01
What spot really costs
Spot rates ran roughly 23–35% above contract in MIT’s data, and that is before the operational cost of scrambling: missed appointments, expedite fees, staff time. Spot also has no memory; the carrier that helped last week owes you nothing this week.
02
What dedicated buys
A fixed number of trucks, trailers and named drivers assigned to your facility under a fixed weekly or monthly charge plus a variable component. Acceptance is contractual, drivers learn your docks, and the scorecard is weekly.
03
When dedicated fits
Daily or near-daily volume, appointment-critical freight, facilities with dock constraints, plant-to-DC shuttles, and any lane where a rejection stops a line or a store.
04
When spot still makes sense
Genuinely irregular freight, new markets you are testing, and overflow above the dedicated commitment. Use it deliberately, not as the default.
05
A blended model
Size dedicated capacity to the volume you can forecast with confidence, contract the next tier with asset carriers, and leave the true variable tail to brokers and spot.