The trucking industry is facing a significant challenge: the lack of software built primarily for its 3.5 million professional drivers. Most modern freight technology is designed to benefit fleet managers, dispatchers, and brokers, leaving these labor-intensive workers largely underserved.
This gap in technology has led to an opportunity for developers, designers, and industry newcomers to create innovative solutions that improve the daily lives, wellness, and retention of truck drivers.
The launch of FreightWaves SONAR's Driver App Shortage Hackathon (DASH) aims to address this challenge by challenging participants to build a minimum viable product focused on improving the daily lives, wellness, and retention of professional truck drivers over a seven-day period.
Scheduled for June 15–22, 2026, DASH is open to global participants and ensures that developers retain 100% of their intellectual property.
To help builders develop high-quality applications, all registered participants will receive free access to the SONAR freight data API for the duration of the hackathon. This API grants participants access to the same market data used by major shippers, carriers, and brokers across the country.
The competition is free to enter, and completed projects will be evaluated by a judging panel of freight operators, FreightWaves executives, and venture capital investors.
This evaluation process ensures that finalists receive direct visibility to leaders who can help fund or scale their ideas.
Registration for DASH is free and open to anyone, anywhere. Sign up today to secure your free SONAR API access and prepare to make a difference for truck drivers.
By addressing the lack of software built for truck drivers, FreightWaves SONAR's DASH hackathon has the potential to revolutionize the industry and improve the lives of its most critical labor force.
The lack of software built for truck drivers highlights the need for more developer support.
