Cloud-based freight service provider FR8 Revolution is rolling out a new “heavy haul marketplace” called “FR8Star” that includes a patent-pending rate calculator for pricing oversized and overweight loads, including up-to-date state permit fees and escort costs.
The company noted that oversize/overweight freight can be defined by weight, length, width or height. For example, a truck and trailer weighing more than 80,000 lbs. or having a width of more than 102 in. would meet the federal definition of oversize/overweight freight.
Matthew Kropp, FR8 Revolution’s CEO, said in a statement that his company is not acting as a freight broker via this service; rather, shippers and carriers complete their contract directly with one another through the FR8Star platform with FR8 collecting a fee.
“We have a problem today because many brokers don’t have a good sense of what the price of overweight or oversize freight should be, so they underbid to carrier or overprice to shippers,” he explained.
“This causes inefficiency in matching shippers to qualified carriers and hurts carrier’s profit margins,” Kropp noted. “Ultimately, shippers end up paying too much, while carriers struggle to turn a profit. It’s time to level the playing field for carriers and shippers.”
The calculator is a key part of this service, he added, as it helps create greater pricing transparency and better operating efficiency for shippers and carriers alike.
For example, state-level permits are always a burdensome challenge to pricing oversize freight, Kropp pointed out, and as each state has its own permit structure, it causes confusion when estimating costs and selecting optimal routes.
That’s because some states base their fees on size or weight, while others charge flat fees, he emphasized.
“FR8Star’s rate calculator factors in these various fees, recommends optimal shipping routes, and provides the ability to request quotes directly from carriers,” Kropp said.
