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Cost vs Risk

Freight Cost
vs Risk Calculator

Compare LTL, Volume LTL, Partial TL, Full TL, Dedicated, and Expedited side-by-side on handling exposure, delay risk, theft risk, damage risk, and temperature exposure — so you can decide if a lower price is worth the additional risk.

Quick Presets— pre-fill all fields instantly
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Step 1 — Shipment Profile

Enables cost-as-% of value analysis.

Used to assess service eligibility.

About this tool

What it calculates

Compares freight service types side-by-side on both cost and risk, scoring each option across handling events, delay probability, theft exposure, damage risk, and temperature exposure.

Who it's for

Shippers managing a mix of cost and cargo-quality considerations who want to understand risk trade-offs alongside price.

What you'll need

Shipment weight, commodity type, temperature sensitivity, declared value, and desired transit time.

How to use the result

Use the risk score alongside the cost estimate to choose the service type that matches your cargo's risk profile. High-value or fragile goods may justify a higher-cost, lower-handling option.

Key assumptions

Risk scores are relative indices based on handling-event data for each service type. Absolute probability of damage or theft depends on commodity, lane, carrier, and packaging.

When to confirm with a specialist

For fragile, high-value, or regulated goods, contact OTR Logistics Solutions to discuss carrier selection and insurance options alongside mode selection.

Need help with this shipment?

OTR Logistics Solutions specialists available 24/7 — no account required.

1-855-247-OTR0

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a freight cost-risk score?
The cost-risk score balances a service type's estimated cost against its risk exposure — handling events, delay probability, theft exposure, damage risk, and temperature sensitivity. A high score means the service is well-matched to your shipment profile's risk factors at a competitive cost.
When should I choose LTL over FTL for risk-sensitive freight?
LTL has higher handling exposure (freight is transferred between terminals) but lower cost. FTL and Dedicated reduce handling events and theft risk significantly. For high-value, fragile, or temperature-sensitive shipments, FTL or Dedicated typically scores better on risk even if cost is higher.
What does 'handling events' mean in freight?
Handling events are the number of times freight is physically moved — loaded, unloaded, transferred, restacked — between pickup and delivery. More handling events increase damage probability. LTL shipments typically have 4-8 handling events; FTL has 2 (load and unload only).
How does my commodity category affect the risk score?
High-value commodities (electronics, cannabis, pharmaceuticals) carry elevated theft risk scores. Perishables and pharmaceuticals carry temperature sensitivity penalties. General merchandise is scored at baseline risk. The tool adjusts all five risk dimensions based on your selected commodity category.
When should I use Dedicated or Expedited service?
Dedicated service is best for high-value, theft-sensitive, or temperature-critical freight requiring continuous chain-of-custody. Expedited is best when delivery deadlines are hard constraints. Both eliminate LTL terminal handling and minimize exposure time. They carry higher cost but the lowest risk scores in most categories.