Covering a load means finding a carrier, agreeing on a rate, and getting a signed rate confirmation. This article walks through adding carrier bids, tendering, covering, offering, and confirming the driver.
Add carrier bids
You can add carrier bids any time after the shipment is created.
On the Shipment Details page, open the Coverage tab and scroll to Carrier Bids.
Click Add Bid.
Enter the carrier, their rate and where you found them.
Save the bid. It's also listed on the Carrier Bids page.
Check the rate with Rate Coach
When you enter a rate, Rate Coach grades it as a good or poor option based on how it compares to the market. It also shows the list rate, the rep target and the customer rate.
If the bid needs a lead's approval, which is common for poorly graded bids, check Get Approval when you save. The bid is sent to the right lead.
Tender the shipment
Make sure a Carrier Manager is assigned. If not, open Carrier Management Team in the left panel, click the pencil icon and choose one.
Click Tender in the top right.
Cover and offer
Click Cover in the top right.
Choose the carrier and dispatcher, enter the rate and check the tracking requirement. If the carrier isn't in the TMS yet, click +Onboard New Carrier.
If the carrier is active and approved, click Offer. This sends the rate confirmation to the carrier to accept and sign.
If the carrier needs approval
If the carrier has a compliance issue, you can still click Cover to reserve the load for them, but a team lead must approve them before you can offer.
Team leads: on the Shipment Details page, find Compliance Requirements in the right panel and click Approve or Reject.
If approved, scroll back up and click Offer.
If rejected, move the load back to Tendered and cover it with another carrier.
Get the rate confirmation signed
The carrier gets an email and signs the rate confirmation in the Carrier App. If they don't sign within your brokerage's offer window, they're removed from the load automatically and it goes back to Tendered.
In your Demo environment, you can sign on the carrier's behalf for testing: open the Accounting tab, scroll to Documents and sign the rate confirmation there.
Add the driver
Once the rate confirmation is signed, click the pencil icon next to Remove Carrier in the left panel. Enter the driver, tracking type and truck number. The shipment moves to Assigned.
Remove (bounce) a carrier
Click Remove Carrier in the left panel and choose a reason, such as TONU or declined via Carrier App.