10 TIPS 1 LEVERAGE REAL-TIME SHIPMENT VISIBILITY.
Leveraging the right transportation strategies, tools, and insights can help optimize operations and deliver outstanding service at a reduced cost. Reducing Transportation Costs
and spot carriers for more reliable coverage, especially during peak seasons. 8 CONSOLIDATE SHIPMENTS. Consolidating multiple smaller shipments into full truckloads rather than relying on LTL shipments reduces overall costs and improves on-time performance. Advanced TMS solutions can identify opportunities to aggregate shipments across facilities for more streamlined operations. Cross-docking or transloading also reduces the number of touches on your freight, lowering the chance of errors or damage. 9 USE MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION. Shifting between modes can unlock savings. A multimodal TMS can identify opportunities to use rail, barge, or intermodal combinations while ensuring
Real-time shipment visibility allows you to track freight movements across all modes. Armed with accurate ETAs, your team can proactively manage exceptions, minimize disruptions, and avoid costly expedited shipments. A transportation management system (TMS) makes this seamless, providing end-to-end tracking on a centralized platform.
2 OPTIMIZE LOAD PLANNING.
6 LEVERAGE DATA ANALYTICS.
add up if not managed. Proactive alerts within a TMS warn teams about potential accessorial charges, such as delayed dock appointments or extended railcar dwell times, allowing you to act before fees are incurred. 5 AUTOMATE FREIGHT AUDITING. Integrating freight audit tools can automatically flag discrepancies, validate costs against contracts, and prevent duplicate payments. This leads to precise and accurate payment processes every time. With automated freight bill auditing, companies avoid overpaying carriers by catching billing inconsistencies and save valuable time spent on manual data reconciliation.
Underutilized truck space or poorly planned routes lead to inflated costs. Automating load planning with a TMS ensures you efficiently consolidate shipments, maximize capacity, and significantly reduce the cost per unit shipped. Many advanced systems offer dynamic routing, which factors in real-time data to suggest the optimal paths. 3 USE RATE OPTIMIZATION TOOLS. Comparing contracted and spot rates manually can be time-consuming and error- prone. Rate optimization tools built into TMS platforms automatically match your shipments to the lowest-cost carrier or mode, eliminating guesswork. These tools help avoid overpaying during high-demand periods with automated spot markets. 4 PREVENT COSTLY ACCESSORIAL CHARGES. Accessorial fees, like detention, demurrage, and missed appointments, quickly
Understanding which carriers underperform and identifying costly lanes empowers better decisions grounded in data. Modern TMS platforms incorporate predictive analytics to uncover trends and cost-saving opportunities that might go unnoticed. 7 DIVERSIFY YOUR CARRIER NETWORK. Over-reliance on a small group of carriers can create vulnerabilities, especially when capacity tightens. Expanding your pool of carriers ensures greater flexibility and bargaining power. An expansive tendering algorithm built into a TMS helps shippers reach more carriers without sacrificing lead time. Create a mix of dedicated, contract,
customer requirements are upheld. Multimodal
transportation helps to reduce fuel costs for long distances and lower emissions to meet sustainability goals.
10 PROACTIVELY COLLABORATE WITH CARRIERS.
Use TMS-integrated scorecards to evaluate carrier performance, tracking metrics like on-time delivery, rate accuracy, and response times. Proactively communicating with carriers on where they can improve ensures smoother future operations.
SOURCE: MATT EVERSON, SVP OF SALES & MARKETING, INTELLITRANS
8 Inbound Logistics • May 2025
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