What you see is what you get when it comes to freight quotes, or is it? We wish it were, but as with life, there are no guarantees—so this is a myth that needs busting. Here’s why.
Getting an accurate freight quote before tendering a shipment is no small task. Most quotes start simple enough with a base rate depending on the mode of transport, but things can quickly become less clear. It is inevitable that additional costs like fuel surcharges, destination terminal charges, CFS charges, among countless other fees and accessorials come into play. These are actual costs but are often not known or included when a quote is provided.
This becomes a problem when companies, who are trying to make informed decisions about choosing a provider, think a quote they’ve received includes every possible cost for a shipment. And not surprisingly, it can lead to some serious disagreement when the invoice shows up. To make matters worse, there is the everpresent problem of large detention and demurrage invoices arriving months after containers have been delivered and the original invoices sent.
The point is that shippers should always ensure they are aware of what is, and what is not, included in every quote they get. It will allow you to make a better apples-to-apples comparison of your routing options and ensure there will be no surprises once the load is delivered and the invoice arrives for payment.
