Rates
Benchmarked against what comparable shippers pay, in every mode you run.
Transportation Operations Audit
Review of rates, carriers, technology, staffing and process
Where we go deep for you
We start by building an accurate baseline of your current operation, including cost, modes, distances, service levels and procedures. The deliverable is a detailed report with actionable recommendations and the underlying data to defend them internally. Not the quick-fix variety.
Some consultants operate at the 50,000-foot level. We live in the weeds, where the detail and opportunity are.
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Can you hit service targets?
With the distribution network you have?
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Are your freight rates too high?
Against other shippers, not against last year.
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Is your freight audit process effective?
Is it only paying invoices?
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Is your technology right-sized?
Are you paying for functionality nobody uses?
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How do your staffing levels compare?
With companies of your profile.
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Would brokers or forwarders help?
And on which lanes?
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Should you be using different modes?
If yes, which ones?
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Can your current program support your growth plan?
Do you need to reorganize before you start falling behind
What the service has produced for our clients
$15M+ saved per year, 18% cost compression — Multi-billion-dollar testing equipment developer
Records on paper, track and trace by phone call, and rates nobody had tested in years. The audit and the RFPs that followed rebuilt the network across ocean, air, truckload, LTL, last mile and parcel.
Read the full case study
Expansion into new modes unblocked — Third-party logistics provider, 5 million square feet
Double-digit growth against a manual back office. The audit found the systems and staffing gaps in the way, and we built the margin model to price the new modes.
Read the full case studyDefined scope of work, priced up front
An audit is analysis rather than negotiation, so it runs on a project fee. After input from you we define a clear scope of work and timeline, along with our costs to complete it.
Where the audit leads into negotiation or a bid, that work moves to gainshare and we are paid as we deliver results.
Example savings. Actual range can be 10–35%
Is this the service for you?
- You spend $1M or more a year on transportation
- You suspect the operation is costing you money but cannot point at where
- Nobody has reviewed transportation stem to stern in years
- You are about to invest in technology, headcount or capacity and want the facts first
- You need recommendations you can defend internally, with the data behind them
Who does the work
Paul Brinkman, the President, participates in every engagement himself. He reviews every analysis, sits in the negotiations, and stays through implementation.
No junior consultant individually inherits your account after the sale.
Behind Paul is a bench of analysts and engineers who build the data and the models, plus founder Giles Taylor, who started the firm in 1997 and still weighs in.
How much are you leaving on the table?
Get an instant calculation of your savings potential. Based on the database of carrier contracts we have audited and negotiated for 600+ clients since 1997, and on current benchmark data showing what companies with your profile pay today.