Building HaulerConnect: how we shipped a logistics marketplace
As lead developer on HaulerConnect, I helped turn a fragmented dump-trucking workflow into one platform—jobs, compliance, payments, and AI document review under the NDTA umbrella.
The problem we were solving
Dump truck operators and contractors still ran too much of the business on calls, spreadsheets, and expired PDFs. Finding verified capacity, keeping COIs and DOT paperwork current, and collecting membership dues were separate headaches. HaulerConnect needed to be the control tower—not another brochure site.
Stack and architecture choices
We built the core on CodeIgniter PHP for a fast, maintainable server layer, with Laravel tools where it made sense for certification and logistics modules. The front end is mobile-first so owner-operators can manage jobs from the cab. Payments and membership tiers run through Stripe with webhooks for upgrades, downgrades, and dunning—so billing state stays in sync without nightly spreadsheet reconciliation.
On the intelligence side, an AI document analyzer helps review uploads—insurance certificates, business docs, and compliance packets—so verification does not stall on manual inbox triage. That pairs with a compliance hub / wallet pattern: store docs once, surface expirations early, and keep contractors confident about who shows up on site.
What shipped in the platform
- Job marketplace with filtering, alerts, and verified contractor/hauler profiles
- Compliance document storage, expiration reminders, and PDF workflows
- Membership plans (Platinum / Diamond) wired to Stripe checkout and portals
- Messaging, templates, and analytics so operators can bid and track work
- CRM and GoHighLevel onboarding so leads become paying members without lost handoffs
Technical on-page SEO from day one
A marketplace only works if people can find it. We treated technical and on-page SEO as product work: clear titles and headings, crawlable structure, fast image delivery, schema where it helps, and content that matches how haulers and contractors actually search. The same discipline shows up on this portfolio—dedicated article URLs, canonicals, and structured data—so case studies can rank alongside the live product.
What I took away
HaulerConnect taught me that logistics software is trust software. Stripe reliability, webhook edge cases, document expiration UX, and AI that assists reviewers without hallucinating compliance—these are the details that keep a national network usable. If you want the live product, visit haulerconnect.org. For the contractor↔hauler story, read how the marketplace connects both sides, or Malcolm Smith's NDTA vision.