SEATTLE, Sept. 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Ghostruck, the on-demand platform that connects consumers with professionally licensed and insured movers for jobs both big and small, today announced service in 13 major markets across the country: Seattle; Portland, Ore.; Sacramento, Calif.; San Francisco, Oakland, Calif.; Los Angeles; San Diego; Denver; Austin, Texas; Miami; Washington, D.C./Arlington; and Boston.
Ghostruck's platform matches people and businesses that have items to move with professional movers who have empty or partially filled trucks. Users simply download the app or go to the website, snap photos of what they need moved, answer a few questions -- like where the items are going and when -- and are instantly delivered a fixed rate for the move based on Ghostruck's proprietary algorithm. Consumers no longer need to deal with the headache of renting a truck, taking measurements or haggling over price. Ghostruck also makes it easy for consumers to donate or dispose of the stuff they no longer want with a "Make it Disappear" option.
"Everyone understands the pain of moving, or moving something that cannot easily fit in a car or a pick-up truck – whether that's packing up your whole apartment, waiting forever to have new furniture delivered, or trying to find a friend to help pick up a couch you bought on Craigslist," said Nathanael Nienaber, Ghostruck co-founder and CEO. "Ghostruck takes the hassle out of moving your stuff, making the process as easy as snapping a few photos from your smartphone."
Ghostruck's model makes use of the empty moving trucks on the road at any given time. In fact, "ghost truck" is an industry term for an empty truck heading to home base after it has delivered its goods and completed a job. One-quarter of moving trucks on the road today are completely empty and almost half (48 percent) have extra room. By filling this empty space in existing professional moving trucks, Ghostruck enhances the industry at large, maximizing efficiency and keeping prices down.
"While we have a constant stream of steady jobs, there are still times when our trucks have room for more stuff, or are sitting empty between large moves, and this is the solution that fills those gaps," said Jacob Raich, owner of Super Friends Moving, a Seattle-based partner. "With Ghostruck, everybody wins. Customers easily get their stuff moved with the peace of mind that comes from knowing they're using professional movers and companies like ours pick up extra jobs and increase our revenue."
After consumers download the app, Ghostruck is scary simple to use:
- Upload photos and brief descriptions of the items you need to move.
- Add a pickup and delivery address – or select "Make It Disappear" to have Ghostruck donate or dispose of it for you.
- Choose a pickup window that suits your schedule.
- Receive a fixed price, then go ahead and book if you like what you see.
- Sit back, relax and let Ghostruck handle the rest.
Ghostruck's rollout to cities across the country follows a 10-month pilot in Seattle. Prior to founding Ghostruck, Nienaber spent nearly a decade at Georgia-Pacific, one of the leading manufacturers and largest shippers in the US, while co-founder Matt Hocking was the lead designer on a location-based dating app. Nienaber saw the problem of empty trucks on the road and, much like a dating service, Hocking identified an opportunity to foster connections between people, businesses and movers. Ghostruck was born from the combination of these two opportunities. The company received $2.2 million in seed funding in the third quarter of 2014.
Learn more about Ghostruck, or book your next move, at Ghostruck.com.
About Ghostruck
Seattle-based Ghostruck is leveraging big data and proprietary technology to change the face of the moving industry. One quarter of the moving trucks on the road today are completely empty, and nearly half (48%) have available space – the Ghostruck platform connects consumers with professionally licensed and insured movers item by item to maximize that space. Customers simply upload photos of the item(s) they want moved to the website or mobile app, add pickup and delivery instructions, select a pickup window that suits their schedule and Ghostruck generates a fixed price for their move. Currently available in 13 major cities across the US, Ghostruck enhances the industry by partnering exclusively with professional moving companies to deliver hassle-free, flexible moving experiences on-demand. For additional information, visit Ghostruck.com.
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150901/262654LOGO
SOURCE Ghostruck
Related Links
WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM?
Newsrooms &
Influencers
Digital Media
Outlets
Journalists
Opted In
Share this article