Please note: This setting is disabled by default for each carrier.
The Cascade Committed Volume feature allows brokers to automate load distribution by assigning a specific number of loads to their carriers each day. This automation not only reduces manual allocation but also ensures that carriers consistently meet their agreed-upon load volumes, enhancing the overall efficiency of freight operations. By providing flexibility in how volumes are distributed across days of the week and managing excess loads, Cascade offers a robust solution for capacity management.
Load Commitment Overview
Cascade’s Committed Volume feature enables brokers to set daily load commitments for carriers. This process helps brokers distribute freight according to the carrier's capacity while maintaining control over load allocation.
Key Highlights:
Daily Commitments: Brokers can define a set number of loads for each carrier on a daily basis, ensuring operational consistency.
Flexible Scheduling: Adjust load volumes by day, allowing carriers to handle varying capacities across the week, providing greater flexibility.
Efficient Allocation: The system automatically distributes loads based on these predefined commitments, reducing the need for manual intervention.
Committed Volume Options
When setting up Committed Volume, you’ll see the following key options:
Committed Volume: This is the number of loads a carrier is committed to handling per day. Once a carrier reaches this limit for a given pickup date, Cascade will stop sending load offers unless Share Excess Volume is enabled.
For example, if the limit is set to 2, Cascade will send emails until the carrier is assigned 2 loads for that pickup date. After reaching the limit, the carrier won’t receive further offers for that day unless Share Excess Volume is active.
Share Excess Volume: By default, this setting is off (gray). When Share Excess Volume is off, no additional load offers are sent once the carrier reaches their committed volume. If you enable it (blue), the carrier will continue to receive offers even after exceeding their committed volume.
Share Excess Volume Disabled: When this option is disabled, the carrier will stop receiving offers after meeting their daily volume.
Share Excess Volume Enabled: If enabled, the carrier can continue receiving offers beyond their daily volume limit.
Expand Days of the Week: If your committed volume agreements with carriers are specific to certain days of the week, you can enable this option to assign daily committed volumes for each day.
Example: A carrier agrees to 2 loads on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. After receiving 2 assignments on these days, Cascade will stop sending offers for that specific day.
If any day (e.g., Tuesday or Thursday) is set to 0 committed volume, the carrier won’t receive load offers on those days.
Managing Excess Volume
Excess load handling is crucial when a carrier reaches their daily committed limit. Cascade provides the ability to manage these additional loads through flexible redistribution options. Brokers can either hold the excess loads for later or assign them to the next available carrier in the Cascade. This feature prevents carriers from being overburdened while ensuring loads are still covered efficiently.
Steps to Manage Excess Volume:
Monitor Carrier Commitments: Continuously track load distribution to ensure that carriers do not exceed their set limits.
Redistribute Loads: Excess loads can be routed to the next tier of carriers in the Cascade. Alternatively, loads can be held for future availability.
Adjust Commitments: As carrier capacity fluctuates, you can easily adjust daily commitments to better match their available resources.
Benefits of Cascade Committed Volume
The Committed Volume feature in Cascade offers several advantages for brokers managing high-volume lanes and ensuring carriers meet their daily targets.
Consistency: Carriers handle a set number of loads daily, reducing unpredictability and ensuring steady load distribution.
Operational Efficiency: Automates load allocation, saving brokers from manual load management tasks and freeing up time for higher-priority activities.
Flexibility: Customizable daily load commitments ensure that carriers handle loads according to their capacity for each specific day.
Better Load Management: Prevents carriers from being overwhelmed with more loads than they can handle by limiting the volume and managing overflow efficiently.
Example Scenarios
High-Volume Lanes: A carrier is assigned 10 loads per day, Monday through Friday. If the carrier can only handle 8 loads on Friday, Cascade will automatically assign the extra 2 loads to another carrier in the same lane or hold them for reassignment.
Variable Capacity: A carrier has a fluctuating capacity throughout the week. On Mondays, they handle 15 loads, while on Wednesdays they handle only 8. Cascade allows brokers to configure these variations in advance, streamlining operations without the need for daily adjustments.
How to Configure Committed Volume
Access Cascade Settings: Navigate to the Cascade settings from the Smart Lanes dashboard.
Select Carriers: Choose the carriers you want to assign to that Cascade Tier, and then configure their Commited Volume information.
Set Daily Load Limits: Define the number of loads each carrier will handle daily. You can also adjust the volume for specific days of the week to accommodate carrier capacity changes.
Monitor and Adjust: Track load assignments in real-time to ensure carriers are meeting their commitments. Adjust the committed volume settings as necessary to match changing capacity needs.
Handle Excess Loads: When a carrier reaches their daily limit, use Cascade to either redistribute the excess loads to other carriers or hold them for later.
Common Issues and Troubleshooting
Load Overflows: If a carrier consistently exceeds their committed volume, revisit their capacity settings and adjust accordingly.
Carrier Complaints About Overload: Review load redistribution settings to ensure that Cascade is properly distributing excess loads to available carriers.
Mismatch Between Capacity and Commitments: Regularly review and update carrier capacity to reflect their actual capabilities and avoid overloading.
FAQ
What happens if a carrier reaches their committed volume?
Excess loads can either be held for future availability or routed to other carriers within the Cascade.
Can I set different load volumes for each day?
Yes, Cascade allows you to customize the load volumes for each day of the week, providing flexibility to accommodate carriers' varying capacity.
Is Cascade Committed Volume suitable for high-volume lanes?
Yes, this feature is designed to handle both high-volume and standard lanes, making it versatile for different operational needs.
How does Cascade prevent carriers from being overloaded?
Cascade ensures that no more than the committed number of loads is sent to a carrier. Excess loads are automatically rerouted or held, ensuring carriers are not overwhelmed.