Managed Transportation Services
Managed transportation is an ongoing 3PL partnership where TLI handles carrier sourcing, multi-modal execution, freight audit, claims, and reporting as an extension of your logistics team. TLI has run managed freight programs for shippers since 1994, pairing our free proprietary ViewPoint TMS with a dedicated account team. TLI programs are built around your existing carrier relationships first.
No commitment. A TLI logistics expert replies within one business day to review your shipping profile.
33+
Year Freight Experience
30K+
Recovered Last Year
50+
Industries Served
What is Managed Transportation?
Managed transportation is a comprehensive logistics partnership that lets business outsource the daily management of their transportation operations to an experience 3PL partner. From carrier sourcing and RFP strategy to shipment execution, invoice auditing, TMS Technology, and performance analytics.
The managed logistics provider becomes an extension of your team helping reduce freight costs, improve service levels, and increase supply chain visibility. This allows you to stay focused on growing the business.
TLI’s Managed Freight Program
Every program is built around your freight profile and needs. Here is the full scope of what a TLI managed transportation partnership covers:
Carrier Sourcing & Network Design
Analyze your freight network, source qualified carriers, and build a carrier mix around your lanes, service requirements, and shipping profile.
Rate Benchmarking & Negotiation
Benchmark carrier proposals against your historical freight data and current market conditions, then negotiate competitive rates, accessorials, and contract terms.
Load Tendering & Execution
Manage daily freight execution, including load tendering, booking, carrier communication, tracking, and shipment exceptions across your transportation network.
Vendor / Inbound Routing
Give vendors clear routing instructions via the inbound vendor routing portal while controlling inbound freight costs, carrier selection, and shipment visibility.
Freight Pay & Audit
Audit every freight invoice against contracted rates and shipment records to identify billing errors, duplicate charges, incorrect fuel surcharges, and unauthorized accessorials before payment.
Claims Management
TLI files, tracks, and manages freight claims on your behalf, working directly with carriers to pursue recovery for lost or damaged shipments.
Ready to see what a managed program could save you?
Start a conversation with a TLI logistics expert. No Commitment
Is Managed Transportation Right for You?
As shipping activity grows, freight gets more complex. More carriers to manage, more facilities to coordinate with, and more invoices to reconcile. Instead of adding headcount, many manufacturers, distributors, and logistics professionals partner with TLI for an experienced logistics team, transportation technology, and market expertise without the overhead of an in-house department.
Competitive base rates built around actual lane and accessorial use
Handles shipping across multiple locations, vendors, and customers
Growing transportation spend year after year
Spending too much time resolving freight bill errors, claims, or service failures
Lacking shipment visibility, reporting, or performance analytics
Suspecting that you may be overpaying but lacks the visibility to confirm it
Best suited for companies shipping $1 million or more annually in LTL and/or truckload freight, especially organizations with multiple facilities, complex transportation requirements, or growing shipment volumes.
How Managed Transportation Works
Transitioning to managed transportation doesn’t have to be disruptive. TLI follows a structured process that minimizes risk and builds a roadmap for continuous improvement, becoming an extension of your team at a pace that fits your business.
1
Discovery & Transportation Assessment
TLI reviews your shipping locations, freight spend, modes, carrier network, and historical shipment data to identify immediate savings opportunities and operational bottlenecks.
2
Carrier Procurement & Network Design
We benchmark your existing carrier agreements against current market conditions, run a competitive RFP when appropriate, and build a network focused on reliability and long-term value.
~3-4 weeks for RFP pricing responses
3
Technology Implementation
Then we configure your shipping network inside ViewPoint TMS: dynamic routing guides, contract implementation, ERP integration where applicable, and team training.
~1 week to review & implement
4
Daily Freight Management
TLI tenders shipments, monitors pickup and deliveries, resolve service exceptions, audits invoices, and measures carrier performance, acting as a dedicated logistics department without added headcount.
5
Continuous Improvement & Business Reviews
We analyze transportation data, evaluate carrier performance, and review KPIs during business reviews. Helping to refine your strategy as your business evolves with a dedicated business manager.
Total typical Timeline: 5-6 weeks from the distribution of your historical shipping data to a live program.
Services to Optimize Shipping
50+
Industries Served
20+
LTL Carriers
64M+
Miles Managed, YoY
89+
Pounds Moved
See How Shippers Use Managed Transportation
Browse real case studies from manufacturers and distributors who partners with TLI to reduce freight costs and gain visibility
Browse Case StudiesManaged Logistics FAQ
Freight brokerage arranges individual shipments carrier-to-carrier; managed transportation is an ongoing program where TLI handles network strategy, technology, reporting, and multi-mode execution as an extension of your logistics team.
Carrier sourcing and contract negotiation, load execution across LTL/TL/parcel/intermodal, freight audit and pay, claims handling, TMS access, and recurring KPI performance reporting.
Structures vary, some 3PLs charge a management fee, others build margin into per-shipment rates.
A TMS is software; managed transportation pairs software (like ViewPoint) with a dedicated team that runs it, sourcing carriers, auditing invoices, and resolving issues. You’re not just buying only a technology tool, you’re delegating the work.
Managed transportation is typically the right fit for companies shipping $1 million or more annually in LTL and/or truckload freight, especially organizations with multiple facilities, complex transportation requirements, or growing shipment volumes.
Yes, programs are built around your preferred carriers first, supplementing with TLI’s network only where there are gaps.
Managed logistics programs typically take 5-6 weeks to implement following the distribution of your historical shipping data. It often takes 3-4 weeks to get the motor carrier responses containing their custom RFP pricing, and another week to review the results and implement the TMS technology.
Start a Conversation with TLI
Tell us about your shipping profile. A TLI logistics expert will follow up within one business day.
Audit your current freight lanes and spend
Identify freight cost and service gaps
Recommend the right TLI freight service program
30-minute freight consultation, no commitment
