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Guides  /  Carrier Contracts  /  The most negotiable contract terms
Guide

The most negotiable contract terms.

Where to push, ranked by impact.

Hundreds of terms are negotiable, but a handful carry most of the dollars. Here is where to push.

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Accessorial caps and waivers

The fees you incur most (residential, additional handling, fuel) are negotiable. Caps and waivers on high-frequency accessorials often beat a bigger base discount.

The DIM divisor and minimums

A better divisor lowers every bulky shipment; better minimums protect small ones. Both move your whole bill.

Earned-discount thresholds

The volume tiers that unlock discounts are negotiable. Lowering a threshold can unlock a tier you are close to but not hitting.

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Frequently asked

What carrier contract terms are most worth negotiating?

Accessorial caps and waivers, the DIM divisor, minimum charges, and earned-discount thresholds typically carry more dollars than the headline discount.

Should I focus on the base discount?

Not exclusively. The base discount is visible but limited; accessorials, minimums, and dimensional terms usually hold more savings.

Push where it pays

We rank your leverage and build the playbook.

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