How do automated volume LTL pricing solutions help the logistics community?
Authored by SMC³ on April 1, 2019
For years, less than truckload shippers and 3PLs have been gathering volume LTL rates the hard way. Due to a lack of options, when their shipments fit the parameters of a volume LTL move, these transportation users have had to get on the phone to query numerous carriers about their volume LTL pricing, sending countless emails back and forth.
Shippers looking to receive a single volume quote could do a not-insignificant amount of waiting. And that’s only if the carrier responds at all. These shippers then had to figure out the cheapest option that also fit their service requirements. If that all sounds like a headache, it’s because it is.
Volume LTL is a valuable feature of today’s supply chain because it fills the gap between LTL and truckload transportation. It can really be looked at as a mutually beneficial arrangement among shippers and carriers. These shipments can move in a carrier’s backhaul or chronic empty lanes, helping to balance the carrier’s network. The pricing is derived from transactional spot-market rates, which are often lower than contractual rates, saving shippers money.
Volume loads are an important component of the LTL industry, allowing carriers in the marketplace to operate economically. Technology is now making it easier and more efficient for shippers and 3PLs to engage carriers on this type of pricing. SMC³ released a direct-to-carrier volume API service to the 10 largest LTL carriers that offer volume LTL pricing, eliminating the laborious process of calling or searching websites for manual pricing inquiries. One simple, single integration to SMC³’s Volume LTL API connects users to all 10 carriers. By automating the volume LTL process, users can not only reduce errors and redeploy resources to revenue-generating activities, but broaden the prospective carrier pool.
To make it even easier for anybody to take advantage of the new Volume LTL API connectivity, SMC³ now offers a web-enabled rater that provides immediate access to spot volume rates from the largest, most reliable LTL providers. Through the rater, customers obtain direct access to carrier volume pricing via a user-friendly web interface. The rater is a perfect tool for large 3PLs that have a dedicated team quoting volume shipments. Companies planning to integrate to SMC³’s volume LTL API can also use the rater to get started automating the volume pricing process as soon as possible.
SMC³’s continuous innovation and authority in LTL rating solutions comes from decades of experience creating transportation technology solutions. As the leader in LTL rating, SMC³ is the most-trusted provider of LTL freight APIs and analytical transportation tools.
Powering the entire transportation industry, working for both the large 3PLs that handle 10,000 shipments each day and the small shippers that send out 100 shipments each week, requires a broad range of tailored solutions. The company’s volume LTL tools, both the high-powered API and the user-friendly Volume LTL Rater, allow customers to choose the solution that best fits their transportation needs.
To learn more about the benefits of SMC³’s volume LTL tools, contact us today at sales@smc3.com.