RelayCon is Amazon Relay’s two-day conference exclusively for the carriers who haul Amazon loads. During RelayCon 2024, 500+ Relay carriers joined us at the Horseshoe Las Vegas from September 10th-11th. It was a unique opportunity for carriers to get insights into the newest Relay features, learn about growth strategies, and meet the teams and leaders who built Relay from the ground up. But that’s just the beginning.
What is RelayCon?
At Amazon, our carriers are the backbone of our operations. RelayCon allows us to listen to carriers’ feedback to develop new and improved experiences that support their success. Whether a carrier seeks stability, growth, or a new adventure, Relay is committed to listening, adapting, and growing alongside them.
Here are a few of the highlights from 2024’s event.
- Carrier roundtables: Roundtable events are small group tables, making it easier for carriers to provide feedback on what’s working well when it comes to hauling Amazon freight and what needs improvement. We host roundtables all over the country, giving carriers the reins so they can let us know what they need to deliver safely and on time. During RelayCon’s roundtables, 128 carriers attended to outline their challenges, helping us build solutions.
- FAST Forward grant writing workshop: To help lower our carriers’ cost of ownership, we invited TRC, the leading clean transportation and energy team in North America. For over 30 years, their firm has secured $1 billion in grant funding for clients with >90% success rate. At RelayCon 2024, TRC taught 83 carriers how to write their way to sustainable fleets, providing application requirement checklists and highlighting available opportunities. Additionally, carriers received one-on-one funding appointments to have their grant applications reviewed and verified by experts.
- Food for All: As our carriers grow their fleets, we want to support them in giving back to their local communities. Relay partnered with The Just One Project, a local Las Vegas non-profit, to pack 1,200 bags of groceries to support local veterans and their families. With about 20-25 pounds of food per bag, our volunteer line of Relay carriers were able to provide groceries for about 500 families in need.
- Breakouts tied to business needs: In event sessions, RelayCon attendees got a look at where Relay started, how Relay has grown, and where the network and tech are heading in the year to come. This year, that included a full overview of all Relay work opportunities. We also held Q&A panels with Amazon leadership and top-performing carriers, who shared best practices to access better rates and earlier access to our freight. Carriers also received deep-dive training on how to detect and prevent fraud, optimize fleet maintenance, and implement successful diversity and inclusion strategies.
- Expo hall: Between sessions, Relay provided carriers with step-by-step demos of new features, a rundown of Relay discounts, and a look at the latest in clean fleets.
Join us at next year’s event
Everything we learned at RelayCon will go toward improving the Relay tech that already exists and building what doesn’t – so there’s never been a better time to become a part of our shared success. Start your Relay application on desktop or our app on iOS or Android. But first, check out Relay’s carrier requirements to make sure hauling for Amazon is the right fit for your business.
Disclaimer: Amazon does not tender loads through any third-party load boards. Any Amazon loads posted on third-party load boards will only be tendered directly to approved and onboarded carriers via the Relay web portal or Relay mobile app. If you are interested in hauling loads for Amazon, sign up and book directly on relay.amazon.com.
