Carrier Services

Carriers provide a transportation service to shippers. Some carriers provide variations on the transportation that they provide, usually based on method of transportation or different time-in-transit to the same destination. These variations also mean a variation in freight rates. In PRECISION, a service represents the service provided by the carrier. The rates are separate for each service.

Example: Carrier A provides a service to transport goods from the shipper to any destination. One set of rates is negotiated for this service. This example is configured as a single service in PRECISION.

Example: Carrier B provides a service to transport goods from the shipper to any destination. Two sets of rates are provided based on the time-in-transit. One set of rates is for a 2-day service, and the second set of rates is for a 3-day service. This example is configured as two services in PRECISION.

Each service in the PRECISION database is separate because:

• When the shipper is determining the type of service—for example, air or ground—that applies to the shipment, only one service is to be associated with the shipment header.

• The configuration of the Routing Guide for routing assignment and rate shopping is based on service. The Routing Guide determines the service assigned to the shipment or the set of services displayed in rate shopping.

The determination of charge calculation methodology is associated with the service, not with the carrier. A carrier usually provides more than one service. Therefore, each service must have its own charge calculation method.

A service is also known as a route. The Routes table contains the services provided to the shipper by the carriers. In the Web UI, create and maintain services at System Settings|TMS Master Data|Route or by using the QuickPath option RT.

For integrated carriers, Precision Content Group provides the carrier routing data as part of an XML/PSL file installation. For TL/LTL carriers, you create Carrier Services manually in the PRECISION application.

In addition to the basic service of getting the package from origin to destination, carriers sometimes provide extra services known as accessorials. Such services usually involve an additional charge. Therefore, the additional service must be flagged by the customer as appropriate to the shipment being shipped. The available additional services apply only to some carrier services. Therefore, additional services are set up against individual services. For example, Delivery Confirmation as an additional service might be provided domestically but not internationally.

You can access the Carrier Accessorials through the Route Surcharges sub-option in RT by clicking any line in the Route table. The fields in this table enable you to specify an accessorial (also known as a surcharge) or accessorials to associate with a service.

For integrated carriers, accessorial data is supplied by the Precision Content Group as part of an XML/PSL file installation.

Carrier Routing information must be kept up-to-date for integrated carriers to expedite the movement of the packages through the carrier network. Routing data is used for printing additional information on the carrier label to expedite sorting at the carrier hubs. It may also be used to determine whether the service is available between the origin and destination. This data is formatted by the Precision Content Group and circulated to customers in a PSL installation file.

A service typically generates a freight charge. Apart from the freight charge, accessorials that also generate a charge may be applied. The cost types that form the list of charges and surcharges you can assign to carrier services are held in Charge/Revenue Maintenance.

There must be separate cost types for each carrier service and its additional accessorial services, because these may be used to determine processing particular to that carrier. It also makes it easier to recognize the service type provided in the calculated charge lines. These maintained records contain a description of the Charge/Revenue code and the service type; for example, Delivery Confirmation - Signature Required.

For integrated carriers, the Precision Content Group supplies this data as part of an XML/PSL file installation. In the Web UI, the cost types are listed under System Settings|TMS Master Data|Charge/Revenues or by using the QuickPath option CH.