A Stronger Carrier Sourcing Strategy Starts with the Network You Already Have

Every brokerage has carriers its team calls first, and those relationships are earned through experience: the carrier knows the customer, understands the service expectations, and answers when something changes. But what happens when those carriers cannot take the load?

The next call is harder. A representative may remember a carrier from an earlier shipment, ask a colleague for a recommendation, or begin looking outside the network. Meanwhile, there may be suitable carriers already onboarded whose capabilities are less familiar to the team, which is an opportunity worth examining. Brokerages invest considerable effort in building and qualifying their carrier networks, and a deliberate sourcing strategy helps put that investment to work.

The question is how to identify which relationships deserve another look and what information should guide that decision.

Look Beyond the Stated Service Area

A carrier’s reported service area is a useful introduction. For a broker deciding whom to approach about a particular lane, evidence of operating activity adds substance to the introduction. Has the carrier operated in the relevant geography? Does its recorded activity support a closer conversation about the customer’s freight?

Verified Lane Search in Descartes MyCarrierPortal™ brings historical Descartes MacroPoint™ tracking data into Carrier Search. It combines verified lane data with carrier profile and risk assessment information, giving teams more context than carrier-reported states alone. This context can change where a representative directs their attention. A carrier that was previously overlooked may warrant a call. Another may require more questions about how the opportunity fits its operations.

While historical activity cannot tell a representative whether a truck is available tomorrow, it can help them decide which conversations are worth having today.

Let History Shape the Questions You Ask

A promising geographic fit is the beginning of an evaluation. Brokers also need to understand how a potential partner aligns with their qualification requirements and what its history suggests they should investigate further. Carrier profile and risk assessment information provides part of that picture, while tracking history adds another perspective.

Historical Descartes MacroPoint information, including tracking sessions, methods, and compliance percentages, gives teams context for discussing shipment visibility expectations. Relevant discrepancies or fraud indicators can also raise questions that deserve attention alongside existing controls. The value lies in how that information informs judgment. A tracking compliance percentage needs context and a discrepancy needs investigation, but neither should carry the entire decision. For sourcing teams, this creates an opportunity to make outreach more purposeful. Representatives can enter a conversation with specific questions about operational fit and tracking expectations rather than discovering those issues later in the process.

Make the Search Reflect the Freight

There is no single definition of the right carrier. Suitability depends on the shipment, the customer, and the brokerage’s requirements, all of which makes a focused search valuable. Equipment type and risk profile can help narrow a network to relevant candidates, while verified lane data and tracking history concurrently help teams consider those candidates in more depth.

Imagine a brokerage preparing to support a customer’s new lane. The immediate task is to identify carriers to contact, while the larger opportunity is to develop relationships that can support the business over time. Using Carrier Search in Descartes MyCarrierPortal, the team can begin with equipment and risk criteria, then consider historical operating activity and tracking information. From there, representatives can confirm availability, discuss service expectations, and determine whether to proceed through the brokerage’s selection process.

The same discipline applies to recurring freight. Researching alternatives before a regular carrier declines a load gives teams time to ask better questions and develop relationships without an approaching pickup driving every decision.

Get More Value from the Relationships You Have Built

An onboarded carrier network represents time spent collecting information, reviewing qualifications, and establishing connections. Its value grows when teams can use that work to inform future opportunities. Descartes MyCarrierPortal supports that approach by bringing carrier search, verified lane data, and risk assessment information into the sourcing process.

For brokers and 3PLs, the opportunity is practical: look more closely at the network you have built, understand what the available history tells you, and use that knowledge to guide the next conversation. A stronger carrier relationship may begin with a better-informed call.

Put Tracking History to Work Before the Next Load

Historical tracking data can inform your next carrier conversation. Find out how Descartes MacroPoint brings visibility into carrier activity to support better-informed sourcing decisions.

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