Uber expands its freight operations into Europe

Ride-hailing giant Uber is expanding its freight business into Europe.

The service connects trucking companies with shippers who have loads to haul.

Uber said Wednesday it would launch freight operations in the Netherlands and would later expand into other parts of Europe.

Lior Ron, head of Uber Freight, says there's a severe shortage of truck drivers in Europe. He also says trucks there are empty for 21 percent of the kilometers traveled.

Uber says it aims to bring more efficiency and transparency to the freight market.

Uber Freight began in the U.S. in 2017. The company says it had 30,000 active users in the last quarter of 2018, and the Uber Freight app was downloaded more than 328,000 times. It did not disclose revenues.