Freight cost optimization · Lever 9 of 10
Accessorial charges rarely show up in the rate you negotiated, but they show up on almost every invoice. We find what's causing them and fix it, from load prep and dock scheduling to the terms in your carrier contracts.
Accessorials are the extra charges on top of the line-haul rate: detention, layover, lumper, liftgate, redelivery and truck-ordered-not-used (TONU). Compliance here means following the operating rules that keep those charges, and late deliveries, from happening: loads ready on time, appointments booked early, correct paperwork and the right carrier under each customer's routing guide.
The same habits that cause accessorials also cause retailer fines. Disputing retailer and distributor deductions, recovering fines you didn't owe and filing loss and damage claims are also something we help with: see trade and deductions optimization, and are reported as their own savings category.
Industry data
Average share of total LTL spend that went to accessorial charges in 2023, across $1.2B in annual LTL spend analyzed.
AFS Logistics LTL accessorials white paper, 2024Share of LTL spend that accessorials can reach in extreme cases, depending on services and how well they are managed.
AFS Logistics LTL accessorials white paper, 2024of the errors found in an audit of nearly 250,000 LTL invoices came from inaccurate accessorial charges.
AFS Logistics LTL invoice audit, Mar. 2024Third-party figures from the sources linked under each number. They are not Maximizer Team results and do not predict your savings.
Lever 9 of 10. From your 12 months of invoices and rate files, we look at:
Retailer fines, deduction disputes and claims? See trade and deductions optimization.
Public research
EPA's SmartWay® idle reduction bulletin tells shippers, "you have direct control over the amount of time drivers have to wait at your facility", and names causes such as freight not staged and ready or incomplete bills of lading. It reports that for about 65% of drivers, detention has meant lost revenue or late fees, and that cutting it can "reduce detention-related charges" (EPA-420-F-19-012, 2019, pp.1–2).
In 2024, EPA recognized Ocean Spray and TJX for shipping and receiving strategies that "reduce truck idling and driver waiting at their facilities" (EPA news release, Sept. 2024).
Source: U.S. EPA SmartWay publications (2019, 2024). 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 track accessorial spend by type, carrier and dock against the baseline every month, on your paid invoices. Accessorial savings are reported as freight cost savings. Any drop in retailer fines from the same fixes is reported in the trade and deductions category, so nothing is counted twice.
Why us
Benchmark · Implement · Verify
Charges on top of the base freight rate, such as detention, layover, lumper, liftgate, redelivery and truck-ordered-not-used. They can add up to a meaningful share of freight spend.
We find where and why drivers wait, then fix the cause: earlier load prep, better dock scheduling, drop trailers or detention caps in your carrier contracts.
Yes, as part of our trade and deductions optimization service. We build each dispute from your shipment records, file it on your behalf and track it to a decision.
Lumper fees are set by the receiving DC or its unloading service, but you can often reduce them by checking charges against published rates, building pallets to spec and agreeing in your carrier contract who pays.
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.
We compare each charge with your contract's accessorial schedule and the shipment record, such as appointment and check-in times for detention, or delivery notes for liftgate and inside delivery. Charges that don't match are flagged for dispute with the supporting records.
It varies, but detention, redelivery, liftgate, residential delivery, reweigh and reclass charges, and lumper fees are common leaders. We rank your accessorials by total cost from 12 months of invoices, so effort goes where the money is.
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.