Freight Quotes Compared - Flock vs. the Competition

How are freight quotes calculated?

A freight quote is the estimated price that it will cost to move a load of goods. Historically, carriers and brokers manually calculated freight quotes then negotiated back and forth with shippers via phone before landing upon a mutually agreed rate. Thanks to today’s sophisticated algorithms, that tedious, outdated method is no longer needed, and shippers can now receive—and instantly book—quotes online.But… neither methods are without its challenges, and manual and instant quote rates don’t always match the final cost. Why? Because a myriad of volatile factors plays into the final price. Carrier availability, shipper mistakes, and global economics are only a few that easily derail freight rates.

How do you get the best freight quote rates?

To make empowered business decisions, there are two imperative things to know about unlocking cheaper freight quotes.

Understand how to get an accurate freight quote.

Familiarizing yourself with the complexity of rate calculation is crucial to receiving accurate quotes. Review our article on Calculating Freight Quotes to learn how to get a fair rate that won’t change.

Know how to secure the most competitive rate.

To save on shipping costs, it’s essential to explore your options. Get and compare freight shipping quotes from multiple companies to ensure you get the mode and rate for your load. Ready for your shipping operation to truly thrive? Keep reading to see how Flock’s unique offerings save you money with ideal freight rates.

Unlocking cheaper freight quotes with Flock.

Choose from more freight modes.

Whether you’re prioritizing speed, cost savings, or anything in between, Flock offers more mode options than any other provider—giving you unrivaled flexibility and freight diversification to make smarter business decisions.From traditional less than truckload (LTL), truckload (TL), consolidation, and partials to our patented FlockDirect® service and shared truckload (STL), with Flock, you can easily choose the mode that makes the most sense for each unique load—while saving up to 20% on shipment costs compared to TL.Flock’s mode diversity helps you save by:

• not paying for a full truck when you don’t need one—without sacrificing speed
• preventing up to 5.7x less damage than traditional LTL thanks to no transloading
• moving on faster, optimized routes for 30% more on-time deliveries than traditional LTL

More flexible mode options puts more money—and power—back in your hands.

Ship STL vs traditional LTL.

Similar to LTL, STL combines your shipment with freight from other shippers, so you only pay for the truck space you use. But while LTL is notorious for its inefficiencies and unpredictably high fees, STL is consistent both in price and reliability—making it your much smarter, more cost-effective option.What causes LTL’s surprise costs?

• Accessorial fees, costing shippers an average of $411,239.18 per year
• Late fees, afflicting 100% of shippers surveyed in Flock’s study with Drive Research¹
• Damage fees, requiring 78% of shippers¹ to pay to replace and reship goods
• Linear-foot caps, forcing shippers to splurge on TL despite having LTL volume

Want to go deeper into understanding how LTL shipping adds up? Learn more in our article, Revealing the True Cost of LTL Shipping & How to Regain Control.Why ship STL over LTL?STL is the world’s only LTL alternative that cuts accessorial fees and terminals. Using a sophisticated algorithm to match locations, schedules, and compatible loads, Flock’s patented STL technology brings together freight from multiple shippers to share and fill trailer space—creating a single, multi-stop full truckload that moves on the most efficient routes. By skipping hubs, STL moves goods 99.8% damage free and ensures time-sensitive freight meets strict delivery appointments.

“We were using TL service to ship 12-14 pallets due to weight constraints. Using FlockDirect^®’s STL reduced delivery expenses on these shipments, sometimes upwards of 50%.”

- Tyler Wright, Logistics and Operations Manager at at Waiākea Water

Pool freight with flexible pickup.

Don’t have a strict delivery date and want to spend less on shipping? Schedule a flexible pick-up time, so Flock can pool your freight.Selecting a flexible pickup date gives Flock’s patented technology time to smartly pool it with other shipments—finding the most optimal and cost-effective truck and route for your freight.How is Flock’s STL freight pooling different?When you let Flock pool your shipment, your goods stay in a single truck, driven by a single driver, moving fast on terminal-free routes all the way to their destination.And don’t worry. Unlike traditional LTL, we won’t let your goods wait too long, so you can still meet customer demand without having to pay the costly price of a full truckload that’s partially empty.Watch this video to learn more about how STL works.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssIHGpT2hFQ[/embed] 

Secure transparent rates.

Remember how many external factors can affect your freight rate after the fact? Beat that uncertainty with transparent freight quotes, so the initial quote you receive and the actual price you’re charged match—no surprises.

“Having the ability to go into the Flock Platform, enter the specifics for each shipment (pallet dimensions, due dates, etc.) and get a quick quote back has been one of the best parts of working with Flock Freight.”

- Cleo Stevenson, Logistics Coordinator at Greenshield Organic

Selecting a company like Flock that honors the price they quote you protects you from unexpected post-delivery costs, so you can be confident that you’re getting your most cost-effective rate.

Start saving on freight.

With so much that goes into getting shipping quotes, finding the best option can be tricky. With instant, fair, and transparent freight quotes, Flock helps your shipping operation not only save—but thrive.Plus, when you work with Flock, you’ll get the most out of your budget with freight solutions you won’t find anywhere else, like:

• unrivaled flexibility with more mode options than any other provider
• the ability to save 1000’s by ditching LTL’s sneaky costly fees
• pooling of shipments with flexible pickups for lower rates

Ready to save money, time, and headaches? Join the Flock to start shipping smarter today.