Freight Tariff
A freight tariff is a published schedule of rates, rules, and service terms that a carrier uses to price shipments. Tariffs historically were filed with federal regulatory agencies and were publicly accessible documents. Today, most carrier tariffs are proprietary rate schedules that define base rates by freight class and weight bracket, applicable surcharges, accessorial fee schedules, rules of service, and discount structures for contract customers.
Why it matters
The tariff is the foundation of traditional LTL pricing. Every carrier quote starts with the tariff base rate, then layers on discounts, fuel surcharges, and accessorial charges to produce the final invoice amount. A shipper negotiating a 70% discount off tariff may still pay more than a shipper with a 60% discount if the underlying tariff base rates are structured differently. Understanding tariff mechanics is essential for carrier negotiations, invoice auditing, and accurate cost modeling across a multi-carrier freight program.
When to use it
Reference the carrier tariff when negotiating contract rates, auditing freight invoices, or comparing pricing across carriers. When carriers quote a discount off tariff, always calculate the net rate (tariff rate minus discount plus surcharges) to compare actual cost. Tariff analysis is also critical during annual contract renewals, because carriers may issue general rate increases (GRIs) to the underlying tariff while keeping your discount percentage the same, effectively raising your rates without changing the contract discount.
How Warp thinks about it
Warp does not use tariff-based pricing. The per-pallet model eliminates the tariff entirely, replacing freight class lookups, discount negotiations, and surcharge calculations with a single all-inclusive rate per pallet. For shippers switching from tariff-based carriers, the simplest comparison is to take your total landed cost per pallet (tariff rate minus discount plus fuel surcharge plus accessorials) and compare it against the Warp per-pallet rate on the same lane.
Frequently asked questions about freight tariff
What is freight tariff?
A freight tariff is a published schedule of rates, rules, and service terms that a carrier uses to price shipments. Tariffs historically were filed with federal regulatory agencies and were publicly accessible documents. Today, most carrier tariffs are proprietary rate schedules that define base rates by freight class and weight bracket, applicable surcharges, accessorial fee schedules, rules of service, and discount structures for contract customers.
Why does freight tariff matter in freight?
The tariff is the foundation of traditional LTL pricing. Every carrier quote starts with the tariff base rate, then layers on discounts, fuel surcharges, and accessorial charges to produce the final invoice amount. A shipper negotiating a 70% discount off tariff may still pay more than a shipper with a 60% discount if the underlying tariff base rates are structured differently. Understanding tariff mechanics is essential for carrier negotiations, invoice auditing, and accurate cost modeling across a multi-carrier freight program.
When should you use freight tariff?
Reference the carrier tariff when negotiating contract rates, auditing freight invoices, or comparing pricing across carriers. When carriers quote a discount off tariff, always calculate the net rate (tariff rate minus discount plus surcharges) to compare actual cost. Tariff analysis is also critical during annual contract renewals, because carriers may issue general rate increases (GRIs) to the underlying tariff while keeping your discount percentage the same, effectively raising your rates without changing the contract discount.
How does Warp handle freight tariff?
Warp does not use tariff-based pricing. The per-pallet model eliminates the tariff entirely, replacing freight class lookups, discount negotiations, and surcharge calculations with a single all-inclusive rate per pallet. For shippers switching from tariff-based carriers, the simplest comparison is to take your total landed cost per pallet (tariff rate minus discount plus fuel surcharge plus accessorials) and compare it against the Warp per-pallet rate on the same lane.