Convoy Platform Carrier Performance Expectations

Brokers utilizing the Convoy Platform have strict expectations of service as they strive to meet the needs of their shipper customers. To do this, the Convoy Platform tracks carriers’ ability to provide on-time service while reducing operational burden through accurate on-load progress track. This information is available to brokers. Carriers with a poor track record may lose access to certain shipments or to the full network of brokers.

Performance is tracked using three core metrics: 1) On-time to Stop, 2) Carrier Falloffs or Cancellations, and 3) Driver App Usage and shipment expectations.

The on-time arrival of shipments is a critical expectation of all brokers who post shipments on the Convoy Platform. Late arrivals cause considerable downstream impacts at facilities, greatly increasing the cost of transportation services.

Expectation

On-Time arrival is when a shipment arrives by the original appointment time listed on the rate confirmation provided to the carrier. The Convoy Platform tracks a carrier's ability to arrive on-time for shipments based on both if they arrive on time and how late they are when arriving late.

While proactive notification of potential late arrival will not excuse the late arrival, it may factor into how brokers who use the Convoy Platform assess the ability of a carrier to partner in driving high quality service to the end shipper customer.

More Information on On-time:

• The Convoy Platform notes on-time success on each stop of a shipment. While not all stops may appear critical to the carrier, it’s imperative the carrier attempts to meet the appointment times listed on the rate confirmation.

• Manually entering an arrival time rather than allowing automated GPS logging may not be credited for on-time arrival.

• A carrier must be on-time and meet all other requirements in order to qualify for hassle-free detention at that stop. 

• While arriving on-time is important, please be aware of facility rules listed on the broker’s ratecon on how early you can arrive at the facility. Many facilities allow you to check in early, while others will not allow check in prior to appointment time.

Brokers using the Convoy Platform expect that when a carrier books a load, they will follow through and pick up the load. The Convoy Platform tracks failed pickups and brokers will have viability on if a carrier has a pattern of missing pickups.

Expectation

If a carrier is unable to pick up a load they have booked, then it is expected that the carrier will cancel the load assignment using the Convoy App. The more lead time a carrier provides to the broker to recover the load, the less likely it is that the cancellation will have a negative impact on a carrier’s reputation with brokers. Falling off with less than 24 hours to pickup may have a severe impact on a carrier’s reputation that  may affect that carrier’s  ability to successfully book loads on the Convoy Platform. Generally, providing 48 hours of notice will not negatively impact a carrier’s reputation with brokers, but a high rate of repeated falloffs likely will lead to difficulty booking loads or removal from the Platform.

More Information on Falloffs

• Falling off shipment more than 48 hours prior to the pickup appointment or end of pickup window, will not negatively impact against a carrier. 

• If you mistakenly accept a load, cancel it immediately. The load will not negatively impact a carrier if it is canceled within one hour after acceptance and there is more than 24 hours until the pickup appointment. The quickest way to cancel a load is requesting it via the app.

Common issues that lead to falloffs:

• Accidentally clicking to accept a load you don’t intend to take

• Failing to regularly maintaining equipment to avoid breakdowns and trailer rejections 

• Overbooking your trucks or not planning sufficient time in between shipments

• Misreading shipment details prior to accepting a load

• Failure to keep insurance documents up-to-date with RMIS

• Maintaining compliance status by following FMCSA safety guidelines
  

When hauling a load booked through the Convoy platform, it is expected that the carrier provides automated location information. By providing this information, the broker is able to provide better service to carriers by reducing or eliminating ETA calls, responding faster to problems on loads, and allowing carriers to receive automated detention payout. 

Expectations

1. Driver Assignment: The correct driver and/or device is assigned to a shipment.

   Explanation: After a Dispatch secures a load, accurately assign the driver who will be hauling the shipment, and ensures that the driver downloads the Convoy app and enables location tracking.

2. Driver completion event: For each step of a shipment (pickup and stops), a completion event needs to be logged, either through an automatic trigger via GPS, or by the driver manually selecting the load progress button upon completion. 

   Explanation: Properly completed events enable real-time monitoring of shipment progress, ensuring efficient deliveries. The information gathered can be used by the broker to adjust transit times, understand facility wait times, and properly compensate for detention.

3. Location services are enabled: The tracked device has location services enabled starting 4 hours prior to the scheduled pickup appointment time and continuing throughout the entirety of the load. 

   Explanation: With location services turned on, the broker is able to provide accurate and timely ETA updates to shippers which ultimately results in significantly fewer ETA calls and text messages.

4. Uploaded Bill of Lading: A clear picture of all signed Bills of Lading (BOLs) is uploaded via the Convoy app within 24 hours of completing the final delivery stop of a shipment. If you use a factoring company for payment, you still must upload a BOL in the Convoy app within the timeframe. Please note, sending the BOL via email does not qualify as “uploading to the Convoy app,”, as the BOL must be uploaded via the app to meet this requirement.

More information on Load Requirements

To avoid common reasons of failure to meet Load Requirements, review the following points:

• Verify that Power Save mode or Battery Optimization is disabled.  When Power save mode is enabled, the device attempts to preserve battery life by turning off location services.

• Make sure that only a single device is logged in using its unique phone number.  Having multiple devices logged in under the same phone number interrupts the ability of brokers to ascertain which device to ping for GPS location. Please be sure to only log into the Convoy app using that device's unique phone number. 

• Check to make sure that the most recent app version is downloaded. To do this, go to the app store to check for available updates for the Convoy mobile app. We recommend turning on automatic updates so that this step does not have to be done manually each time an update is available.