Why Your Routing Guide Is Failing

The freight market doesn’t work the way most people think it does, and Chris Caplice is here to explain why. As the Chief Scientist at DAT Freight & Analytics and Executive Director of MIT’s FreightLab, Chris has spent years studying the breakdowns in routing guides, the myth of economies of scale, and why AI isn’t a magic bullet for bad freight strategy. In this episode, we’re diving deep into how shippers, brokers, and carriers can use benchmarking and dynamic tools to build more resilient freight networks and avoid the common traps in RFP season. Key takeaways: Freight contracts often fail because they’re built around ghost lanes that never move freight. AI works best when applied to unstructured transportation data, not generic pricing models. Dynamic routing guides and benchmarking tools help reduce failure points in traditional RFPs. Economies of scale don’t really exist in truckload—scope and flexibility matter more. Smart freight strategy comes down to understanding your network’s quirks, not copying someone else’s.LINKS:Chris' LinkedInDAT Freight & Analytics WebsiteDAT Freight & Analytics on CargoRexWATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE -----------------------------------------THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!SPI Logistics has been a Day 1 supporter of this podcast which is why we're proud to promote them in every episode. During that time, we've gotten to know the team and their agents to confidently say they are the best home for freight agents in North America for 40 years and counting. Listen to past episodes to hear why.CargoRex is the search engine for the logistics industry—connecting LSPs with the right tools, services, events, and creators to explore, discover, and evolve.Digital Dispatch maximizes and manages your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.