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 conversation with Shokhrukh Rakhmanov, the founder of Datatruck, regarding the necessity of a unified TMS for transportation companies, the role of AI in reducing manual tasks, and the rationale behind establishing the development team in Uzbekistan.

Datatruck represents a next-generation transportation management system (TMS)—an operating system tailored for the freight sector that empowers companies to oversee shipments, documentation, payments, and financial reporting on a single platform. Its fundamental advantage lies in minimizing financial losses and expenses, ensuring complete transparency throughout the transportation process, and enhancing overall profitability.

The primary source of revenue for the company is derived from paid subscriptions to the Datatruck platform. Additionally, the startup provides paid AI-driven modules 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, generate reports, and plan financial activities. These solutions assist clients in saving both time and money while significantly decreasing 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 10 years of experience in financial management and auditing, working with public companies, PwC, and investment funds. During my close collaboration with logistics firms in the U.S. and my analysis of their financial reports and operational workflows, I consistently identified a recurring issue: manual processes resulted in financial losses, wasted time, and missed growth opportunities.

Challenges such as delayed reconciliations, document approvals, and a lack of financial transparency and analytics are prevalent in the transportation industry. In certain instances, individual companies faced 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 was able to pinpoint where financial losses occurred and grasped the solutions that the market genuinely required. This is how the concept of a platform that integrates finance, analytics, and operations into a single product emerged—without necessitating additional resources or workforce. It enabled not only large enterprises but also small carriers to function at an entirely elevated level.

Initially, we anticipated that our product would mainly attract small businesses. However, we were pleasantly surprised by the significant interest from large enterprises as well—particularly those seeking alternatives to 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 came on board as investors, contributing an additional $170,000.

These investments enabled us not only to grow financially but also to gain expert guidance and valuable industry connections. 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 allocated to several critical areas. First, product development, which includes new AI modules, bank integrations, and strategic partnerships within the freight market. Second, marketing and sales, where we enhanced our team and broadened our market presence to foster leadership, not just growth. A portion of the investment was also dedicated to establishing the Datatruck brand in the U.S. and increasing the number of clients still using outdated TMS solutions. Lastly, we made significant investments in optimizing the product architecture for scalability.

We were able to attract investment due to a robust 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 strategies. Our strategic objective is to attract enterprise-level fleets—companies that operate hundreds or thousands of trucks. For these organizations, automation, engineering maturity, financial transparency, and scalable integrations are essential—areas where Datatruck aspires to lead.

Entering the U.S. market

The U.S. represents the largest freight market globally, valued at over $1 trillion. We have identified 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 the manual execution of bank reconciliations, frequently without monitoring unit economics.

Speed is essential in logistics. This highlighted the readiness of the market for digital transformation, especially in financial and operational management. This necessity became even more pronounced 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 address these issues efficiently. Companies are compelled to utilize 10–20 disparate tools that lack interoperability.

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 across the industry. AI currently facilitates complete process automation. 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 existing clients operating in those regions. This strategy enables us to scale gradually while upholding unified standards.

North America remains our primary focus. Europe is a potential subsequent step. Although we do not currently plan to expand into 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 with system configuration, data migration, telematics and GPS integration, factoring services setup, and more.

We also provide team-wide training sessions. Unlike many competitors, we never 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 expedites document workflows.

TruckGPT is an integral component of a larger AI ecosystem that streamlines broker and driver communication, evaluates route profitability, enhances load booking efficiency, 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, adaptability, and the capability to offer innovative solutions customized to meet client requirements.

Who Uses Datatruck

Initially, we catered to small and mid-sized fleets (10–100 trucks), assisting them in transitioning from Excel and outdated systems. Currently, our emphasis is increasingly directed 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 broaden our integrations to include fuel payments, insurance, and compliance services in the near future.

Integrating with more than 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 employ AES-256 encryption, read-only bank access, two-factor authentication, and adhere to the highest data protection standards.

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 is not peripheral work; it is central to the product's development.

The combination of the U.S. market with Uzbek engineering expertise renders Datatruck both flexible and highly competitive.

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

Our culture is founded on respect for individuals and recognition of all forms 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 includes more than 50 highly skilled professionals working across six countries, encompassing the United States, several European nations, and Uzbekistan. Our primary operational functions are based in the U.S., while all product development occurs in Uzbekistan.

Thanks to our heritage and traditions, Datatruck has cultivated a culture rooted in respect for individuals and appreciation for all types 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 adapt to swiftly changing 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 competitive global product.

Datatruck operates on the foundations 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 interaction enables us to maintain flexibility, stay ahead of our competitors, and function as a cohesive team despite geographical distances.

Above all, I prioritize honesty, responsibility, and initiative in my team members. Honesty fosters trust within the group, responsibility guarantees that tasks are executed with excellence and punctuality, and initiative propels growth and process enhancement. Additionally, teamwork skills and an ongoing desire for learning and development 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. You can submit your application through the link.

The most significant challenges we faced involved gaining trust in a conservative industry where carriers are accustomed to traditional methods—using 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 encountered technical obstacles as well, including integrations with telematics systems, banks, and accounting platforms. Nevertheless, these very challenges have enabled us to build a strong and dependable team that transforms difficulties into a competitive edge.

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 limited number of startups globally. For us, this signifies not just a valuation, but also an 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.