Freight quotes are compared not by looking only at the total figure but by reducing them to the same scope and conditions. For each quote, the included and excluded items, validity, transit time, free time, waiting charges, payment terms and currency should be written side by side in a single table. The quote that looks cheapest can turn out to be the most expensive once surcharges are added.
Why can't quotes be compared directly?
Even if two quotes are given for the same route, their scope differs. One includes all costs from the place of loading to the place of delivery, while the other states only the port-to-port freight and leaves terminal charges on the "excluded" list. Providing complete cargo information before requesting quotes is also a precondition for comparison; the required information is listed in the entry on the information needed for a freight quote.
Quote items
- Main freight: per vehicle for road transport or based on weight/volume for groupage; per container or W/M for sea freight.
- Surcharges: bunker adjustment factor (BAF), currency adjustment factor (CAF), terminal handling charges (THC), documentation fees, peak season surcharges.
- Port and terminal: charges at the port of loading and port of destination, storage.
- Customs: fees for export and import declarations and transit documents (TIR carnet, T1).
- Insurance: whether it is included, with which cover and in whose name.
- Waiting time: the vehicle's free waiting time at loading or unloading and what applies afterwards.
How to set up a comparison table
| Check line | What to look at |
|---|---|
| Scope | Door-to-door or port-to-port; consistent with the Incoterms rule |
| Included/excluded | Is every item clearly stated; what "subject to" wordings are there |
| Validity | Until what date is the quote valid; is it tied to the loading date or the quote date |
| Transit time | Is it an estimate or a commitment; is there transhipment |
| Free time | Demurrage and detention free days for the container |
| Waiting charge | How many hours of free waiting for the vehicle; how is waiting invoiced afterwards |
| Equipment | Vehicle or container type, availability on the loading date |
| Payment | Prepayment or credit terms; currency and exchange rate basis |
| Liability | CMR or bill of lading terms, insurance option |
Step-by-step comparison
- Send all bidders the same cargo information, the same delivery terms and the same date range.
- Enter each quote into the lines above; ask for a written explanation for any line left blank.
- Add the "excluded" items with their estimated amounts to calculate the total landed cost.
- Test the free time and waiting conditions against a realistic delay scenario.
- Clarify how variable items (fuel, exchange rate) will be applied on the invoice.
- Finally, compare the service elements: tracking method, reporting frequency, single point of contact.
Why are free time and waiting decisive?
In sea freight, the number of free days a container may remain at the port and with the customer can, in the event of delays, generate costs greater than the difference in freight. The concepts are explained in the entries on container free time and the difference between demurrage and detention. In road transport, too, waiting caused by customs or the customer is invoiced after the free time defined in the quote.
Service elements are compared too
If the total costs of two quotes are close, the decision is made on the service side: how quickly the bidder responds to questions, whether there is a single point of contact during operations, how the shipment is tracked and how often reports arrive. You can also ask about the results of previous jobs on a similar route.
Common mistakes
- Comparing a port-to-port quote with a door-to-door quote
- Placing an order on the basis of an expired quote
- Assuming that the transit time is guaranteed
- Assuming that insurance is included
How does Voltim Global support you?
Voltim Global prepares its quotes with included and excluded items clearly separated, with a focus on solving the customer's request quickly. In international road transport and sea freight jobs it acts as a single point of contact; the status of every accepted shipment is reported to the customer in a daily report.