In Today’s episode of The New Warehouse Podcast, Kevin broadcasts live from Manifest with Marc Gorlin, CEO and founder of Roadie. Marc shares the origin story of Roadie and how it’s transforming last-mile logistics. The conversation covers Roadie’s community-driven model, its evolution into cross-dock and big & bulky delivery, and the company’s mission to deliver everything from iPhone chargers to grills with the same convenience and speed. With 50 cross-dock hubs planned by the end of the year, Roadie is scaling fast and reshaping what same-day delivery looks like for retailers, drivers, and consumers alike.

A Crowdsourced Last Mile Delivery Model Born from a Broken Shower

The idea for Roadie sparked during a frustrating experience with a late tile delivery. “There’s bound to be someone going that way anyway,” Marc thought, sitting in traffic. “If I just knew who they were, they could’ve thrown it in their trunk and saved the day.” That idea turned into a national platform using everyday drivers and their vehicles to deliver everything from bags to farm supplies.

Roadie started humbly, building its delivery network through partnerships with airlines like Delta. “We started with two gigs a day and now we deliver for most major airlines and airports,” Marc shares. Roadie quickly expanded into retail, offering same-day delivery for major retailers such as Home Depot, Walmart, Best Buy, CVS, and others. The network thrives because it’s hyper-local, relying on people already in the community to make deliveries. “It’s like eBay, Airbnb, and UPS spun together in a bucket.”

Same-Day Speed, Big & Bulky Reach

While many delivery services struggle with large, awkward items, Roadie leans in. Their Roadie XD cross-dock program enables major retailers to fulfill orders from their distribution centers (DCs), delivering goods to customers on the same day or the next. “Retailers can send a full truckload at night, and we’ll have it delivered by 6AM—or even same day in some cases,” Marc explains.

This solution is purpose-built for oversized goods that traditional parcel carriers typically avoid due to cost and infrastructure constraints. “We’ll do 200 pounds or more—grills, TVs, feed, furniture—you name it,” he says. With fewer touches and direct delivery, you can reduce damage while simultaneously improving customer satisfaction. Roadie already operates 18 cross-docks and is on track to open 50 by year’s end, reaching 60% of the U.S. population.

The model also helps stores manage stock more efficiently. Rather than pulling from store inventory, retailers can ship directly from their distribution centers, which preserves in-store supply and improves fulfillment.

The Future of Last Mile Delivery is Flexible, Fast, and Local

Unlike rigid gig networks, Roadie allows drivers to pick up routes when and where they want, scaling up for seasonal spikes or major disruptions. “You’ve got a delivery church built for Easter Sunday,” Marc jokes. During events like snowstorms, hundreds of drivers swarm airport bag deliveries, clearing loads faster than traditional networks.

This flexibility also makes Roadie a lifeline for rural delivery. “You’ve got people shopping at Tractor Supply—those same folks might be your drivers, too,” he explains. The hyperlocal driver pool brings products to areas where major carriers struggle with costs.

Looking ahead, Marc envisions Roadie’s crowdsourced last-mile delivery evolving to meet expectations for all product types—big or small—with Amazon-like speed and efficiency. “You should be able to track the stuff coming to you the same way you track a pizza,” he says. Roadie aims to do just that, giving consumers, retailers, and drivers greater visibility, flexibility, and reliability.

Key Takeaways on Crowdsourced Last Mile Delivery

• Roadie Leverages Existing Capacity – Using everyday drivers creates scalable, cost-efficient crowdsourced last-mile delivery.
• Same-Day for Big & Bulky – Roadie XD enables rapid fulfillment from DCs for oversized goods.
• Cross-Dock Expansion – With 50 hubs by year’s end, Roadie will reach 60% of the U.S. population.
• Flexible Driver Network – Drivers join when and where they want, which improves response time and reduces overhead.
• Improved Rural Access – Roadie helps retailers serve rural customers with better speed and cost.