What does Routing Guide Premium (RGP) measure and why does it matter?

RGP measures the median percentage increase in all-in transportation costs (base rate, fuel, and accessorials) when a load is accepted on the second or third tender instead of the first. As of October 20, 2026, second-tender loads cost 22.02% more and third-tender loads cost 26.44% more. This matters because it quantifies the true cost of routing guide failure, helping shippers understand the financial impact when their primary carrier declines a load.

How does Routing Guide Acceptance Share help with operational planning?

RGAS shows what percentage of accepted loads are accepted at each tender position. As of October 20, 2026, 89.05% of loads were accepted on the first tender (below the 12-month average of 91.60%), 6.84% on the second tender, and 4.11% on the third. This helps shippers benchmark their routing guide efficiency and identify when they need to rebid or restructure their carrier networks.

What is Contract Rate Change Direction and what does the current 12.58% reading mean?

CRCD measures the average percentage change between new and previous contract base rates, filtering for contracts stable for more than 90 days. A reading of 12.58% means new contract rates are averaging 12.6% higher than the rates they replaced. This is well above the 12-month average of 8.34% and indicates upward bid pressure in the market.

What new features does SearchCarriers now offer for carrier management?

SearchCarriers now supports up to 200 carrier watches per user with bulk import capability, email notifications, inspection search functionality, and equipment lookup by VIN or license plate. These features allow brokers and shippers to continuously monitor carriers post-onboarding rather than conducting one-time qualification checks.

How do the three new datasets work together for rebidding strategy?

Combined, the three datasets show both how often a routing guide breaks (RGAS) and what it costs when it does (RGP), while also signaling market pricing direction (CRCD). Together, they provide the core inputs shippers need to make informed decisions about when and how to rebid their freight contracts.

Technology & Innovation

Moderate

SONAR Launches Routing Guide and Contract Rate Datasets

Oct 22, 2026

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The signal

SONAR has launched three new dataset groups designed to help shippers understand the true cost of routing guide failures and contract rate dynamics in truckload transportation. These datasets, Routing Guide Premium (RGP2.USA, RGP3.USA), Routing Guide Acceptance Share (RGAS1.USA, RGAS2.USA, RGAS3.USA), and Contract Rate Change Direction (CRCD.USA), provide daily-updating metrics that answer critical questions about freight tendering efficiency and pricing trends.

The platform also expanded its SearchCarriers tool with carrier watchlists supporting up to 200 carriers per user, email alerts, inspection search capabilities, and equipment lookup functionality. As of October 20, 2026, data shows that loads accepted on the second tender cost shippers 22.02% more all-in than first-tender loads, while third-tender loads cost 26.44% more, demonstrating the significant premium associated with routing guide failure.

This release addresses a longstanding information gap in truckload transportation and gives shippers concrete, quantified data for rebidding decisions.

How this affects:

Gap Inc.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What This Means for Your Supply Chain

Simulation Suggestion

strategic

What if your routing guide acceptance rate drops 5% below current levels?

Simulate a scenario where your first-tender acceptance rate falls from the current 89.05% to 84.05%. Calculate the cumulative cost impact based on average loads per month and the current 22.02% second-tender premium, and model the rebidding strategy needed to recover that 5 percentage point gap.

Run this scenario

Simulation Suggestion

this month

What if contract rate premiums accelerate to 15% by year-end?

Model the impact if CRCD.USA increases from the current 12.58% to 15% by December 31, 2026. Calculate the cost impact on your annual contract renewal portfolio and identify which carrier relationships or lanes should be rebid earliest to lock in current rates.

Run this scenario

Simulation Suggestion

strategic

What if market conditions force you to tender 30% more loads to secondary carriers?

Simulate a tight capacity scenario where your primary routing guide carriers can only accept 60% of tenders (vs. current 89%). Model the cost impact based on the current 22.02% and 26.44% premiums on second and third tender loads, and identify capacity strategy adjustments needed to maintain service levels.

Run this scenario

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