Datatruck — a new operating system for logistics: how a startup with Uzbek roots is transforming the U.S. market

IT Park Uzbekistan engaged in a discussion with Shokhrukh Rakhmanov, the founder of Datatruck, regarding the necessity for transportation companies to adopt a unified TMS, the role of AI in eliminating manual tasks, and the rationale behind the development team being situated in Uzbekistan.

Datatruck represents a cutting-edge transportation management system (TMS)—essentially an operating system tailored for the freight sector that empowers companies to oversee shipments, documentation, payments, and financial reporting all within a single platform. Its fundamental value is in minimizing financial losses and expenses, guaranteeing complete transparency throughout the transportation process, and enhancing overall profitability.

The company primarily generates revenue through paid subscriptions to the Datatruck platform. Additionally, the startup provides AI-driven modules for a fee, such as AI Updater, which automates communications and status updates for brokers and drivers, and Fintruck, a financial management tool that enables companies to monitor income and expenses, produce reports, and strategize financial activities. These tools assist clients in conserving time and resources while significantly diminishing human error.

At present, Datatruck collaborates with over 100 partners in the United States and has established integrations with more than 9,000 banks.

How it all began

Prior to the inception of Datatruck, I obtained an MBA from the University of Rochester. I accumulated over a decade of experience in financial management and auditing, working with public companies, PwC, and investment funds. While closely collaborating with logistics firms in the U.S. and scrutinizing their financial statements and operational workflows, I consistently identified a recurring problem: manual processes resulted in losses of money, time, and growth potential.

Significant challenges within the transportation sector include delayed reconciliations, document approvals, and a lack of financial transparency and analytics. In certain instances, individual companies were incurring losses of up to $100,000 annually.

These insights—coupled with five months of thorough contemplation on the issue and possible solutions—motivated me to create a logistics platform that would serve as the foundation for Datatruck. I could distinctly identify where financial losses were occurring and recognized the solutions that the market genuinely required. This realization led to the conception of a platform that integrates finance, analytics, and operations into a single product—eliminating the need for additional resources or personnel. It enabled not only large entities but also small carriers to function at an entirely new level.

Initially, we anticipated that our product would mainly attract small businesses. However, we were taken aback by the significant interest from large corporations as well—particularly those frustrated with outdated TMS and legacy systems. We officially launched the company in September 2022 and achieved our first sales by January 2023.

We secured $200,000 from IT Park Ventures, $300,000 from Aloqa Ventures, and $100,000 from Domino Ventures. Subsequently, Silkroad Angels Club joined as investors, contributing an additional $170,000.

These investments enabled us not only to grow financially but also to gain expert guidance and valuable connections within the industry. Currently, we are in talks with several international venture funds and plan to raise another round to further scale our operations across North America.

The funds were distributed across several critical areas. First, product development—encompassing new AI modules, bank integrations, and strategic partnerships within the freight sector. Second, marketing and sales, where we enhanced our team and broadened our market presence to foster leadership, not merely growth. A portion of the investment was also allocated to building the Datatruck brand in the U.S. and increasing the number of clients still dependent on outdated TMS solutions. Lastly, we made significant investments in optimizing the product architecture for scalability.

We successfully attracted investment due to our strong engineering team, a solution that effectively addresses genuine market challenges, and rapid organic growth without substantial marketing expenditures. Venture funds also provide us with mentorship and access to networks, facilitating partnerships and expansion.

In the upcoming round, we will concentrate on two main priorities: enhancing AI functionality and solidifying our presence in the U.S. market through aggressive marketing. Our strategic objective is to attract enterprise-level fleets—companies operating hundreds or thousands of trucks. For these entities, automation, engineering maturity, financial transparency, and scalable integrations are essential—and this is where Datatruck intends to excel.

Entering the U.S. market

The U.S. stands as the largest freight market globally, valued at over $1 trillion. We recognized a distinct gap between the speed of technological innovation and the low level of technology adoption among trucking companies—particularly in financial operations.

In our market research, nearly all carriers acknowledged their dependence on numerous Excel spreadsheets and manual bank reconciliations, frequently without monitoring unit economics.

Speed is essential in logistics. This highlighted a clear indication that the market is primed for digital transformation, especially in financial and operational management. This necessity became even more apparent during the ongoing industry crisis, which has now persisted for over three years.

One of the primary challenges in U.S. freight logistics is system fragmentation. Following deregulation, the market has struggled to effectively address these issues. Companies are compelled to utilize 10–20 disconnected tools that fail to communicate with one another.

The second significant challenge is the absence of financial transparency and literacy. Many owners are simply unaware of the profit generated by each truck or how their margins are structured.

I anticipate that within three years, automated communication and document workflows will become standard in the industry. AI already facilitates complete process automation today. In the future, self-driving trucks will also become a reality — and we are actively developing solutions that position Datatruck as the “operating system of the future” for carriers.

We intend to expand into Canada and Mexico through pilot projects with current clients operating in those regions. This strategy allows us to scale gradually while upholding unified standards.

North America remains our primary focus. Europe is a potential subsequent step. Although we currently do not plan to enter the CIS or the Middle East, we recognize a growing demand for financial transparency tools in these areas and are assessing opportunities in the mid-term.

From subscription to full integration

Upon registration, each client is assigned a Customer Success Manager who assists in configuring the system, migrating data, integrating telematics and GPS, establishing factoring services, and more.

We also conduct comprehensive training sessions for teams. Unlike many competitors, we do not leave clients to navigate the software on their own. Within three weeks, most clients report that they cannot envision operating without Datatruck. Full integration generally takes one to three weeks, depending on the size and complexity of the company.

TruckGPT, Datatruck’s AI module, automatically processes numerous logistics documents — including invoices, driver licenses, registrations, BOLs, PODs, DOT inspections, and more. It eliminates routine data entry, minimizes errors, and speeds up document workflows.

TruckGPT is an integral component of a larger AI ecosystem that automates communication between brokers and drivers, evaluates route profitability, optimizes load booking, and guarantees financial transparency through smart transaction categorization and receipt matching. Collectively, these tools create a cohesive intelligent framework across all logistics operations.

This is why we refer to Datatruck as an AI-native platform. Our in-house AI development team provides us with autonomy, flexibility, and the capability to offer advanced solutions customized to meet client requirements.

Who Uses Datatruck

We initially catered to small and mid-sized fleets (10–100 trucks), assisting them in transitioning from Excel and outdated systems. Currently, our emphasis is increasingly shifting towards enterprise clients managing hundreds or thousands of trucks.

Datatruck collaborates with over 100 freight companies based in the U.S. and integrates with fuel providers, toll systems, truck geolocation services, factoring companies, ELD services, and more. We also plan to enhance our integrations in fuel payments, insurance, and compliance services in the near future.

Integrating with over 9,000 banks necessitated the standardization of various data formats. To ensure security, Datatruck successfully completed a SOC 2 audit and is now acknowledged as a globally certified platform. We implement AES-256 encryption, read-only bank access, two-factor authentication, and adhere to the highest standards of data protection.

The security of client data is our utmost priority.

The Potential of Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is swiftly emerging as a center for IT talent. Our core development team, which oversees architecture, infrastructure, AI, and integrations, is located here. This work is not supplementary; it is fundamental to the product.

By merging the U.S. market with Uzbek engineering expertise, Datatruck remains adaptable and highly competitive.

Currently, our team comprises over 50 professionals operating across six countries. While our operations are directed from the U.S., all development takes place in Uzbekistan.

Our culture is founded on respect for individuals and recognition of all types of work—whether one is a fleet owner or a truck driver. We prioritize adaptability, transparency, responsibility, and innovation.

Who Is Behind Datatruck

At present, our team consists of more than 50 highly skilled professionals working across six countries, including the United States, various European nations, and Uzbekistan. Our primary operational activities are conducted in the U.S., while all product development is executed in Uzbekistan.

Thanks to our heritage and traditions, Datatruck has cultivated a culture that emphasizes respect for individuals and values all forms of work—whether you are a logistics company owner or a truck driver. We understand how to function with limited resources and, crucially, how to adjust to rapidly evolving circumstances.

Rapid adaptation and flexibility are the core principles guiding our operations. We can swiftly address challenges and devise unconventional solutions. Leveraging Uzbekistan’s robust IT education system, we transform local expertise into a global product that can compete on the international stage.

Datatruck is founded on the tenets of transparency, accountability, and innovation. A genuine virtual connection exists between our offices: the U.S. office identifies emerging trends and market demands, while the development team in Uzbekistan promptly translates these concepts into actionable solutions. This collaboration enables us to remain agile, maintain a competitive edge, and function as a cohesive team despite geographical distances.

Above all, I prioritize honesty, responsibility, and initiative among my employees. Honesty fosters trust within the team, responsibility guarantees that tasks are executed with excellence and punctuality, and initiative propels growth and process enhancement. Furthermore, teamwork abilities and a continuous eagerness to learn and develop are critically important.

Currently, we are actively seeking engineers, AI specialists, Customer Success Managers, and Project Managers. We welcome talent from Uzbekistan as well as from other countries. Interested candidates can apply through the provided link.

The most significant challenges we faced were related to gaining trust in a conservative industry where carriers are accustomed to traditional methods—utilizing spreadsheets and manual processes. Another considerable challenge was assembling a stable team capable of developing a product that meets global standards while also adapting swiftly to market demands. We also encountered technical hurdles, such as integrating with telematics systems, banks, and accounting platforms. Nevertheless, these challenges have enabled us to build a strong and dependable team that transforms obstacles into a competitive advantage.

Advice for Early-Stage Startups

Plans for the Future

Our objective is to establish Datatruck as a leading platform in the freight transportation sector and to evolve it into the first U.S.-built Uzbek “unicorn” startup.

By "unicorn," we refer to a technology company valued at more than $1 billion—a rare and significant milestone achieved by only a small percentage of startups globally. For us, this is not solely about valuation; it also signifies acknowledgment that we have developed a genuinely sought-after product with a viable business model. We aim to demonstrate that a startup with Uzbek origins can effectively compete in the world’s largest market and motivate the upcoming generation of entrepreneurs in Uzbekistan.