Top 5 Freight Management Challenges and How to Solve Them

All too often, freight management is the source of much stress and resource drain. What should be a supporting function becomes the central focus – not just of the teams dealing with shipping, but the organization as a whole, including senior leadership. 

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We’d like to suggest that instead of freight management being seen as a burdensome activity, it should be viewed as an opportunity to unlock insights and unleash value. 

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By addressing key freight management challenges and implementing effective solutions, logistics and transportation managers – along with senior leadership – can streamline operations, minimize manual workloads, and reclaim valuable time for strategic, high-impact initiatives that drive business growth.

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Let’s now turn to these challenges:

1. Time-Consuming Manual Processes

If you ask most midsize shippers how they handle their freight management, you’ll likely get similar answers. Like you, they probably rely on a combination of calling, emailing, and updating spreadsheets to quote, bid, and track freight. Emails go out to multiple carriers, calls to brokers, quotes need to be compared, and all of this needs to be kept organized and up-to-date. 

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This might not seem like a challenge – many in the industry may feel this is just the way the business runs – but as technology becomes more ubiquitous in the industry, shippers are discovering that it doesn’t have to be this way. 

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With intelligent software solutions like Portex, shippers are cutting down quoting time from 10 hours in total, to just 30 minutes. 

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That’s more than a day in a week you’ve just freed up to analyze trends, catch up on industry forecasts, plan ahead, and create your strategic plan for 2025 and beyond.

2. High Freight Costs and Inefficient Bidding

How do you know you’re locking in the best price? How are you keeping up with several carrier quotes coming in simultaneously? It’s also challenging to remember who you’ve worked with before, or where broker experiences have been positive (or a nightmare).

Without an efficient way to compare multiple carrier quotes, shippers may end up  misunderstanding the market and overspend. Leading freight management solutions like Portex help users benchmark loads and streamline the bidding process, leading to cost savings of up to 30%. It also allows you to rate shipments, giving you critical historical data to take into account when booking your next load.

3. Fragmented Communication

Still contacting brokers one by one? Email chains and scattered messages make it hard to organize information. This often means you’re missing out on the best deal, or missing deadlines to lock in a competitive price. And if you’re currently tracking loads through emails or calls with a broker, you’ll know the frustrations inherent in this process. 

How you could be approaching this is by using a platform that enables streamlined communication at scale. If you have a list of brokers, you can send out an RFP to all of them at once, and manage replies within the platform to choose the quote that works best. Track who has returned a quote, and see the most affordable option, all in one place. Then ask for a POD or status update, and view this on the same platform. 

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4. Limited Automation and Data Insights 

You’ve likely heard all the buzz around AI in shipping, and leveraging the latest technologies to drive efficiencies in your own processes. But how do you even get started?

Many shippers struggle with data-driven decision-making due to manual processes. 

The latest tech platforms in freight management provide automated tools to analyze freight operations and optimize spending. And best of all, tools like Portex can be set up in just 5 minutes, without the massive time investment required by traditional TMSs. 

This is a definite trend in the industry, as leading shippers turn to technology to access previously unattainable efficiencies. As McKinsey puts it, “The rapid development of advanced digital tools is opening new opportunities in supply chain planning, operations, and risk management. These tools are already shaping organizations’ digitization plans.” 

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5. Macro Economic Factors And Supply Chain Disruptions

2025 has already had its share of challenges, from labor disputes to tariff uncertainties, and this trend is set to continue. The worst part from a freight management perspective – especially for midsize shippers – is that it’s so hard to stay on top of trends, within such a dynamic environment. 

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In a recent article, experts weighed in on factors likely to impact the industry this year. Of particular concern to midsize shippers is news that trucking rates may be less friendly in the months ahead.

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Other factors that could affect shippers this year include:

• Labor disruptions in parcel delivery: Potential strikes at Amazon, FedEx, and Canada Post could lead to delays and reduced service reliability. Midsize businesses reliant on parcel carriers for last-mile delivery may need to explore alternative shipping strategies or diversify.
• Rail capacity constraints: Limited rail capacity, especially in Mexico trade routes, could affect supply chain efficiency for companies that rely on domestic rail for long-haul freight movement. What’s more, decreased rail capacity means that more shippers will be turning to trucks, likely driving up trucking rates. 
• Tariff-related market shifts: Even though new tariffs would primarily affect international trade, their ripple effects could impact domestic transportation costs and overall supply chain pricing.

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While no one can predict the future with absolute certainty, it’s a wise strategy to keep abreast of ongoing developments. If current lane rates work for your business strategy, then you may want to lock them in. 

How Portex Solves The Most Common Freight Management Challenges

Given the complexity of freight management, it’s easy to see why shippers get bogged down in manual processes, cost inefficiencies, and fragmented communication. However, with the right technology in place, these challenges can become opportunities to improve operations, reduce costs, and enhance visibility.

Portex is designed specifically for midsize shippers looking to simplify and optimize their freight operations. Here’s how it addresses these key challenges:

• Automates and Speeds Up Quoting & Bidding: Instead of spending hours emailing and calling carriers, Portex allows shippers to send out spot quotes instantly and compare bids in a single dashboard, cutting quoting time from 10 hours to just 30 minutes.
• Reduces Freight Costs: By benchmarking rates, tracking carrier performance, and giving shippers access to a broad network of providers, Portex users save an average of 30% on freight spend.
• Centralizes Communication: No more scattered emails or missed messages. Portex consolidates carrier interactions into one place, allowing for instant messaging, streamlined negotiations, and real-time tracking.
• Provides Data-Driven Insights: Shippers can leverage automation to track trends, analyze spend, and make data-backed decisions without the need for complex reporting tools.
• Enhances Flexibility in Uncertain Markets: With market volatility and fluctuating rates, Portex helps shippers stay agile by offering a dynamic freight management platform that ensures the best rates and carrier options at any given time.

By adopting a modern freight management solution like Portex, shippers can take control of their logistics, reduce time-consuming tasks, and focus on high-value strategic initiatives. 

Ready to take your freight management to the next level? Try Portex today and start saving time and money immediately.

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