New Freight Data Exposes Costs of Carrier Rejections
Shippers can now monitor the cost premiums of secondary carrier tenders to better manage their transportation budgets.
Updated on Oct. 22, 2026 in Transportation
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SONAR released three new truckload dataset groups and enhanced its SearchCarriers platform with automated monitoring tools. These additions provide shippers with real-time visibility into contract rate shifts and the cost premiums associated with routing guide rejections.
Why it matters
Shippers and brokers face rising costs when primary carriers reject loads, often leading to unplanned spot market reliance. These datasets enable logistics operators to quantify the financial impact of routing guide failures and monitor carrier safety compliance more effectively.
As of October 20, 2026, second-tender loads cost 22.02% more than first-tender loads, with 89.05% of volume accepted at the first position. Additionally, new contract rates are averaging 12.58% higher than previous agreements, tracked through daily updates of a 7-day rolling average.
The players
SONAR
A logistics data and freight market intelligence platform that provides analytics on trucking rates and supply chain capacity.
The details
The new Routing Guide Premium and Acceptance Share datasets allow users to track the cost and success rate of tender positions, identifying the specific financial toll of secondary carrier reliance. Simultaneously, the updated SearchCarriers tool allows operators to watch up to 200 carriers using USDOT numbers for automated notifications. This system facilitates equipment lookups by VIN or plate, aiding in fraud mitigation and safety compliance checks before finalizing transport agreements.
Timeline
October 20, 2026: The baseline metrics for routing guide and contract rate data were recorded.
October 22, 2026: SONAR officially launched the new dataset groups and platform tools.
Market Landscape
This release reflects an ongoing industry pivot toward using predictive analytics to manage the historical volatility of the U.S. truckload spot market. By integrating granular routing guide data, operators are increasingly moving away from manual load tendering toward automated, data-driven carrier selection.
Operators should use the new datasets to audit their current routing guide performance and determine if the 22.02% premium for secondary tenders warrants renegotiating primary carrier agreements. Logistics managers should also leverage the SearchCarriers update to automate their vetting process, reducing the risk of fraud in high-rate environments.
The takeaway
The data confirms that failing to secure capacity on the first tender introduces a significant cost premium that directly erodes shipping margins. Operators should track their first-tender acceptance rate as a primary metric to gauge their vulnerability to current contract rate increases.
Further reading
For more on managing supply chain logistics, visit the United States Transportation section.
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