10 Freight Bid Tips

4 months ago

The Labor Day weekend signals kids going back to school, the start of the NFL season, and the preparation of budgets for the coming year. For manufacturers and distributors, this process incorporates the construction of the annual freight transportation budget. For many shippers, this involves the execution of an annual freight bid. To help companies […]

How Frequently Should a Company Conduct a Freight Bid?

6 months ago

This is one of the most frequently asked questions we receive from our shipper clients. Here is our perspective. The Forces that Shape our Views on this Subject For 20 years, during my early years in the transportation industry, I led asset-based carriers and non-asset-based freight broker organizations. My colleagues and I were on the […]

Mini Bids can be a Key Tool in Finding Capacity this Fall

4 years ago

Shippers throughout North America are trying to cope with the tight freight capacity that has been driven by Covid-19, truck and driver shortages, freight embargoes and the surge in eCommerce activity. While many manufacturers and distributors conduct annual and bi-annual freight bids, this methodology is proving to be too static and rigid for shippers experiencing […]

Freight Bids are Back in 2019

5 years ago

During the wild and woolly 2018, freight bid activity subsided as shippers searched for capacity wherever they could find it. As we have seen, 2018 was an anomaly, a one of a kind. As we pass the mid-point of 2019, the dynamics of the freight market have changed significantly from the prior year. Business […]

Conducting Freight Bids in 2018 – It’s a New Ballgame

7 years ago

The New Year has started off with a bang. With the stock market at record levels, unemployment at historic lows in Canada and the United States and a new U.S. tax bill that promises to put extra dollars in the hands of American purchasers, it is not surprising that consumer confidence is at a high. […]

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In this Period of Declining Freight Rates, Shippers need to be Smart, not Greedy

8 years ago

During this period of modest economic growth and ample capacity, freight rates have been in decline. This is confirmed by the various market indices that track freight rates. Lower energy prices that have translated in lower fuel surcharges have also helped keep freight rates in check. The data also indicates that some shippers are […]

Shipper-Carrier Collaboration – Establishing Trust

9 years ago

The essence of successful freight rate negotiations is an honest exchange of information. Carriers count on shippers to supply them with complete and accurate information on shipment weights, dimensions, volumes by lane, seasonal spikes and any special service (i.e. job site deliveries, weekend pickups etc.) requirements. Shippers expect carriers to be able to supply them […]

Creating an Effective Shipper-Motor Carrier Freight Agreement – Part 2

9 years ago

The first part of this blog focused on the operational, service and equipment issues that constitute a strong shipper-carrier freight agreement. This blog will address the financial and business issues that need to carefully captured in detail. 6. Rates and Service Charges The rates, fuel surcharges and other accessorial charges need to inserted […]

Creating an Effective Shipper – Motor Carrier Freight Agreement – Part 1

9 years ago

Further to the last blog, a well written motor carrier agreement can be a powerful tool in promoting partnerships between shippers and freight companies. Listed below are some of the major components of a comprehensive contract. 1. Parties to the Agreement The document must clearly identify the parties to the agreement, including the use of […]

Does your Company Need a Motor Carrier Agreement to Manage its Freight Transportation?

9 years ago

Motor carrier agreements or contracts are documents signed between shippers and carriers that set out the parameters and processes under which two or more companies work together to provide freight transportation services. These documents, often prepared by lawyers (with input from freight management professionals), set out a range of service expectations and freight rates […]