What a contract rate is
A contract rate is a price you and DOF Ground agree on for a lane, for a period you both name, often a few months to a year. It is based on how much freight you expect to tender and what it costs to cover that lane. The point is a truck you can plan on, and a number you can put in a budget.
A spot rate is the other tool. It is for a lane you ship once, for volume that jumps around, or for a gap you have to fill today. Shippers with steady lanes, including a known peak, are usually better on contract. Shippers with occasional freight are usually better on spot. Many use both.
What we set up
- Lane awards. We take your volume, find carriers who can run it, and recommend who should get the freight.
- Dedicated equipment. When you want a truck, trailer, and driver assigned to your freight for a day, a week, or longer, we can set that up and handle sourcing, compliance, and billing.
- After the award. We watch whether the carriers you awarded actually take the freight and deliver it, and we deal with the misses.
If you already have a routing guide, we can tender to those carriers and still show you the shipment in one place.
Contract or spot
Contract for lanes you repeat. Spot for one-offs and surprises. We will say which one fits the volume you describe.
Dedicated
A driver and tractor assigned to your work for a defined period, when you need the same capacity every day.
After you award
Tendering and a simple scorecard so a carrier who accepted the rate also accepts the freight.