The Year-End Freight Checklist Every SMB Shipper Needs
As 2025 winds down, many SMB shippers are facing the same challenge: how do we close out the year cleanly and set ourselves up for a stronger, more predictable 2026?
LTL pricing volatility, density-based billing, capacity swings, and unpredictable import patterns created a challenging environment this year—but they also left behind valuable data and trends. The smartest businesses use Q4 to analyze that data, uncover operational inefficiencies, and build a freight plan that eliminates costly surprises.
Here is the definitive year-end freight checklist—designed specifically for SMBs—and how Amware can help you execute each step.
1. Audit Your 2025 Accessorials & Billing Adjustments
Unexpected fees such as reclasses, reweighs, oversized charges, limited-access fees, and delivery add-ons often pile up throughout the year unnoticed.
Your audit should include:
- Reweigh or reclass charges tied to dimensional discrepancies
- Liftgate, residential, and appointment fees
- Oversize or cubic-capacity violations
- Missed pickup or redelivery costs
- Accessorials that repeat across customers or lanes
Why it matters:
Shippers who audit year-end charges often find patterns that can be fixed through packaging, documentation improvements, or selecting different carriers.
How Amware helps:
Amrate makes it easy to pull a year’s worth of shipments and identify trends across carriers and service types. Amware’s team can also help interpret the data to recommend process fixes.
2. Review Packaging, Palletization & Density Improvements Since NMFC Changes
2025 was the year dimensional accuracy became the rule—not the exception. But many SMBs still lose money on:
- Under-filled boxes
- Poor pallet configuration
- Inconsistent height measurements
- Overhang leading to damage or rework
Your checklist:
- Validate packaging SKUs against actual product dimensions
- Confirm all boxes meet right-size standards
- Review average density per shipment
- Identify products that routinely trigger re-bills
How Amware helps:
Packaging audits from Amware ensure outbound freight aligns with how LTL carriers now bill—reducing reweighs and boosting freight predictability.
3. Cleanup Slow-Moving or Aging Inventory
Carrying extra inventory into the new year is expensive—especially when warehousing costs continue to trend upward.
Actions to take now:
- Identify SKUs with slow velocity
- Reposition inventory closer to customers
- Consolidate scattered shipments into batch replenishments
- Move aging stock out of premium warehouse space
Amware advantage:
Flexible storage options in Cleveland and Akron allow SMBs to scale space up or down. Short-term overflow and long-term storage can be mixed to match seasonal requirements.
4. Evaluate Your Carrier Mix Using Performance Data
With today’s pricing models, the “cheapest” carrier is not always the lowest-cost option.
Evaluate carriers on:
- On-time performance
- Damage frequency
- Billing accuracy
- Capacity reliability
- Regional versus national fit
Amrate simplifies this:
Shippers can compare historical performance across dozens of carriers, helping them optimize routing guides for 2026 without manually pulling data.
5. Reassess Distribution Strategy for 2026
As SMBs brace for tariff uncertainty, fluctuating imports, and more Q1 warehouse congestion, year-end is the time to ensure your distribution plan is resilient.
Key questions to answer:
- Do you need more flexible storage heading into Q1?
- Is your inbound receiving process fast enough for potential early-year import surges?
- Should inventory be staged closer to customers for shorter LTL hauls?
- Are cross-docking or transload options underutilized?
Amware’s warehousing + transportation ecosystem is designed to help SMBs pivot quickly without needing multiple service providers.
6. Schedule Your 2026 Freight Strategy Session
The best-performing SMB shippers take a proactive—not reactive—approach.
A year-end strategy session with Amware typically covers:
- Expected rate movements
- Carrier diversification opportunities
- Density optimization opportunities
- Distribution cost modeling
- How to maximize Amrate TMS features in 2026
Many shippers use this session to lock in early-year savings or launch packaging improvements before peak volumes return.
Year-end shouldn’t be chaotic. With the right preparation and the right partner, SMBs can use Q4 to eliminate hidden costs, tighten operations, and enter 2026 with confidence.
Amware is here to help you build a smarter plan—for your freight, your warehouse strategy, and your bottom line.