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Shipping Smarter: What Logistics
Optimization Really Means
By Daniel Vaughan
One of our favorite business quotes comes from Scrooge McDuck in DuckTales:
“Work harder, not smarter.”
We say it jokingly with clients all the time — if you want to understand logistics,
watch DuckTales.
Because in transportation, a lot of companies are still working harder.
More loads.
More shipments.
More chaos.
More cost.
But shipping smarter? That’s a different story.
What Does “Shipping Smarter” Actually Mean?
At its core, logistics optimization is simple:
If you can reduce the number of loads you move — without increasing price or sacrificing
service — you just saved money.
That’s it.
It’s not about cutting corners.
It’s not about delaying shipments.
It’s not about squeezing carriers.
It’s about:
Reducing total shipment count
Maintaining (or improving) transit times
Protecting service levels
Lowering overall transportation spend
Done correctly, it strengthens your operation instead of straining it.
Static Optimization vs. Dynamic Optimization
Most companies believe they have optimization.
In reality, they have static load planning.
A static optimizer builds a load plan based on the data at that moment in time. But the second
something changes — and in logistics, things always change — the plan breaks.
A new order is added
Quantities change
A ship date moves
Inventory shifts
Now the load plan is outdated. And no one goes back to rebuild it properly.
That’s where dynamic optimization matters.
A true dynamic routing engine recalculates in real time. It adapts as orders change. It rebuilds
loads on the fly.
That’s where real savings happen — because the system doesn’t freeze when reality shifts.
The Overlooked Cost: Parcel vs. LTL vs. FTL
Here’s where we see the biggest missed opportunity.
Most routing engines can handle:
FTL (Full Truckload)
LTL (Less Than Truckload)
But they struggle — or completely fail — with small parcel.
Why?
Because parcel rating works differently.
Parcel pricing is driven by:
Shipping zones
Dimensional weight
Carrier-specific rules
Accessorial charges
It’s not calculated the same way LTL or FTL pricing is.
So most systems evaluate these modes separately — and that separation costs money.
Where High-Volume Shippers Leave Money on the Table
When parcel, LTL, and FTL are optimized independently, you miss consolidation opportunities.
At Rock Solid Logistics, Inc., we regularly find savings by:
Eliminating parcel shipments by consolidating into LTL
Building LTL shipments out of multiple parcel moves
Converting dense multi-stop LTL into FTL
Reducing total shipment count without impacting service
For high-volume shippers, this can mean significant cost reductions — without longer transit
times.
The key is having an optimization engine that evaluates all modes together, dynamically.
Shipping Smarter Is About Network Thinking
Shipping smarter isn’t about finding a cheaper rate on one load.
It’s about designing your network to move fewer loads overall — while maintaining
performance.
It’s about:
Mode optimization across parcel, LTL, and FTL
Dynamic routing that adapts in real time
Intelligent consolidation
Continuous recalculation
That’s logistics optimization done right.
The Bottom Line
Anyone can ship freight.
But not everyone can redesign a transportation network to reduce shipment volume without
sacrificing service.
That’s the difference between working harder and shipping smarter.
At Rock Solid Logistics, Inc., we don’t just move freight.
We optimize it.