Building a Reliable Load Network for Vehicle Transport
Reimagining Cricket Training
for the Modern Player
Car transport in the U.S. still relies heavily on phone calls, emails, and third-party load boards. Mercury Auto set out to build a centralized platform where carriers can access loads, place bids, and manage transport operations in one place.
Operations Visibility
↑ 52%
Auto transport is a service that moves vehicles from one location to another. Instead of individuals driving cars across long distances, specialized truck companies transport multiple vehicles at once using large carrier trucks.
The process usually happens in 3 key steps:
A customer contacts Mercury Auto and shares the vehicle transport requirement. This usually happens through a phone call where the customer provides details such as pickup location, delivery destination, vehicle type, and timeline.
A customer contacts Mercury Auto and shares the vehicle transport requirement. This usually happens through a phone call where the customer provides details such as pickup location, delivery destination, vehicle type, and timeline.
Mercury Auto checks with their connected carrier network to find available trucks that are traveling on the required route. They evaluate availability, pricing, and timing to identify the right carrier for the job.
Mercury Auto checks with their connected carrier network to find available trucks that are traveling on the required route. They evaluate availability, pricing, and timing to identify the right carrier for the job.
Vehicle Pickup and Transport
Vehicle Pickup and Transport
Once the order is confirmed, the assigned carrier travels to the customer’s pickup location, loads the vehicle onto their transport truck, and begins the journey to the delivery destination.
Once the order is confirmed, the assigned carrier travels to the customer’s pickup location, loads the vehicle onto their transport truck, and begins the journey to the delivery destination.
Managing vehicle transport required constant coordination between customers, brokers, and carrier companies. Without a centralized system, Mercury Auto relied on calls, emails, spreadsheets, and external load boards, making operations fragmented and harder to manage as demand grew.
Fragmented Load Management
Heavy Dependence on Phone Calls
Limited Visibility Into Carrier Network
Scattered Compliance and Documents
No Structured Load Lifecycle
How We Structured the Platform
Before designing the interface, we needed to understand how vehicle transport operations actually work. We mapped the key entities involved in the process such as loads, carriers, bids, trucks, and documents to understand how data flows across the platform.
1. Loads
Data handled for each transport request.
4. Fleet / Trucks
Carrier vehicle information.
6. Documents
Carrier vehicle information.
2. Bids
Data related to carrier pricing and offers.
3. Carriers
Information about trucking companies.
7. Load Assignment
Data related to accepted transport jobs.
1. Loads
Data handled for each transport request.
2. Bids
Data related to carrier pricing and offers.
4. Fleet / Trucks
Carrier vehicle information.
3. Carriers
Information about trucking companies.
6. Documents
Carrier vehicle information.
7. Load Assignment
Data related to accepted transport jobs.
Mercury Auto Operational Flow
We mapped the internal workflow used by Mercury Auto to manage transport requests. From customer inquiry to load assignment and delivery tracking, this flow defines how the operations team posts loads, evaluates bids, and manages transport execution.
Carrier Journey on the Platform
Carriers interact with the system by discovering available loads, submitting bids, and executing assigned transport jobs. This journey outlines how carriers move from onboarding to bidding and completing vehicle deliveries.
Carrier Journey on the Platform
The Operations Dashboard is the central workspace where Mercury Auto manages transport requests and monitors ongoing operations. It gives the operations team a clear overview of loads, carrier activity, and shipment progress.
The dashboard allows the team to quickly create new transport requests, review load information, and manage the bidding process from a single interface.
The Load Board is the core interface where Mercury Auto posts transport requests and manages incoming carrier bids.
Key information displayed for each load includes:
• Order details – vehicle information, pickup and drop locations, and delivery timeline
• Route information – origin and destination with a quick view option on the map
• Carrier bids – pricing submitted by carriers for the transport job
• Notes and comments – operational communication related to the shipment
This allows Mercury’s operations team to quickly evaluate available options and manage transport assignments from a single view.
The Load Board is the core interface where Mercury Auto posts transport requests and manages incoming carrier bids.
Key information displayed for each load includes:
• Order details – vehicle information, pickup and drop locations, and delivery timeline
• Route information – origin and destination with a quick view option on the map
• Carrier bids – pricing submitted by carriers for the transport job
• Notes and comments – operational communication related to the shipment
This allows Mercury’s operations team to quickly evaluate available options and manage transport assignments from a single view.
This interface allows the Mercury operations team to create and publish new transport requests.
The form captures essential information required for carriers to evaluate the shipment, including pickup and delivery locations, vehicle type, schedule, and additional transport notes. Once submitted, the load becomes visible to carriers on the load board where they can place bids.
This interface allows the Mercury operations team to create and publish new transport requests.
The form captures essential information required for carriers to evaluate the shipment, including pickup and delivery locations, vehicle type, schedule, and additional transport notes. Once submitted, the load becomes visible to carriers on the load board where they can place bids.
Carrier Network Management
Mercury Auto works with a network of carrier companies that operate trucks and drivers responsible for transporting vehicles.
The Carrier Network Management section allows the Mercury team to maintain and manage this carrier ecosystem.
The Admin Dashboard enables Mercury to manage their carrier network.
From this section, the operations team can:
• Add new carrier companies
• Review carrier information and compliance documents
• Update fleet and driver details
• Edit or remove carrier records when required
Maintaining accurate carrier information ensures that Mercury can quickly identify reliable partners for each shipment.
The Admin Dashboard enables Mercury to manage their carrier network.
From this section, the operations team can:
• Add new carrier companies
• Review carrier information and compliance documents
• Update fleet and driver details
• Edit or remove carrier records when required
Maintaining accurate carrier information ensures that Mercury can quickly identify reliable partners for each shipment.
Once a load is posted, carriers submit bids based on route availability and pricing.
The Bid Evaluation section helps Mercury review and compare these bids before assigning the transport job.
Each bid includes:
• Carrier company details
• Contact information
• Fleet availability
• Pricing submitted for the load
• Compliance documents and verification status
This structured view allows the operations team to confidently evaluate carriers and select the most appropriate partner for the transport request.
Each bid includes:
• Carrier company details
• Contact information
• Fleet availability
• Pricing submitted for the load
• Compliance documents and verification status
This structured view allows the operations team to confidently evaluate carriers and select the most appropriate partner for the transport request.
To support better decision making, the platform provides visual analytics that help Mercury understand shipment patterns, carrier activity, and transport performance across regions.
These analytics help Mercury understand how shipments move across regions and identify areas with high transport demand.
The Analytics section provides three distinct choices for examining and sifting through analytic figures
The Pin View provides a geographic overview of shipments by displaying pickup and drop locations on the map.
This view helps the operations team quickly understand active routes and transport coverage across different regions.
The Pin View provides a geographic overview of shipments by displaying pickup and drop locations on the map.
This view helps the operations team quickly understand active routes and transport coverage across different regions.
The Heat Map highlights areas with a high concentration of transport activity.
Regions with more shipments appear as stronger heat zones, helping Mercury identify high-demand routes and optimize carrier allocation.
The Heat Map highlights areas with a high concentration of transport activity.
Regions with more shipments appear as stronger heat zones, helping Mercury identify high-demand routes and optimize carrier allocation.
The Table View presents shipment data in a structured format, allowing the team to analyze transport activity in detail.
Loads can be filtered and sorted using attributes such as shipment status, location, carrier, and delivery timelines.
The Table View presents shipment data in a structured format, allowing the team to analyze transport activity in detail.
Loads can be filtered and sorted using attributes such as shipment status, location, carrier, and delivery timelines.
The Metrics section provides a quick summary of key operational indicators such as shipment counts, route activity, and overall transport performance.
These metrics allow the operations team to monitor system activity and evaluate operational efficiency at a glance.
The Metrics section provides a quick summary of key operational indicators such as shipment counts, route activity, and overall transport performance.
These metrics allow the operations team to monitor system activity and evaluate operational efficiency at a glance.
70%
Reduction in phone calls
30%
Improvement in load stagnation
50%
faster carrier discovery
40%
reduction in manual coordination time
25%
Improvement in operational visibility
Understanding the real workflow first
Before designing screens, it was important to understand how vehicle transport actually works. Mapping the real process helped identify the key steps and users involved.
Data structure is the foundation
The system handled multiple connected data points such as loads, bids, carriers, trucks, and documents. Defining this structure early helped keep the platform organized.
Operational tools must be clear and fast
This dashboard is used for daily operations, so the design focused on clarity and quick decision making rather than visual complexity.
Two-sided systems require balanced design
The platform needed to work well for both Mercury Auto and carrier companies. Designing flows that support both users was essential.
Not all problems appear in the beginning
Some edge cases only appeared later in the project. Iterating and improving the system over time was necessary to handle real operational scenarios.
