By Maria Kalamatas – June 21, 2025
Location: Minneapolis, USA
A small detail with big consequences
For years, logistics teams across North America have wrestled with one mundane but frustrating task: classifying LTL (Less-Than-Truckload) shipments. A simple error in freight class could lead to incorrect pricing, delays, and sometimes disputes that dragged on for weeks.
This week, CH Robinson announced it had quietly solved the problem—by building a tool that does in three seconds what typically took more than ten minutes.
“Every shipment starts with one decision: how you classify it,” explained Travis Merrick, a freight operations manager at CH Robinson. “Getting that wrong used to cost us time and money. Now we barely notice it—it just works.”
A practical innovation born from the field
Rather than aiming for flashy AI buzzwords, the team focused on a real-world use case. They built the tool internally, based on over a decade of shipment data, frequent pain points reported by dispatchers, and daily feedback from carriers.
Using historical freight volumes and packaging data, the system quickly suggests the correct freight class, flags anomalies, and even recommends better packaging to reduce costs.
It’s not sold as software. It’s built into the platform CH Robinson’s clients already use—no app to download, no interface to learn.
Why it matters to truckers
For many independent drivers and small logistics companies, LTL classification has always been a grey area. Without the right codes, shippers risk underquoting costs or facing unexpected accessorial charges.
“If you get the class wrong, it can mess up your whole rate sheet,” said Dennis Allen, who runs a small trucking business outside of Des Moines. “And most of us don’t have time to triple-check codes. This just saves headaches.”
With this system in place, CH Robinson has reported fewer billing disputes and a reduction in customer service calls related to freight classes.
Time is the real currency
In logistics, automation isn’t about replacing jobs—it’s about giving people back time. Instead of sorting through NMFC tables or calling for reclassification, teams can focus on scheduling, client communication, or loading efficiency.
The company said it plans to expand the tool’s logic to include temperature-sensitive goods and irregular cargo categories later this year.
Conclusion
It’s not a glamorous innovation. No grand unveiling, no keynote speech. But in an industry built on reliability and speed, this kind of quiet improvement—designed by real logistics professionals for real daily problems—may be exactly what the sector needs.
And for the thousands of shippers, dispatchers, and truckers moving freight across the country, a three-second fix could make all the difference.
