It’s easy to choose a transport company “by price.” And that’s the shortest path to the longest dispute. In logistics, price is not only the cost per kilometer—it’s also process discipline, document-flow quality, the ability to handle incidents, and honesty about surcharges. Professionals usually don’t promise miracles; instead they offer clear rules: what’s included, what isn’t, which lead times are realistic, how detention is recorded, how claims are filed. And that, surprisingly, is calming.
Beginners most often miss three things: checking the carrier’s legal and operational stability, assessing their networks/subcontractors, and reviewing the “fine print” in tariffs. Below is a practical list of criteria that will help you choose a carrier for your задачa and avoid the trap of “cheap now — expensive later.”
What it is: a carrier owns/operates the vehicles, a freight forwarder organizes transport (often via subcontractors), an aggregator matches supply and demand.
How it’s measured: who signs the contract, who bears liability, who physically transports the cargo.
Why it matters: the level of control and responsibility depends on the role. Sometimes a forwarder is better (strong network), sometimes worse (too long a subcontractor chain).
What it is: an SLA is the agreed service parameters: lead times, delivery windows, notifications, incident handling.
How it’s measured: response time, % of deliveries “on time and in full,” tracking quality.
Why it matters: “we try our best” can’t be measured. An SLA can.
What it is: a clear price structure: what’s included (dispatch, km, terminal services, waiting), and what is billed separately.
How it’s measured: a list of surcharges and the rules for applying them.
Why it matters: pros don’t hide surcharges—they describe them upfront. Any other strategy is usually called “a surprise.”
What it is: how the carrier prepares waybills/acts, how they record damage/shortage, how they accept claims and their review timelines.
How it’s measured: having a procedure/regulation and real-world case closure speed.
Why it matters: incidents happen to everyone. The difference is how they are handled.
What it is: availability of insurance programs, liability limits, compensation conditions, and exclusions.
How it’s measured: documents, limits, and settlement practice.
Why it matters: “we compensate everything” without a procedure is not a guarantee—it’s a legend.
| What to check | Why | Red flag |
|---|---|---|
| Price structure | Understand the total cost | “We’ll calculate extra services later” |
| Lead times and SLA | Delivery stability | They promise “definitely tomorrow” with no conditions |
| Claims | Peace of mind during incidents | No procedure; everything is “in chat” |
| Tracking | Control and notifications | “Driver doesn’t pick up” is considered normal |
| Experience with your cargo type | Lower risks | They say “we transport everything,” but give no specifics |
When it fits: you have different cargo types and lanes: some LTL, some FTL, plus temperature-controlled or oversized moves.
Pros: each carrier does what they’re strong at; fewer risks; better economics.
Limitations: more management and coordination; you need a logistics/forwarding management layer.
Risks: without a single process and document standards, you’ll end up with a “zoo” of terms and conditions.
When it fits: stable volumes, standard cargo, predictability matters, you need one unified service standard.
Pros: easier to manage; unified rules; you can negotiate better service and priority.
Limitations: dependence on one partner.
Risks: if the partner drops in quality or the market tightens, without a backup you get hit by seasonal truck shortages.
Scenario 1: baseline — a company chose a carrier based on the lowest FTL rate, but got regular detention at consignees and “as incurred” surcharges. Actions — added “detention terms and time recording” as a key criterion, introduced receiving windows, and chose a carrier with a transparent tariff and tracking. Result — total cost went down, even though the base rate became slightly higher, because constant add-on charges disappeared.
Scenario 2: baseline — LTL transport with frequent mis-sorts. Actions — started evaluating terminal network quality and claims procedure, required a labeling standard and confirmation of acceptance by package count. Result — the number of “missing pieces” decreased, and disputed cases closed faster. We’ve worked in this field for over 13 years, and the most honest conclusion is: pros are visible not by promises, but by how they describe the problem and what they do when it happens.
1) Is it worth working with a freight forwarder instead of a direct carrier?
Sometimes yes—especially if the forwarder has a strong network and truly manages subcontractor quality. The key is understanding who bears liability and how control is built.
2) How do you quickly spot that “there will be surcharges”?
Look for a transparent list of extra services and rules for applying them. If answers are vague and the quote shows only “rate per trip,” surcharges are almost inevitable.
3) What should you ask on the first call to separate pros from amateurs?
Ask for: tariff structure and surcharges, detention rules, a sample claims procedure, how tracking works, and how they notify you when something deviates. Pros will answer calmly and specifically. Amateurs will start telling you how they’re “the best.”