Build Carrier Relationships That Weather Any Market

When the Market Shifts, Who Still Picks Up Your Freight?

Freight markets fluctuate, but your carrier relationships shouldn’t.

As conditions change, the difference between transactional and strategic partnerships becomes obvious. In conversations with logistics leaders, there's a growing sentiment: loyal partners will be prioritized, while others are being treated more like short-term passengers.

So how do you make sure your partners fall into the first group?

Strong Carrier Relationships Still Win

Cost matters, but it's not everything. At our recent Supply Chain & Logistics Summit, our CTO Kyle Jepson shared that only 33.8% of lanes over the last 12 months were awarded to the lowest-cost carrier.

That’s because other factors often take priority. Stability, reliability, and service history carry serious weight when awarding freight.

Here’s what our data shows:

• Incumbent carriers tend to win freight even when their rate ranks fourth on a lane.
• Non-incumbents usually need to be in the top one or two to earn the award.
  
  

Shippers using transportation management software are leaning into this strategy. Instead of just looking for the cheapest rate on spot freight, they’re using these tools to surface the carriers who consistently perform.

Keeping Your Best Carriers Close

If you want stronger results when things tighten up, now is the time to invest in better relationships. Here’s how:

• Use performance data to track metrics like on-time delivery, tender acceptance, and communication quality.
• Avoid unnecessary churn in your routing guide. Transportation management software can help you weigh historical performance alongside cost to make better award decisions.
  
• Stay in touch with your core carriers. Clear communication often makes the difference in whether or not they prioritize your freight.
• Give incumbents a fair shot. When they’ve earned your trust, let them keep the lane—even if their rate isn’t the lowest.
  
  

Markets change, but strong relationships give you more control over how you respond. Build the right partnerships now, and you’ll have fewer surprises later.

Where Emerge Comes In

Emerge was built to support relationship-driven freight strategies, especially when market conditions change.

Inside the platform, shippers can:

• Compare carrier offers in the context of past award data and historical performance
• Spot trends across recurring lanes and identify which partners deliver consistently
• Use tools like Scenario Builder and Autobook Partners to align decisions with your network goals, not just the cheapest offer

And for the lanes where you don’t have established relationships, the Emerge Marketplace fills the gap. You’ll gain access to over 700 direct relationships with Grade A, asset-based carriers, all fully visible and identifiable. We believe transparency builds trust, so we don’t just connect you with carriers; we help facilitate stronger, longer-term relationships.

Emerge is a full-featured platform that includes quoting, transportation management, and a built-in marketplace of asset-based carriers. It gives you the tools to manage your current network and expand it when needed,  all without giving up control of your freight strategy.

When the market shifts, you shouldn’t have to start from scratch. With the right partners—and the right platform—you don’t have to.