Methods and systems for optimizing the pooling and shipping of freight

1. A method for pooling a plurality of shipments of less than full truckloads of freight to create a full truckload with an optimized loading order and delivery route satisfying at least one scheduling requirement for each of the plurality of shipments and providing a service level guarantee for each of the plurality of shipments, the method comprising:

(a) receiving a request from a first shipper for delivery of a first shipment of less than a full truckload of freight between an origin and a destination by a specified delivery date in accordance with a level of service guaranteed for a full truckload of freight;

(b) determining, by a pricing engine executing on a first computing device, a first price for shipping the shipment according to a first rate for shipping the less than the full truckload of freight between the origin and the destination by the specified delivery date;

(c) determining, by the pricing engine, a second price for shipping the shipment according to a second rate for shipping a full truckload of freight between the origin and the destination by the specified delivery date;

(d) providing a commitment to ship the shipment for the first shipper between the origin and the destination by the specified delivery date in accordance with the level of service guaranteed for the full truckload of freight at a third price that is lower than at least the second price, wherein providing the commitment further comprises updating a user interface to display the delivery date and the third price and the level of service guaranteed;

(e) receiving, after providing the commitment to ship the shipment for the first shipper, a request from a second shipper for delivery of a second shipment of less than a full truckload of freight between the origin and the destination by the specified delivery date;

(f) determining, by a solver executing on the computing device and in communication with the pricing engine, to combine the first shipment and the second shipment into a full truckload of freight;

(g) generating, by the solver, a route and a schedule for picking up the first shipment and the second shipment that comply with the service level guaranteed and result in delivery of each of the first shipment and the second shipment by the specified delivery date;

(h) repeating (a)-(g) for at least twenty-three additional shipments;

(i) directing a carrier of full truckloads of freight to execute the schedule for picking up at least the first shipment of less than the full truckload of freight and at least the second shipment of less than the full truckload of freight and to follow the identified route to deliver each of the first shipment and the second shipment by the specified delivery date.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the request from the first shipper further comprises receiving a request specifying a pickup location for the delivery.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the request from the first shipper further comprises receiving a request specifying a pickup date for the delivery.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the request from the first shipper further comprises receiving a request specifying a pickup time for the delivery.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the request from the first shipper further comprises receiving a request specifying a delivery time for the delivery.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the first price for shipping the shipment according to the first rate for shipping the less than the full truckload of freight between the origin and the destination by the specified date further comprises receiving the first rate from a less than full truckload carrier.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the first price for shipping the shipment according to the first rate for shipping the less than the full truckload of freight between the origin and the destination by the specified date further comprises deriving an estimated first rate for shipping a partial truckload of freight.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a commitment to ship the shipment for the second shipper between the origin and the destination by the specified date in accordance with the level of service guaranteed for the full truckload of freight at a fourth price that is lower than at least the second price.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the fourth price is the same as the third price.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the commitment to the first shipper further comprises providing the commitment to ship the shipment for the first shipper between the origin and the destination by the specified date in accordance with the level of service guaranteed for the full truckload of freight at the third price that is lower than the first price and the second price.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the request from the second shipper further comprises receiving a request specifying a pickup location.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the request from the second shipper further comprises receiving a request specifying a pickup date.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the request from the second shipper further comprises receiving a request specifying a pickup time.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the request from the second shipper further comprises receiving a request specifying a delivery time.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining, by the solver, to combine the first shipment and the second shipment further comprises determining, by the solver, that combining the first shipment and the second shipment would meet at least one scheduling constraint and be deliverable by the specified date.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining, by the solver, to combine the first shipment and the second shipment further comprises determining, by the solver, that combining the first shipment and the second shipment would meet at least one shipping vehicle constraint.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining, by the solver, to combine the first shipment and the second shipment further comprises determining, by the solver, that combining the first shipment and the second shipment would satisfy at least one shipping compatibility constraint.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining, by the solver, to combine the first shipment and the second shipment further comprises determining, by the solver, that combining the first shipment and the second shipment exceeds a level of cost savings provided by combining the first shipment with a third shipment requested by a third shipper for delivery of a third shipment of less than full truckloads of freight between the origin and the destination by the specified date.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, after providing the commitment to ship the shipment for the first shipper and after determining to combine the first shipment and the second shipment and before shipment of the combined first shipment and second shipment, a request for a third shipment requested by a third shipper for delivery of a third shipment of less than the full truckload of freight between the origin and the destination by the specified date; and

determining to combine the first shipment and the third shipment instead of the first shipment and the second shipment.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, after providing the commitment to ship the shipment for the first shipper and after determining to combine the first shipment and the second shipment and before shipment of the combined first shipment and second shipment, a request for a third shipment requested by a third shipper for delivery of a third shipment of less than the full truckload of freight between the origin and the destination by the specified date; and

determining to combine the first shipment, the second shipment, and the third shipment into a full truckload of freight.