Luo Zaiyong is not an IT expert, nor is he working for any Internet-related industry, but he said he had a lot to say about how the worldwide web has changed people's life.
While having rest in the cab at noon, Luo, a lorry driver from Zunyi, southwest China's Guizhou province, cannot wait to check his microphone and see if anyone wants to rent his lorry for transit of goods to Zunyi."I'm heading back to Zunyi this afternoon and If I'm lucky enough, I'll find someone who needs to move some commodities to Zunyi or somewhere in that area. If I can’t find someone, I lose money. Often, I have no idea where the business opportunity will come from."
It wasn't always this way and he goes on to say,"I once spent eight days in Guangzhou province just looking for someone needing transportation. That was about five years ago when I thought that Guangzhou was a big place and should have lots of transportation demands. But I found nothing for eight days," then added that he used to run into this situation many times.
Luo says that Xinjiang and Tibet are the farthest places he's ever been, but whenever the market demanded something, he'd go no matter where it is. After all,"I have to work hard to make a living for my family."
Then, two years ago, a fellow driver recommended that he get a phone application that opened up a site that could connect lorry drivers with individuals or companies in need of transportation. And, in spite of his 20 years of experience as a driver, he said he was impressed with the Internet and that it was nothing like the past.
"Business opportunities just pop out of my phone, without a struggling or a search," he says in a tone of amazement.
Luo still remembers the first time he used the app. As planned, he delivered some goods from Guiyang to Liupanshui city and before he arrived in the destination, he searched the app and found an order requiring him to freight some goods from Liupanshui to Guiyang. It means he will not return to Guiyang with his truck empty.
Luo earned 3,000 yuan ($483) more than an otherwise single trip and now he has really gotten used to finding business that way, and concludes, "About 90 percent of my business comes from the Internet."
