Not All Carriers Are Equal and Why Detailed Carrier Vetting Matters

In today’s freight environment, capacity can appear plentiful—until it isn’t. When trucks are easy to find, it’s tempting to treat carriers as interchangeable. After all, if a carrier has authority, insurance, and a truck available, what could go wrong?

As many shippers and brokers have learned the hard way, not all carriers are created equal. The differences often don’t surface until there’s a service failure, a missed delivery, a cargo claim, or—worse—stolen freight that impacts customer trust and revenue.

When freight moves smoothly, carrier selection can feel routine. But when something goes wrong, the gap between a minimally compliant carrier and a thoroughly vetted carrier becomes painfully clear.

Below are the most critical carrier vetting factors that are often overlooked—and why they matter.

1. Safety Scores Are More Than a Compliance Checkbox

A carrier may be legally authorized to operate even with marginal or deteriorating safety scores. These indicators frequently correlate with:

• Poor equipment maintenance
• Inadequate driver training
• Higher accident and cargo-claim frequency

Safety issues don’t just create compliance risk—they directly affect service reliability, liability exposure, and freight integrity.

2. Cargo Handling Experience Matters—Especially for Specialized Freight

Not all freight is equal, and not every carrier is equipped to handle it properly. This is especially true for:

• High-value or theft-prone shipments
• Temperature-controlled commodities
• Heavy, oversized, or palletized bulk freight
• Loads with strict loading or securement requirements

Carriers without proven experience in a specific commodity are far more likely to experience load shifts, rejected deliveries, or claims disputes. Verifying actual experience—not just hearing “we’ve hauled it before”—is critical to reducing in-transit risk.

3. Insurance Coverage Isn’t Just About the Dollar Amount

Meeting minimum insurance requirements doesn’t guarantee your freight is protected. Key red flags include:

• Cargo exclusions or restrictive endorsements
• Lapsed or frequently changing policies
• Coverage that doesn’t align with the commodity being hauled

When a loss occurs, these gaps often surface after the damage is done—delaying recovery and increasing financial exposure. Reviewing policy details, not just coverage limits, is essential.

4. Operational Discipline Separates Reliable Carriers from Risky Ones

Reliable carriers demonstrate consistent operational behaviors, including:

• Timely check calls and tracking updates
• Accurate appointment scheduling
• Proactive communication when issues arise

Carriers that struggle in these areas are more likely to cause missed appointments, detention disputes, and downstream customer dissatisfaction. Evaluating communication and follow-through—not just rate—directly impacts delivery success.

5. Claims History Tells a Story

Claims happen—even with strong carriers. But patterns matter. Frequent claims or repeated liability disputes often point to:

• Poor securement practices
• Inadequate driver training
• Weak internal controls

Using claims data as a performance metric—rather than treating each incident as isolated—is a key step in protecting your freight and your brand.

Why Carrier Vetting Is Hard to Do Alone

Thorough carrier vetting takes time, data, and ongoing oversight. For many shippers managing freight alongside other operational responsibilities, applying this level of scrutiny on a load-by-load basis simply isn’t realistic.

That’s where an experienced logistics partner makes a measurable difference.

At SimPL, carrier compliance is only the starting point—not the finish line. Our in-depth carrier vetting process goes well beyond minimum legal requirements by combining:

• Thorough research and proven industry tools
• Detailed insurance and policy reviews
• Commodity-specific carrier validation
• Ongoing performance and claims monitoring

This thorough process helps us spot risks early, match the right carrier to each shipment, and dramatically cut down on service failures and claims.

Raise the Standard for Your Freight

Not all carriers are equal—and neither are the standards used to select them. If you’re looking for a logistics partner that applies disciplined, data-driven carrier vetting to every load, SimPL Freight Solutions can help.

Contact us today to learn how a higher standard of carrier selection protects your freight, your customers, and your bottom line.