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Managed Transportation Services Can Save Money, Boost Service Levels

Back when I was running logistics operations day in and day out, I had a saying: “You don’t fix your freight spend with blanket RFPs.” I’ll be honest – it got a few eye rolls. But I stood by it then, and I still stand by it now. Because even back then, I stood behind managed transportation services.

Here’s why: Too many companies treat transportation like it’s just another line item to trim. Most companies sign their transportation contracts in January or February. They send out a blanket RFP in the first quarter (or sometime during the year), pick the lowest rate and hope the results match their savings goals.

Then come summer or peak season, capacity tightens and service slips. Suddenly, those bargain rates don’t look like such a bargain anymore.

If this sounds familiar, it might be time to look at your transportation program with fresh eyes. Not just another bid. I’m talking about a comprehensive transportation solution.

And I’d like to show you what that means – and why now is the right time.

A Storm Is Brewing in 2026

We’ve all had a bit of a reprieve these past couple of years. Rates cooled down after the COVID crunch. Carriers had excess capacity.

But that window is closing.

A recent report in Yahoo News summed it up clearly: Logistics leaders expect tight capacity and rising prices through mid-2026.

That tracks with what we’re seeing at Tompkins Ventures. Tender rejection rates are climbing. In other words, for some companies that go this route, their lowest-cost carriers reject 25 out of every 100 shipment requests.

That’s unacceptably high. And with the spot market always volatile, even relatively stable fuel prices won’t save you.

If you’re waiting until January to react, it’s already too late. You want to contact Tompkins Ventures now for a complete transportation study to figure things out for next year.

Beyond Rates: The Real Opportunity

Now, I know rate increases grab headlines. But smart transportation leaders know that rates are only part of the equation. The truth is, you can control your transportation spend, even in a market with rising rates, by tightening up operations and getting strategic about how you move freight.

This is where a real analysis makes all the difference. A real analysis can lower costs and improve customer satisfaction.

This happens when you roll up your sleeves, sit down with your team and look at everything:

  • Freight profiles
  • Accessorials
  • Network flows
  • Carrier mix
  • Tender lead times
  • Mode selection
  • Multi-stop and consolidation
  • Visibility and tracking gaps
  • Service failures and hidden costs

That’s the difference between rate reduction and cost reduction.

What We’re Seeing in the Field

At Tompkins Ventures, we’ve conducted dozens of transportation analyses over the last year. And I’ll be blunt: not a single one was “just fine.”

They had forecasted to save a couple million dollars over the course of the year. However, their costs actually went up. Short lead times, compliance to the routing guide was less than acceptable, they had no TMS to optimize and consolidate loads and no backup routing guide. So they were bleeding money on daily activity, regular loads, last-minute spot market loads and air freight.

Another had been overpaying accessorials by six figures a year. Excess detention charges, additional layovers, even TONUs (trucks order, not used). It wasn’t their fault. Their manual processes simply were not catching the billing errors.

But no one had checked in years. They simply kept renewing with current providers or conducting a yearly RFP process.

These are the kind of things a full-scope analysis uncovers. Not just cost savings, but service improvements through overall better supply chain performance.

Managed transportation services prevent those issues, along with giving your operations visibility, control and predictability.

Managed Transportation Keeps You in Control

When Tompkins Ventures partners manage your transportation, they first engineer your freight for the most optimized cost and service. Then they become an extension of your team – not a replacement.

You stay in control. You make the calls. But we bring the tools, people and experience to help you make better decisions. Every day.

Managed transportation gives you:

  • Advanced TMS that gives you optimization capabilities.
  • Advanced analytics
  • 24/7 execution support
  • Continuous improvement plans
  • Proactive problem-solving
  • Carrier contract and performance management
  • Freight audit and match pay
  • Shipment visibility across the supply chain
  • Strategic focused RFPs – only in overmarket lanes
  • A team that’s done this across all major modes

Think of it like this: You wouldn’t buy a multimillion-dollar machine and leave it unmaintained. Your transportation network is no different. It needs tuning, monitoring and continual optimization. Not another blanket RFP for all of your transportation.

And that’s what managed transportation services deliver – without you hiring a dozen analysts or investing in new tech.

By doing an analysis now, we can help you:

  • Identify the real drivers of transportation cost
  • Model different network and routing options
  • Prepare for likely rate shifts
  • Build a sourcing strategy that balances cost, service and capacity

This isn’t a band-aid, a spreadsheet trick or another blanket RFP process. It’s a full diagnostic – and it’s designed to make your transportation program more resilient, not just cheaper.

Let’s Talk Managed Transportation Solutions

If you’re a transportation or supply chain leader who’s tired of riding the rate rollercoaster, I’d love to talk.

At Tompkins Ventures, we partner with companies to transform the way they move freight. That starts with understanding where you are today – and where the risks and opportunities lie.

So don’t wait until the pressure’s on. Let’s find data-driven, cost-effective solutions that you will not find via a blanket RFP process.

You can reach out to us anytime at Tompkins Ventures to schedule a conversation. No pressure. No pitch. Just a real discussion about your transportation challenges and how we can help.

Because the right managed transportation solutions don’t just lower your costs; they improve your supply chain end to end.

And that is how you stay ahead in this business.