Guide · Vendors
Transport vendor selection: the criteria that predict who delivers.
The lowest rate is one criterion. Who replies, who turns up and who completes the trip are the others.
| Criterion | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Price | Bid vs other bids and vs the rate last paid on the lane |
| Responsiveness | Share of invitations answered, time to bid |
| Reliability | Wins converted to placed trucks; drop-offs after winning |
| Coverage | Routes and vehicle types served |
| Service quality | On-time delivery, damage, documentation |
| Compliance | Valid documents, GST, safety |
| Financial health | Advance and balance terms they can work with |
A practical process
- Build the vendor list by route and vehicle type.
- Invite by route; track who reads and who bids.
- Award on price plus record, not price alone.
- Record drop-offs and service failures after the trip.
- Use statuses: Normal, Restricted, Suspended, Blacklisted.
Manufacturers can also read the carrier scorecard guide.
How AutoBid does it
AutoBid sends each load, created by hand or synced from the ERP, to the truck owners and brokers you choose on WhatsApp. Bids come back on WhatsApp; reminders go out every 10 minutes as the closing time approaches; if nobody has bid, bidding extends by 30 minutes automatically. The desk awards from bids ranked from lowest, with each vendor’s win rate and status, and the winner is notified on WhatsApp. Bid vs actual, vendor performance and WhatsApp delivery cost are tracked on the same record.
Questions
What are the criteria for selecting a transport vendor?
Price, responsiveness, reliability after winning, route coverage, service quality, compliance and payment terms.
How do I stop vendors dropping loads after winning?
Record every drop-off against the vendor, show it next to their next bid, and restrict or suspend repeat offenders.
See it on your own data. AutoBid sends every load to your owners and brokers on WhatsApp, ranks the bids and keeps each vendor’s record. Book a 30-minute working session with an engineer.