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Freight cost optimization · Lever 2 of 10

Shipment consolidation

Every separate shipment carries its own minimum charge, handling and paperwork. We find orders that can travel together, by customer, by date or by region, so you ship fewer, fuller loads.

Independent freight savings advisorNot a broker or carrierNo upfront feePaid only from savings verified on your invoices
Lever 2 of 10

Signs this lever could lower your freight spend

  • The same customer or DC gets several shipments in the same week
  • Orders ship the day they're released, even when the delivery date allows a short hold
  • Trucks regularly leave partly empty
  • Many LTL shipments head to the same region on the same days
  • Two or more warehouses ship to the same customers separately

What shipment consolidation means

Shipment consolidation means combining orders that would otherwise ship separately. That can be as simple as sending two orders for the same DC on one truck, or as structured as a weekly plan that groups orders by region into multi-stop routes.

It works hand in hand with order and scheduling optimization, because the easiest loads to combine are the ones planned a few days ahead.

Industry data

How much truck space goes unused

Third-party figures from the sources linked under each number. They are not Maximizer Team results and do not predict your savings.

Fuller trailers, fewer trucks: how shipment consolidation cuts the cost of shipping empty space.

What we review

Lever 2 of 10. From your 12 months of invoices and rate files, we look at:

  • Same-customer and same-location ordersOrders to the same customer, DC or address that could share a truck
  • Holding and batchingHolding orders a day or two, where delivery dates allow, so they ship together
  • Multi-stop routesRegional clusters of deliveries combined into one truck, with stops in the right order
  • LTL into truckloadRecurring LTL volume that can be combined into full or near-full truckloads
  • Cross-warehouse consolidationOrders from more than one warehouse that could be combined before the long haul
  • Co-loadingSharing a truck with compatible freight from other shippers going the same way
  • Pool distribution and cross-dockingOne truckload to a regional hub, then split into local deliveries
  • Weekly consolidation reviewsA short weekly check so new consolidation chances aren't missed

Public research

What the EPA found

EPA's 2023 SmartWay® strategies overview reports that co-loading can bring "a reduction in transportation costs of up to 30% on certain lanes, shorter lead times, and lower likelihood of product loss or damage" (EPA-420-F-23-003, 2023, p.1).

Its route and network bulletin describes Subway's redistribution points, which consolidate outbound shipments into full truckloads of mixed goods and saved more than 9 million truck miles (EPA-420-F-19-016, 2019, p.2).

Source: U.S. EPA SmartWay publications (2019, 2023). The examples and figures are EPA's, not Maximizer Team results. Maximizer Team is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. EPA.

How we measure the savings

We compare shipments, cost per case and cost per order before and after consolidation, on your paid invoices. If consolidation also changes the mode (for example LTL to truckload), we count that saving once, under one lever.

Why us

Why Maximizer Team

  • IndependentNot a broker or a carrier. We don't sell capacity or take carrier commissions, so our only interest is lowering your cost.
  • ExperiencedBased in Las Vegas and working with shippers nationwide, led by Michael Holvoet: 20+ years in logistics and $1B+ in freight managed across dry van, reefer, LTL, parcel and intermodal.
  • Paid on resultsNo upfront fees. We're paid only from savings verified on your invoices, measured against a baseline your finance team approves.
  • Built for mid-size and larger shippersMost clients spend $1M or more a year on freight.

Benchmark · Implement · Verify

How it works

  1. BenchmarkAfter a short intro call, you send 12 months of freight invoices and your rate files (we sign an NDA where appropriate). We build a baseline your finance team approves and compare your costs with the market.
  2. ImplementWe rank the opportunities by size and effort, then work with your team, carriers and warehouses to put the changes in place.
  3. VerifyEvery month we check paid invoices against the baseline and report realized savings, so you see what actually changed, not just what was promised.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

More answers on our FAQ page

What is shipment consolidation?

It's combining orders that would otherwise ship separately into fewer, fuller loads, by customer, date or region. Fewer shipments usually means lower cost per case and less handling.

Will holding orders delay my customers?

Only if delivery dates don't allow it. We only hold or batch orders where the delivery date and the retailer's window still work.

What's the difference between co-loading and pool distribution?

Co-loading puts your freight on the same truck as compatible freight from other shippers. Pool distribution sends one truckload to a regional hub, where it's split into local deliveries.

Can consolidation work for refrigerated food?

Yes, as long as the products share temperature, food safety and handling needs. We check compatibility before combining loads.

How much does it cost?

The 14-day freight savings review is free. There's no upfront fee. If you go ahead, we're paid only from savings verified on your invoices. Recovered deductions are tracked and reported as their own category of verified savings.

Are you a freight broker?

No. Maximizer Team is an independent freight savings advisor. We don't haul freight, sell capacity or take carrier commissions, so our advice isn't tied to any carrier.

How do you find which orders could have been combined?

We group your shipments from 12 months of invoices by ship date, destination region and customer, then look for orders that moved separately on the same or nearby days. That shows how many loads could have been combined and what that would have saved.

Will consolidated loads make freight harder to allocate to customers?

Not if the method is agreed up front. Multi-stop and pooled loads can be allocated by weight, pallets or stops. We set the method with your finance team so customer and product profitability reports stay accurate.

Find out how many shipments you could combine

Start with a short intro call. Then send us 12 months of freight invoices. In 14 days you'll get a free written review of your biggest freight savings opportunities across all 10 levers, including this one.

Get my free freight reviewNo upfront fees. Paid only from savings verified on your invoices. NDA available.