Freight cost optimization · Lever 5 of 10
Where freight ships from, and the path it takes, sets the cost before a carrier ever quotes it. We review your outbound and inbound routing to cut miles, empty legs and routing choices that cost more than they should.
Routing and network optimization looks at the paths your freight takes: which warehouse ships which order, whether some customers should be served direct, how stops are sequenced, and how inbound freight from suppliers reaches you.
Inbound freight is often overlooked. Suppliers may build freight into their prices, or ship on terms that cost you more than if you controlled the move. We review both directions.
Lever 5 of 10. From your 12 months of invoices and rate files, we look at:
Public research
EPA's SmartWay® route and network bulletin describes Associated Food Stores, which moved its distribution center 50 miles and cut its fleet by 38%. EPA's first recommended step: "Audit your routes and network to determine a baseline performance level for services and costs" (EPA-420-F-19-016, 2019, pp.1–2).
For inbound freight, EPA's 2023 overview notes that "using supplier location as a selection factor can reduce the miles driven" (EPA-420-F-23-003, 2023, p.3).
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.
We compare miles, cost per case and cost per order by origin and lane before and after the change, using your paid invoices. Inbound savings are measured on supplier invoices or freight bills where you take control of the move.
Why us
Benchmark · Implement · Verify
It's reviewing the paths your freight takes, from which warehouse ships each order to how stops are sequenced, to cut miles and cost without hurting delivery.
Yes. We review supplier routing guides, prepaid vs collect terms and freight built into supplier prices, and show where managing inbound moves could cost less.
Empty miles are trips a truck makes without a load, often on the way back. Carriers price them into your rate, so lanes that give them a return load can cost less.
Our focus is how freight moves through your current network: origins, routes, stops and inbound terms. Tell us if you're weighing a bigger network change and we'll say how we can help.
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.
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.
Yes. Multi-stop truckloads can cut costs, but stop-off charges, out-of-route miles and tight delivery windows add up. We check stop sequences and stop charges on your invoices against what's practical for each route.
Often. Planning routes around appointment windows and receiving hours reduces missed appointments, redeliveries and detention, which lowers freight costs and freight-related retailer fines.
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.