How to Price Truckload Freight: Building a Rate the Shipper Says Yes To
A step-by-step method for pricing FTL freight as a broker: market rate, lane adjustments, timing, accessorials, fuel and margin, with a worked example.
Hopelight Labs · · 3 min read
Pricing truckload freight is part data, part judgment. Price too high and you lose the load. Price too low and you either lose money or can't find a carrier. A repeatable method keeps you between the two.
Step 1: Start from a market reference
Begin with a current market rate for the lane and equipment type. Most US brokers use a rate data service such as DAT RateView, which aggregates actual transactions and shows spot and contract averages by lane. Use the same reference consistently, so your team compares like with like. More in how to use DAT RateView data.
Check two things in the market data:
- The spread: a wide range between low and high rates signals volatility. Price more carefully.
- The trend: are rates on this lane rising or falling over the past weeks?
Step 2: Adjust for the lane's specifics
Market averages hide important differences:
- Headhaul vs. backhaul: freight leaving a busy outbound market costs more than freight heading into it.
- Pick-up and delivery locations: rural or hard-to-reach facilities may need a premium.
- Facility reputation: slow-loading docks cost carriers time, and good carriers price that in.
Your own lane history is the best source for these adjustments. See using your own lane history to price smarter.
Step 3: Adjust for timing
- Lead time: same-day or next-day pick-ups cost more than loads booked days ahead.
- Day of week: Friday pick-ups and weekend deliveries are often harder to cover.
- Season: produce season, holidays and end-of-quarter volume all tighten capacity.
Step 4: Add accessorials and requirements
List everything beyond a standard dock-to-dock move: extra stops, driver assist, liftgate, tarps, temperature control, hazmat, team drivers, appointments. Price each one explicitly. Our accessorial charges checklist helps you avoid missing any.
Step 5: Handle fuel
Decide whether you quote all-in (fuel included) or linehaul plus a fuel surcharge. Most spot quotes to shippers are all-in, which is simpler to accept. See fuel surcharges explained.
Step 6: Estimate your carrier cost and add margin
The market reference approximates what you'll pay a carrier. Your quote to the shipper is that cost plus your margin. Set margin with written rules: a minimum dollar amount, a target percentage, and adjustments by customer. Read freight broker margins.
Worked example
A shipper asks for a dry van from Dallas, TX to Atlanta, GA, picking up in two days, 42,000 lbs, no special requirements. This example uses illustrative numbers:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Market reference (all-in, van) | $1,900 |
| Lane adjustment (strong outbound market) | + $60 |
| Timing (2-day lead time) | $0 |
| Accessorials | $0 |
| Estimated carrier cost | $1,960 |
| Margin (rule: max of $175 or 9%) | + $190 |
| Quote to shipper | $2,150 all-in |
Step 7: Quote fast, then learn
A well-priced quote sent an hour late often loses to an average quote sent in five minutes. Combine this method with a fast process (how to quote freight faster) and track every outcome so you can measure your quote-to-load win rate.
Common pricing mistakes
- Quoting from a stale rate you looked up yesterday
- Forgetting an accessorial that the shipper mentioned in passing
- Applying a different margin depending on which rep answered
- Not recording lost quotes, so you never learn where you're too high
A consistent method, applied by every rep, is what turns pricing from guesswork into a competitive advantage.
