In 2020, as the transport industry responded to the chaos caused by the pandemic, Valentin Cirstea saw an opportunity and started his own courier company, LUKRS.
“I put all my savings into buying a Luton van and joined Courier Exchange as an Owner Driver… and it didn’t fail to deliver,” he says.
Since joining, LUKRS has grown rapidly from a small courier company to a full-scale haulage business on Haulage Exchange.
They now operate a ‘walking floor division’ for bulk waste materials and handle European haulage with in-house customs clearance.
Here’s how he did it.
Approach
Before starting LUKRS, Valentin was working as an Uber driver. When Covid hit, he saw his chance to change direction and build something of his own.
Joining CX as an Owner Driver Valentin started using it daily and gained traction quickly. “I started to secure regular haulage loads, which helped me over time to develop the business and purchase more vehicles.”
As demand grew, he started laying the foundations for a larger operation by getting his Transport Manager qualifications. This led him to meeting business partner, Luciana Stanciu, which “had a huge help in developing this business together” Valentin adds.
Luciana manages the nine-truck fleet and full-time drivers for LUKRS, relying heavily on the Exchange to streamline operations.
The Exchange is extremely straightforward and easy to use.
Luciana Stanciu, Business Partner, LUKRS
“We rely on it for securing bookings, monitoring subcontracted haulage work, accounting and also keeping in touch with our clients.”
“The live tracking feature is also extremely useful. Whether we are doing a job on Haulage Exchange or someone else is doing a job for us, it works great both ends.”
For example, if we are doing a job for a poster on Exchange, they can track our lorries, so they know exactly where we are. When we subcontract a job, rather than me calling the courier and ask what’s the ETA, I can just simply see it on the app.”
The Exchange has also helped reduce the “empty mileage we have on our trucks” Luciana adds. “If I get into a really remote area, I can easily find a load to take me out of there.”
LUKRS also rely on the platform’s integrated tech such as Trustd and SmartPay to run their business with ease.
Trustd is a very good thing. New members joining the Exchange, need to pass through more security checks, which gives us a peace of mind for both haulers and forwarders that use the platform.
Richard Spencer, Founder, LUKRS
Speaking about SmartPay, Luciana says “It just makes the admin work a lot easier. You can just make a payment straight to the Exchange, and then they just sort everything out for you. So at the end of the week, when you have to do all that admin work, it’s done in a matter of minutes.”
Results
With the help of Haulage Exchange, LUKRS has grown into a full–scale haulage business, with specialist work now central to their offering.
The ‘walking floor division’ moves bulk waste materials for the renewables and waste management sectors – which was one of the “main goals since we started the company” says Valentin. “This is a relatively new sector we are operating in but it’s rapidly growing” he adds.
They also offer European haulage and customs clearance which has helped them unlock even more opportunities across Europe.
“I believe Brexit, for us actually helped, because we became specialized into all the customs procedures and not many people do it.”
“Imports and exports in the UK have become incredibly difficult due to Brexit. It’s now a complex process, that’s why we decided to become authorised customs agents” Valentin says.
By becoming authorised customs agents, LUKRS can now handle the entire cross-border process in-house. From import tax paperwork and approval to delivery, this reduces delays and gives their clients quicker and more dependable service.
This client-focused approach is what earns LUKRS such outstanding reviews on the Exchange.
5 years
On the Exchange
853
Positive reviews
Conclusion
For Valentin, the rapid growth and success of LUKRS can be directly attributed to the Exchange.
I strongly believe without Haulage Exchange, I wouldn’t be able to build this business so rapidly
Richard Spencer, Founder, LUKRS
Luciana adds, “It’s very easy to find work at the beginning, especially if you don’t have your own clients. It helps build those relationships up. It helps increase your fleet and get more work in. And it really helps with the cash flow.”
The success LUKRS has found in just over five years goes to show that with access to the right network, tech, and support, it’s possible to build a thriving haulage business at any time… even amidst a global pandemic!
