System and method for matching shippers and carriers

• US 20060109964A1
• Filed: 10/27/2005
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: John L. Skelton
• Original Assignee: John L. Skelton
• Inventors: Skelton, John L.
• Application Number:
  US11/260,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20060109964A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/114.20
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

A method and system for electronically matching shipper user requests for motor vehicle transport companies (carriers) who meet the criteria needed for transporting such motor vehicles via a web-based application utilizing web structures (visitor and referral tracking, membership and account management, billing and invoicing, electronic commerce, and back-office management tools) and a unique post-bid mechanism that functions similar to a reverse electronic auction. Shippers create an account and enter load details into the system for carriers to bid on. Each load can be set with an expiration date and deadline for bid submission. Carriers create an account and pre-determined profile describing their services, at which point the system will match carriers with the shipper'"'"'s load details (based on their profile) and notify each carrier that it can place a bid to transport that load of motor vehicle(s). Any qualified carrier can then place one bid on each load of automobiles it is qualified to carry. The shipper of the automobiles will, either at the expiration date and time or upon terminating the bidding early, select the most qualified bid from the list of resulting bids and enter into an agreement with the carrier submitting the bid. Should that carrier accept the agreement, the load of automobiles is then awarded to that carrier for transport.

Claims

1. A system for matching shippers and carriers, comprising:

means for receiving and storing shipment data in a database regarding shipments to be delivered; and

means for receiving bids from carriers on shipments to be delivered and means for shippers to select bids from carriers and contract for delivery of the shipments.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for receiving and storing information from carriers regarding status of shipments to be delivered by the carriers.

3. A method for matching shippers and carriers, comprising:

providing shippers electronic access to a database;

receiving and storing shipment data in the database regarding shipments to be delivered;

providing carriers access to the database and receiving and storing carrier data in the database; and

providing means for carriers to bid on shipments to be delivered and means for shippers to select bids from carriers and contract for delivery of the shipments.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising receiving and storing information from carriers regarding status of shipments to be delivered.