Freight, simplified: Amazon Relay

With Amazon Relay, Amazon has put its own loadboard online. What was your aim in creating this portal?

Our core business consists of Amazon loads planned on the basis of direct contracts with our partners.

Owing to fluctuating customer demand or unpredictable events with planned loads, we have a limited number of unassigned single trips, which will be posted on the Relay Loadboard.

Amazon Relay enables small and medium-sized carriers to utilise unused capacities and to make transports more economical. The software offers a collection of services that provide small and medium-sized enterprises in particular with the tools and technologies to be more competitive and successful in the freight forwarding industry. These companies benefit from Amazon's growth and, at the same time, have the opportunity to expand their own businesses.

All carriers, both large and small, are offered technologies that would otherwise be proprietary or would require a paid subscription in order to make their work more efficient. For the first time, this innovative technology offers carriers the opportunity to use their resources more efficiently if they have free capacity by generating additional income with individual trips and thereby reducing empty trips.

Is Amazon the only contractual partner for carriers who register on Relay?

As all the loads offered on Relay are managed exclusively by Amazon Transportation Services, there are no other contractual partners for the loads made available on the Relay platform.

Amazon uses Relay to offer thousands of loads within Amazon's European logistics network exclusively on the platform. Therefore, there are many different offers with different routes and distances that enable carriers of all sizes to select a suitable load and avoid empty runs. In addition, the freight carrier also has the option of offering his own cargo space on Amazon Relay.

Does the carrier have to meet certain requirements to be able to participate?

In order to be able to register their transport company with Amazon Relay, interested parties need a valid license for the international transport of goods (EU license), a valid carrier insurance (CMR insurance) as well as valid vehicle or fleet insurance. Additionally, a few compliance requirements must be acknowledged including compliance with Amazon's Carrier Code of Conduct and all legal requirements. Finally, carriers must have their own fleet of vehicles that can transport the goods between locations. Amazon Relay offers carriers with fleets of all sizes a great way to make single trips to avoid empty trips. If you are interested, you can find more information at https://relay.amazon.de/.

What type of loads do carriers find on Amazon Relay?

The carriers, who book individual tours for Amazon via the Relay Loadboard, transport customer orders in the form of packages and parcels on the middle mile between the logistics and sorting centres and the distribution centres of Amazon.

All loads that are offered on Relay are full truck loads (FTL) between the warehouses in the Amazon network and contain packages that are either delivered to the customer or required for inventory balancing within the Amazon network.

Are there also refrigerated transports or other goods for which special equipment is desired or required?

Partners who have registered for the transport of goods from Amazon via the Relay App only transport customer orders that were previously stored in logistics centers. All loads offered by Amazon are non-refrigerated goods. A classic semi-trailer with side tarpaulins or a case construction is required for transport. The packages are stacked on Euro pallets and loaded.

How about the network between Amazon and the carrier? Is it very digitalised and what are the advantages for carriers and drivers who use the Amazon Relay Loadboard?

Our goal is to be the most customer-centric company in the world and to provide our partners with an excellent experience. To make Amazon Relay as easily accessible and intuitive as possible, the entire registration process can be carried out digitally and in different languages. After registering, the carrier can immediately benefit from the advantages of Amazon Relay, including fast payments within five to nine days of completing a tour.

Freight carriers also have the option of offering their capacities and the desired price for a tour via Amazon Relay. If there is a suitable offer in the loadboard, it is immediately assigned to the driver.

The relay application also offers a fully automated warehouse location and gatekeeper authorisation. This means that the arriving truck shares its location with the staff on site via GPS in the app, is registered and receives direct instructions on how to drop off or pick up the load at the Amazon location.

To find out more, register for free and start booking loads, click on the link below.

*Amazon Relay

Published On: 28/10/2021 16:00:00

Comments Section

If you are a Logistics UK member login to add comments.