one or more first candidate freight operators for traveling to the loading location is further based on profile information of each of the one or more first candidate freight operators. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the one or more first candidate freight operators for traveling to the loading location is further based on a fuel efficiency of a freight vehicle of each of the one or more first candidate freight operators. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the one or more first candidate freight operators for traveling to the loading location comprises excluding at least a second freight operator from the one or more first candidate freight operators based on a number of continuous hours which the second freight operator has operated a freight vehicle. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising obtaining logging data from an electronic logging device provided with a freight vehicle of the matching freight operator. 
     
     
         10 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores instructions for execution by one or more processors of a computer system to cause the computer system to perform operations that include:
 receiving a freight load request from a computing device of a shipper, the freight load request identifying a freight load and a loading location for the freight load;   determining a first threshold travel range based on the loading location for the freight load;   determining one or more first candidate freight operators for traveling to the loading location that are within the first threshold travel range based on a current location and a current route of the one or more first candidate freight operators; and   implementing a process to match the freight load request to a matching freight operator among the one or more first candidate freight operators, wherein implementing the process includes:
 (a) determining an amount of additive travel for each of the one or more first candidate freight operators to pick up the freight load at the loading location; 
 (b) selecting the matching freight operator for the freight load request based on the amount of additive travel for the matching freight operator being lowest among the one or more first candidate freight operators; and 
 (c) transmitting a notification to the matching freight operator, the notification including information about the freight load request. 
   
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein selecting the matching freight operator for the freight load request comprises selecting the matching freight operator for the freight load request based on an amount of additive travel distance for the matching freight operator being lowest among the one or more first candidate freight operators. 
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein selecting the matching freight operator for the freight load request comprises selecting the matching freight operator for the freight load request based on an amount of additive travel time for the matching freight operator being lowest among the one or more first candidate freight operators. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the freight load request indicates a loading time that is immediate; and   determining an amount of additive travel for each of the one or more first candidate freight operators comprises determining the amount of additive travel for each of the one or more first candidate freight operators based on a current location for each of the one or more first candidate freight operators.   
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the freight load request indicates a loading time that is for a future time interval; and   determining an amount of additive travel for each of the one or more first candidate freight operators comprises determining the amount of additive travel for each of the one or more first candidate freight operators based on a likely future location for each of the one or more first candidate freight operators.   
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein determining the one or more first candidate freight operators for traveling to the loading location is further based on profile information of each of the one or more first candidate freight operators. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein determining the one or more first candidate freight operators for traveling to the loading location is further based on a fuel efficiency of a freight vehicle of each of the one or more first candidate freight operators. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein determining the one or more first candidate freight operators for traveling to the loading location comprises excluding at least a second freight operator from the one or more first candidate freight operators based on a number of continuous hours which the second freight operator has operated a freight vehicle. 
     
     
         18 . A computer system comprising:
 one or more processors; and   a set of memory resources to store a set of instructions, where the one or more processors execute the set of instructions causing the computer system to perform operations that include:   receiving a freight load request from a computing device of a shipper, the freight load request identifying a freight load and a loading location for the freight load;   determining a first threshold travel range based on the loading location for the freight load;   determining one or more first candidate freight operators for traveling to the loading location that are within the first threshold travel range based on a current location and a current route of the one or more first candidate freight operators; and   implementing a process to match the freight load request to a matching freight operator among the one or more first candidate freight operators, wherein implementing the process includes:
 (a) determining an amount of additive travel for each of the one or more first candidate freight operators to pick up the freight load at the loading location; 
 (b) selecting the matching freight operator for the freight load request based on the amount of additive travel for the matching freight operator being lowest among the one or more first candidate freight operators; and 
 (c) transmitting a notification to the matching freight operator, the notification including information about the freight load request. 
   
     
     
         19 . The computer system of  claim 18 , wherein selecting the matching freight operator for the freight load request comprises selecting the matching freight operator for the freight load request based on an amount of additive travel distance for the matching freight operator being lowest among the one or more first candidate freight operators. 
     
     
         20 . The computer system of  claim 18 , wherein selecting the matching freight operator for the freight load request comprises selecting the matching freight operator for the freight load request based on an amount of additive travel time for the matching freight operator being lowest among the one or more first candidate freight operators.