III. Conduct Lane Resarch

1. Verify City-to-city distances* - use Google Maps on the Lane Research Tab Divider to verify city to city distances ALWAYS.  Loadboards and brokers alike misrepresent actual mileages to make loads look more appealing than what they actually pay. The city-to-city distance check is mandatory. Don't let any broker get over on you or your driver because you did not take the time to verify mileages. Forgetting to verify mileages can cause a domino effect of issues, at the very least, cancellations or missed appointment times. Make sure to verify.

2. Research 30-day/15-day Lane Average - research the 30 day/15 day Lane Average to make sure a fair rate is priced or to determine a suitable bid. Use this information as a guide only though. Total Capacity of trucks in the market, which affects price, changes from week to week. In an inflationary market, (when the total capacity of trucks available for service on average is going down) price goes up with each passing day; in a deflationary market, price goes down with each passing day. You'll have to use the 30-day/15-day average along with your best judgement then, to decide whether to book, hold, or pass on any load. Holding for a better rate is okay so long as you manage time and the availability of loads carefully. Only hold when you feel there are enough other options to warrrant waiting. Ultimately, you want your driver to have a load assigned to them immediately after they deliver their previous load. Mismanaging your time within a negotiation to the point your driver is not planned after their delivery can be costly to the company, you, and your driver.

3. Narrowing Down to the Lane - Use the 30-day/15-day Lane Average as a guide, but also evaluate how many other options (loads) are being offered for that specific lane on the specific day you are trying to pick up. Are there many options or only a few? Are the brokers offering the loads large or small companies? You might also research the load to truck ratio for the city you are going to. Is it unusually high, unusually low, or about the same for that time of the year? "Narrowing Down to the Lane" will give valuable insight into the value of a lane at any particular time, which is useful information when starting a negotiation, submitting a bid, or quoting a price. 

4. Analyze Rate-Pace Calculator Outputs, if neccessary - use the Rate-Pace Calculator to verify company criteria is met on any one load. Enter the information on two loads together to see if the average of the two loads meet company criteria/goals

Obtaining freight often involves using load boards, which are a primary method. A successful Fleet Manager must grasp the fundamentals of load board operation and skillfully utilize their various filters to identify the best load options. While profitable freight may be abundant, particularly during inflationary periods, the Fleet Manager's core duty is to secure the most profitable load, taking all relevant variables into account.

As detailed later, load selection is generally guided by five key determining factors: 1) Dollar per mile, 2) Dollar Rate, 3) Pickup Time, 4) Pickup Location, and 5) Delivery Location. The importance of these factors is situational. For instance, Delivery Location can become the most critical factor if the Fleet Manager is focused on getting a driver home on time for a promised break or event. Strategic use of specific load board filters allows for a quicker identification of loads that meet both profitability and situational requirements.

Key Filters for Identifying and Booking Profitable Loads:

1. Rate - $/Mile

This is the most critical and frequently used filter. Even when used alongside other criteria, the rate per mile offers the fastest method for identifying the most financially appealing loads.

2. Deadhead Miles from Pickup

This filter is adjusted based on the current supply of available freight in a given area.

• High Freight Supply: When there is an abundance of freight, set the deadhead search radius lower (e.g., 50 miles). Since total load mileage significantly impacts profitability due to associated expenses, prioritizing the closest loads possible is essential for maximizing profit.

• Scarce Freight Supply: Use a larger search radius (e.g., 150-200 miles).

• Load Board Type: Keep in mind that single-broker load boards may necessitate a larger search radius as a standard practice. Conversely, on large, multi-broker platforms, using the deadhead filter is an excellent way for a Fleet Manager to quickly gauge the current market supply.

3. Rate - Highest

This filter is particularly useful in several situations:

• Weekend Loads: Employ it on Fridays to pinpoint high-value loads that might cover an entire weekend's run.

• Long-Distance Loads: It is beneficial when the objective is to find a load with a longer haul.

• Minimum Revenue Goal: Use this filter if there is a specific, high-minimum revenue target for a particular booking.

4. Age - Newest

This filter is necessary when searching for freight outside of regular business hours.

• Nights and Weekends: During these times, it can be difficult to determine which postings are current and accurate.

• Finding "Hot" Leads: Filtering by the newest postings helps identify "hot" leads where a company may be ready for an immediate, quick booking. Posts updated within 30 minutes of inquiry signal urgency, which can increase negotiating leverage and often results in a higher rate of successful booking.

5. Delivery Location Filters-

Loadboards Frequently Used:

• Trucksmarter

• Dial-a-Truck (DAT)

• Truckstop.com

• Parade

• Highway

• Newtrul

• TruckerTools

• C.H. Robinson

• Amazon Relay

Important Info About the Compliance-Check Process When Onboarding with New 3PL's/Customers

• Frequently Used Compliance Service Providers: RMIS (a Truckstop.com company), Highway

3PLs/Brokers/Customers use different compliance service providers to onboard and verify the safety ratings of carriers. These compliance service providers keep a database of carriers information with integrations and continual monitoring that update in real-time. Onboarding most times includes filling out a carrier packet through one of these compliance service providers. 

• Websites Often Checked by Brokers for Info on Carriers: P411, Saferweb (FMCSA Carrier info database)

Customers also use P411 and Saferweb to verify a company's information. P411 is a website designed only for companies with broker authority. Brokers/3PLs use this site as a community safeguard, posting or listing serious carrier infractions, creating a final record that all brokers/3PLs can access for reference when onboarding new carriers. Previous carrier infractions listed on this website can be a serious barrier to onboarding with new customers. 

3PLs use Saferweb too. Saferweb is accessible to any member of the public and can be used to check the credentials of any company in the logistics industry. Using a companies DOT# or MC#, any user can research a companies FMCSA profile ascertaining a company's safety rating, what kind of authorities the company has and if those authorities are active, the quantity and type of equipment the company owns or uses, and their insurance or bond provider. Users can also see if the referenced company's insurance or bond is active, or the date the bond or insurance was cancelled, if cancelled. If our company needs to file a claim against a broker for non-payment on a load, Saferweb is the site that directs us to the company the claim can be filed with. FMs can access Saferweb by navigating to the "CSAT>Agencies of Compliance>Biennial Update" folder of the Bookmarks Bar.

• Documentation Often Requested: Carrier Authority, Certificate of Insurance, W-9, Company Banking Info for Payables. Company onboarding documents are found in the Operations Department Folder in Google Drive

• Accessibility: Label and File All Carrier-Broker Agreements in the "Customer Broker Agreements" Folder in Google Drive

The 11 Things Pulled from RCs ALWAYS:

1. Customer Name - the company that pays us

2. Reference Number - the main number that governs the load for the customer

3. Pickup Location

4. Pickup Appointment (Date and Time)

5. Pickup Notes - pickup numbers and shipper's notes

6. Delivery Location

7. Delivery Appointment (Date and Time)

8. Delivery Notes - delivery numbers and receiver's notes

9. Special Requests

10. Customer's Accounts Payable Email Address - the email the customer requests the invoice be sent to

11. Rate - the payment made to our company for services provided

A FMs understanding of the information required for each template email below is an important step to becoming proficient in completing various workflows. The template emails not only provide consistency in workflows for all FMs collectivelly, but also add efficiency to completing various tasks, as details and responses that are necessary but sometime burdensome to recall are pre-formulated. Links and radio buttons also navigate recipients to information that may be helpful in answering questions, thereby saving time.

Template Emails List:

1. We Have An Offer

2. Meet Your Fleet Manager

3. On Schedule

4. Delayed

5. Visibility Chain

6. Early Notification for Detention

7. Load Delivered Without Detention

8. Load Delivered With Detention

9. J.B. Hunt 360 Perks Service Request

10. Maintenance Service Request-Tires

11. Maintenance Service Request-Mechanical