Contract vs. Spot Using Real-Time Market Data to Make Better Freight Procurement Decisions

Every year, shippers commit billions of dollars in freight spend through annual contracts, betting that today's rates will hold up in tomorrow's market. When the market turns, those bets break down: carriers reject contracted loads, freight spills to the spot market, and budgets and service levels suffer. This session looks at how high-frequency market data, including spot and contract rate benchmarks, tender rejection rates, and volume indicators, is changing the way shippers, brokers, and carriers make procurement decisions. Drawing on SONAR data and real lane examples, we'll look at how the contract-spot spread moves through the freight cycle and what it signals. Students will then work through a live procurement decision: when to lock in rates, when to rebid, and when to lean on the spot market. Welcome & Networking: 4:30–5:00 p.m. Presentation: 5:00–6:00 p.m. Happy Hour: 6:00–7:00 p.m.