Backup carrier
A backup carrier holds second or later position on a lane in the routing guide and receives a tender only when the primary declines. Backups are usually priced slightly above primary, see irregular volume, and become the shipper's real capacity when the market moves against the award.
A backup carrier is the next name in the routing guide after the primary. It has an awarded rate on the lane, but only sees a load when the primary rejects the tender. In a stable market a backup may move almost nothing; in a tight market it can end up moving most of the lane, because its rate was set a little higher and it still accepts when the primary has stopped.
Cross-border, backups matter more than domestic experience suggests. Mexico lanes have fewer qualified carriers per lane, so the gap between the primary failing and the load hitting the spot market is short, and a good backup is the difference between a covered load and an uncovered one at the border.
What this means when you move freight
Brokers should take backup positions seriously and price them honestly: high enough to still make sense when the volume shows up, low enough to stay in the guide. Track how often tenders reach you and at what rate; a backup that is suddenly busy is holding proof that the primary rate is below the market rate, which is the moment to propose a rerate or to bid for primary at the next event. Shippers should keep at least one backup that covers both legs and the crossing on every Mexico lane, and check acceptance by position, not just by lane.
Put the vocabulary to work
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