WO2020006376A1

WO2020006376A1 - Freight quote system

Info

Publication number: WO2020006376A1
Application number: PCT/US2019/039760
Authority: WO
Inventors: Fairfield LUCAS
Original assignee: Lucas Fairfield
Priority date: 2018-06-28
Filing date: 2019-06-28
Publication date: 2020-01-02

Abstract

A network of computer-based devices and/or systems that provides real-time, single-source FTL or LTL freight services to a user. The services are preferably provided over the world wide web/internet, and accessed via web browser software in the form of web pages automated by a web and database server. The disclosure describes how the shipper (user) receives an instant shipment quote based on weight and square footage that provides a footprint whereby a freight quote using weight or footage (area) calculations in combination with dynamic fuel and market city rates requires no personal user information in order to provide the freight quote. In addition to determination of rates for FTL and LTL freight in real-time, a broker can decide to carry out the shipment based on computational calculations that also provide real time profit, loss or breakeven quote choices and displays those to the broker.

Description

Freight Quote System

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to the use of computer networks to portray truck freight service quotes. Specifically, the quote is based upon a simple input that requires the user to provide only six variables. These variables include the weight and cubic footage of the freight to be moved as well as the origin and destination of this freight, date of shipment pick-up, and type of truck required. In the case of the weight and cubic footage, these variables can be either dependent or independent or each other.

BACKGROUND

Historically, full-truckload (“FTL”) and less-than-truckload (“LTL”) freight trucking services have been rated and scheduled by individuals using phone calls to various carriers or brokers, and using confirmation by faxes, letters and of course in the last 20 years via email.

As a result, the time involved in obtaining competitive quotes, scheduling the shipments, billing, tracking and confirming shipments is significant. In addition, invoices, bills of lading and other important documentation have often contained mistakes or errors, leading to further time spent rectifying any problems. In addition, it has been difficult to obtain accurate quoting services and rapid scheduling, and often impossible to obtain the immediate cost of freight trucking services from a single-source real-time network-based solution.

Freight trucking services ordinarily consist of: rating, scheduling, tracking, confirming, and billing. Other related services can also be provided. It is always useful to be able to see or generate reports of shipments made or in progress.

Rating the shipment involves providing information to the carrier or broker regarding the origin, destination, and type of shipping desired. The carrier or broker then determines the rate, often with a negotiated discount, and quotes the rate to the user. The user will then schedule the shipment's pickup and delivery, if the rate is acceptable. It is useful for the user to be able to track the shipment, which is to be able to ascertain the transit status of the shipment once the order has been placed. Tracking services provided to the user are commonly based on a shipment number, which the user must have or look up if the user wishes to track a package. These tracking services allow the user to track single packages, based on the tracking number alone.

If a broker is used, the broker will need to confirm the shipment with the carrier in order to verify that the carrier will have capacity to handle the shipment. Again, this process typically involves telephone calls, faxes, emails and person-to-person contacts. These contacts lend inefficiency, inaccuracy, and time to an already cumbersome system, but are typically how freight trucking shipments are rated and scheduled.

In freight trucking, volume discounts are often given by carriers in order to induce users to ship with them, and reward repeat business. These discounts can amount to up to 70% of the carrier's base tariffs, and often result in substantial savings to those shippers able to get such discounts. These discounts are not typically available to individual users, other than based on their individual volume of shipments. Sometimes, these volume discounts may be granted to a broker, who may pass a portion of the discount on to the broker's users, or to a group of similarly situated shippers.

A number of computer implemented and network-based shipping services have become more popular in recent years. These services, typically, perform the same services provided by a carrier, but over the World Wide Web (Internet) or other internal or external computer networks. Typically, the services provided will be a simple quoting or rating service, along with a scheduling request. While a number of specialized network-based services have been developed for target markets such as network-based auctioning, retail sales, or grocery shopping, no advanced system for providing general freight shipping services over a network has been developed. More specifically, no services provide real-time rating and scheduling of shipments together with an immediate quote to the user without the need for establishing a customer account. The present disclosure and associated claims address this need.

Definition of the Terms

The following terms are used in the claims of the patent as filed and are intended to have their broadest equivalent meaning consistent with the requirements of law.

“API” is an acronym for application programming interface and is defined as a set of subroutine definitions, protocols, and tools for building application software. In general terms, it is a set of clearly defined methods of communication between various software components. (Wikipedia)

“Broker” or“Freight Broker” is a link between the shipper and the carrier companies or individual drivers used in the industry to arrange for the transportation required by the shipper. A broker derives a commission for making the match between shipper and carrier.

An intermediary between the shipper and the carrier; the broker arranges transportation for shippers and secures carriers to provide the actual truck transportation. A broker does not assume responsibility for the cargo and usually does not take possession of the cargo. In some cases, the broker deals only with the trucking industry in the 48 contiguous states and/or Canada using ground transportation by trucks. The transportation can be within or between the 48 contiguous United States and Canada.

“BOL” - stands for Bill of Lading, A transportation document that is the contract of carriage between the shipper and carrier; it provides a receipt for the goods the shipper tenders to the carrier and, in some cases, illustrates certificate of title.

“Box Trailer” - see“Dry Van”

“Boxes” - see“Dry Van”

“Carrier” in this sense refers to an individual or organization providing freight shipping services.

“Carrier information” means any data or information stored in the database regarding the carriers. This may include rate information, discount information, markup information, or any other kind of information related to a carrier.

“Customer” defines a user who has been registered with the service, and has access to a master account or a sub-account.

“Customer information or user information” defines any data or information stored in the database regarding the customer.

“Database” means a collection of information stored in a format which allows searching by a computer, program or user. “Dry Van” can be used interchangeably with“Box Trailer”,“freight trailer”, or“boxes” and are designed to carry virtually any kind of boxed, crated, or palletized freight within an enclosed trailer.

“FMCSA” is an acronym for Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the governing body for freight brokers.

“Flat Bed”, also referred to as a“platform trailer”, means a trailer designed to transport oversize cargo that normally would not fit into standard freight trailers and are especially used for freight that must be loaded from the top or side of the trailer.

“Freight” means any commodity being transported.

“Freight trailer” - see“Dry Van”

“Freight trucking” means shipping performed over land, using trucks, either the entire truck or a portion thereof.

“Freight marketing” means the marketing of freight trucking services.

“Freight quote system” - See“the system”.

“FSC” is an acronym for Freight Shipping Calculator “FTL” is an acronym for Full Truck Load.

“FTL shipping” is an acronym for“full-truckload” shipping, or shipping involving any size load, including specifically loads that are of weight or area measurements reaching the capacity of the entire truckload.

“GUI” means Graphical User Interface.

“HTML” means Hypertext Markup Language.

“Hundred Weight” (cwt)— The pricing unit used in transportation; a hundred-weight is equal to 100 pounds.

“Lane” in this sense means the route from the Pickup Market city to Delivery Market city. “Local Database” means the database housing the market rate information.

“LTL” is an acronym for Less than Truck Load.

“LTL Motor Carrier”— LTL carriers are carriers that specialize in shipments under 10,000 pounds.

“LTL shipping” means“less-than-truckload” shipping, or shipping involving any size load, including specifically loads with are less than an entire truckload.

“Marketing” means advertising, selling, providing, or any combination thereof.

“Market” means a geographical region of 135 total areas into which all US cities are dispersed.

“Market city” means the city for which the market rate is determined based on the market into which the city is included.

“Master Account” means an account for the Service affiliated with a single user. An account will usually include a personal identification, such as a name or code, and a password or PIN. This account will grant access to the Service upon the entry of the personal identification and the password or PIN, though it may involve any kind of mechanism for identification of the user, such as a password or account name alone, or a name paired with a“cookie” provided by the user's computer, or any similar device.

“Network” means any distributed computer network, including, without limitation, both private and public networks, such as IPX networks or the Internet.

“NMFC number” is an acronym for National Motor Freight Classification number, but may also indicate any code in any system for classifying freight shipments.

“PIN” means personal identification number.

“Platform trailer” - see“Flat Bed”

“Programs” or“software” herein relates to any machine-operable code stored on a computer permitting it to operate or perform a function. “Quotation” or“Quote” means a price quote for a service, such as a shipment.

“Rate” is the charge for transporting freight.

“Rating” means quoting a price based on shipment data provided by a customer or user, such as a stated shipment type, origin, and destination.

“Reefer” is a slang term used for insulated and refrigerated trailers designed to transport perishable items. Commodities transported include vegetables, fruits, milk, juices, meats and poultry.

“RSS” is an acronym for Rich Site Summary (originally RDF Site Summary; often referred to as Really Simple Syndication) is a type of web feed which allows users to access updates to online content in a standardized, computer-readable format. (Wikipedia)

“Shipper” means the location, entity, user, or person from which a shipment is picked up or sent.

“Sub-account” means a sub-division of a master account. These sub-accounts may be accessible by the Master Account's user through use of a separate password or PIN.

“The service” means the service for providing services related to freight trucking over a distributed network such as the Internet or World Wide Web, or any other distributed network.

“The system” means the computer hardware and software used in providing the service. In the currently preferred embodiment, this includes the server computer.

“The server” means the computer hardware used in providing the service. This may include, as in the currently preferred embodiment, a web server and a database server. The server may also be a single computer or a plurality of computers.

“Tracking” means providing information regarding shipment status.

“Trailer” means a vehicle designed without motive power, to be drawn by another vehicle “Truck” means a motor vehicle designed to carry an entire load: It may consist of a chassis and body; a chassis, cab, and body; or it may be of integral construction so that the body and chassis form a single unit

“Truck Type Database” means the database the houses the truck type information used to generate a final quote.

“User” in this sense is a customer, potential customer, or other person accessing the service.

“Web browser” herein is a term for any software adapted for accessing web pages or other files over the Internet or a distributed network. Examples of such software are Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer.

Where alternative meanings are possible, the broadest meaning is intended. All words used in the claims are intended to be used in the normal, customary usage of grammar and the English language.

SUMMARY

This disclosure provides devices and systems that provide an immediate freight quote for freight being transported within or between the continental United States or Canada. The user provides just six variables; weight, volume/area (in cubic or square feet), origin and destination of the freight, type of truck needed, and pick-up date. This system also allows for providing scheduling, tracking and reporting once an agreement with the truck quoting service is accomplished.

This quote system allows the user to obtain actual quotes for freight shipping without disclosing the actual carriers and without the need to establish a user account. The user provides shipment information, clicks“Get Quote”, and receives an instant freight quote for FTL or LTL services. The user is able to obtain an actual rate, incorporating any discounts, and can see precisely the amount which the user will pay if the user elects to use the shipping service quoted. The user may then schedule the pick-up and shipment from the truck quote service provider, after creating a user account, which will generate a bill of lading (BOL) and customer invoice if the quote is accepted. Using the location of and the distance between the pick-up location and the drop-off location, the market rate information and profit percentage are generated based information from a local database. The information required by the system for each type of truck is contained in a truck type database. Information provided to the system from the Truck type database is used to determined fuel surcharges, and in conjunction with information in the local database is used to help determine Market-To-Market Rates (M-2M) and Percent Profit. The local database included within the system provides a list of all the US cities, where each city has been associated with one of 135 markets

The system will look-up the Market City in order to obtain the Market City Rate. As previously described there are 135 total markets into which all US cities are dispersed. There are 18,225 total possible combinations of markets (135 markets for pickup and 135 markets for delivery). All 18,225 lanes have twelve (12) rates per mile, one for each month as determined by historical truck rates. These rates will fluctuate with time and by demand associated with growing or shrinking markets for receiving goods delivered by trucks. Rates are determined by a past history of what trucks have moved similar loads for (in terms of costs) on a similar lane in the given month. The rates are driven by historical truck rates.

The system will use the Pickup state to find the Fuel Region and determine the Fuel

Surcharge Schedule.

Once the costs to the carrier (mileage, fuel) have been determined, the system adds a profit amount to the quote. Within a local database of all 18,225 possible combinations of markets, each market has a percentage profit to be added to the lane. Supply and demand can change by the month/seasons. For this reason we have different rates on file for each month of the year. Flatbed trucks, Dry Vans, and Reefers (refrigerated trucks) have separate profit margins, with each one having one profit percentage for all 12 months.

Once the FTL rate is calculated, the proprietary LTL calculator to find the price that will be quoted to the user for the footage the user will need for the load. Weight and footage are used to calculate variable is a higher percentage for the shipment and use it for the quote. Trucks can haul up to a maximum of 53 feet (53’) and 45,000 pounds (45K LBS). So if the load is 53’ long and weight only 1,000 LBS the system utilizes the footage because a full load is still required to provide a quote. If the load is 4feet long and weights 45KLBS, the system will use the weight to provide the quote -as this is still considered a“full load”. More specifically, this disclosure describes one or more devices comprising; at least one computer that connects with an internet, intranet, or both an internet and intranet server such that at least one computer and associated server performs a series of computational operations that determines and creates an optimized price for freight delivery of one or more items for at least one shipper to consider. The shipper must provide both a shipper determined weight and area or volume that one or more items will occupy on or in or both on and in a type of vehicle, both pickup and destination locations, and a date for pickup, wherein computational operations are also performed that determine and compare rates for shipment of the items that possess the shipper determined weight and area and wherein the computational operations selects an optimal value for one or more quotes for shipment of freight and displays quotes such that at least one shipper utilizes the devices which further provide one or more quotes that delivers a profitable return for shipment of the items for both a carrier and a broker more often than a loss return for the broker . The broker is at least partly involved with the shipment.

Here, either a broker or a carrier or both a broker and a carrier utilize the devices to access one or more quotes together with or separate from a shipper in order to estimate and compare quotes.

The computational operations provide a profit, loss, or breakeven return based upon a fee that the broker charges for said rates for shipment of freight. The computational operations further optimize packing of freight for a shipment of the freight within one or more vehicles so that the vehicles carry as much freight as possible and allowable from a pickup location to a destination location. A cost for shipment of freight is provided with a market comparable rate to other freight services and ease of use of the devices for the shipper is accomplished by simple provision of weight and area of the items without a need for provision of classification of goods or a determination of pallet numbers and pallet sizes of the items or both a determination of classification of goods and pallet numbers and pallet sizes.

In all embodiments, the shipper does not choose a carrier for shipment of the items. The vehicles are trucks selected from a group consisting of dry vans, flatbeds, and refrigerated trucks known as reefers. The vehicles carry freight to a specific location that has been further defined to be located within a specific designated region. In additional embodiments, the devices enable one or more websites or webpages within one or more websites to provide the shipper with an ease of use capability to perform

computational operations and receive information on a profit or loss that results in shipment of the items.

The devices enable shippers to acquire one or more accounts or subaccounts with quotes without a requirement for provision of shipper information.

An additional embodiment includes provision for a system comprising; at least one computer that connects with an internet, intranet, or both an internet and intranet server such that at least one computer and associated server performs a series of computational operations that determines and creates an optimized price for freight delivery of one or more items for at least one shipper to consider, wherein the shipper provides both a shipper determined weight and area that the one or more items will occupy on or in or both on and in a type of vehicle, both pickup and destination locations, and a date for pickup, wherein the computational operations are also performed that determine and compare rates for shipment of the items that possess shipper determined weight and area and wherein the system selects an optimal value for one or more quotes for shipment of freight and displays the quotes such that at least one shipper utilizes these devices which further provide one or more quotes that delivers a profitable return for shipment of the items for a both carrier and a broker more often than a loss return for the broker who is at least partly involved with the shipment.

The system utilizes a proprietary database of both flatbed and dry van and refrigerated trailer (“Reefer”) carriers, and upon acceptance of a quote by a user, queries the database in order to determine which carriers will provide service or provides a notification to a carrier, or a network of carriers, that a load is available and the payment offered for acceptance of the load by the carrier. The carrier used is the determined only by the truck quote provider. The disclosure permits the user to quote and schedule either a single shipment or a plurality of freight shipments at one time.

Another feature of the system is the ability to customize the interface for each customer or user, permitting the quoting service to recall prior orders for the user/customer and data provided earlier by the user. The system dynamically stores shipping addresses and other data for each user, permitting the user to schedule later shipments to or from repeated addresses, bill repeat customers, or perform any repetitive task without requiring the user to supply the same information again.

One aspect of customization of the system provides the ability to generate specific management reports, specifically permitting the user to create and run customized reports, which are then transmitted to the user either over the network, via electronic mail or facsimile. These reports can cover shipment tracking, shipment usage, or other features of the service, and the reports generated both by the user request and automatically, and can cover shipments already invoiced and those not yet invoiced.

Another aspect of the customization is the ability for each user to maintain sub-accounts for each master account. A user may have multiple sub-accounts for each master account, with each sub-account having its own password or PIN. These accounts may be associated with different employees of the user, different customers of the user, or any categorization which the user desires. This permits the user to restrict access to certain information or to more easily track different uses of the service.

Another aspect of the customization permits the user, once the user has scheduled shipments, to access a tracking report or shipment log of all prior shipments. These shipments may be tracked by the user without reference to a specific shipment number or code, and permits the user to access, both by user and by sub-account, records of all shipments scheduled through the service. Individual shipments may also be tracked without the use of a tracking number or code. Another aspect of the customization permits a user to access invoices, past and present, including payments and credits. The user may also view payment and credit details on a monthly basis. Another aspect of the service permits the user to maintain and utilize a database of NMFC numbers for the products shipped, allowing the user to accurately rate and schedule shipments based on both standard product descriptions and their own customized product descriptions, with appropriate NMFC numbers provided automatically by the system.

Another aspect of the service permits the user to create and print invoices for the user's own customers. These invoices may be printed while the user is accessing the service upon scheduling a shipment. The service stores customer information for each user, which the user may access for repeat shipments. The invoices are custom-generated for the user, and the system permits the user to add their cost to the cost of the freight, thereby permitting a completely custom invoice. The invoices may be printed on a ready -to-mail form for the convenience of the user.

Aspects of customization are available to a user once a user account is created.

The system will also permit the user to print a Bill of Lading (BOL). In addition, if the user is not the shipper, the system can automatically send a BOL and pickup instructions to the shipper.

The entire process of pricing and scheduling a shipment may be performed by the user via access to the system. No telephone calls need be made, no confirmatory faxes, emails or letters are sent by the user. The user can quote, schedule, bill and track an entire shipment through access to the system and generate custom reports regarding the user or any sub accounts regarding the use of the system. Thus, the disclosure is a single-source, network- based solution for marketing freight trucking services.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flow chart that provides the methodology associated with one example of a quote service provided by the system.

FIG. 2 illustrates a screen-shot of the Market City look-up of the freight quote system.

FIG. 3 illustrates a screen-shot of the Market-to-Market look-up of the freight quote system. FIG. 4 provides the rate calculator (TQ calculator) of the disclosure utilizing a weight to footage rate comparison in determination of the quoted rate.

FIG. 5A illustrates a weight chart for use in the TQ Calculator.

FIG. 5B illustrates a screen-shot of the Weight Calculator of the quote system.

FIG. 6A illustrates a footage chart for use in the TQ Calculator.

FIG. 6B illustrates a screen-shot of the Footage Calculator of the quote system.

FIG. 7 illustrates the home page for a web-based version of the disclosure. FIG. 8 illustrates the instant quote page for a web-based version of the disclosure, where a quote is provided for a dry van.

FIG. 9 illustrates the quoting page for a web-based version of the disclosure, where a quote is provided for a flatbed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Set forth below is a description of what is currently believed to be one of several examples of the disclosure claimed. Future and present alternatives and modifications to this embodiment are contemplated. Any alternatives or modifications which make insubstantial changes in function, in purpose, in structure or in result are intended to be covered by the claims of the present disclosure. One of the disclosure's embodiments includes the provision of a web site, and may best be understood in terms of its use over the World Wide Web (Internet). It can readily be seen, however, that the essential design of the system and the services provided by it do not require the use of a web site that is connected to the Internet, but may be implemented through the use of any server over any network, including the Internet, an IPX network, or any distributed network of computers or other relevant devices (e.g. cellular or“smart” phone, tablet, etc.) with access to a server or device on which the system operates. The system providing the services of the disclosure may also comprise a number of computers or devices, such as a web server and/or a database server, or a single computer or device performing all of the functions of the disclosure, with the proviso that a user may access the functions over either a public or private network.

The present disclosure and associated system is intended utilize various types of networks currently in popular use, and is not meant to restrict the specification or practice of the disclosure by reference to a specific kind of network, server, computer, or operating system. Equivalent computers, devices, networks, or operating systems are expressly contemplated by this disclosure, and could be used to practice the disclosure.

The quote system [100], as described and shown in the flow chart of Figure 1, allows the user to obtain actual quotes for freight shipping without disclosing the actual carriers and without the need to establish a user account. The user [101] provides shipment information [102], clicks“Get Quote” [103], and receives an instant freight quote for FTL or LTL services [115, 120] The user [101] is able to obtain an actual rate, including any discounts, and determine precisely the amount which the user [101] will pay if the user [101] elects to use the shipping service quoted. The user [101] may then schedule the pick-up and shipment from the truck quote service provider, after creating a user account, which will generate a bill of lading (BOL) and a customer invoice if the quote is accepted.

In order to determine the quoted rate of shipment, the freight quote system [100] receives the type of truck (dry van, flatbed, reefer) needed by the user [101] and queries the truck type database [104] for fuel, mileage, and other information specific to the type of vehicle that will be used to provide the freight quote.

At the same time, the freight quote system [100] determines the distance in miles via map API, such as Google Maps, to obtain the travel distance between the Pickup Address and the Delivery Address, known as the“lane” [105] The system then determines the Pickup Address and the Delivery Address in a local database [106] for Market cities [107]

A local database [106] is included within the system that provides a list of all United States cities, wherein each city has been associated with one of 135 markets. Each city in the US has an associated market. In addition, each state has an assigned market. If the city is not in the local database [106], the admin (administrator) is sent an email message that a city must be added to the local database [106] so that the next request allows for the local database [106] to be accessed with more complete and accurate data and with a a corrected market associated with the proper city.

The system will initiate a search for the Market City [107] in order to obtain the Market City Rate. A screen-shot of the Market City search as provided by the quote system [100] is presented in Figure 2. As previously described, there are 135 total markets into which all US cities are dispersed. There are 18,225 total possible combinations of markets (135 markets for pickup and 135 markets for delivery). All 18,225 lanes have twelve (12) rates per mile, one for each month. Rates are determined by historical truck rates, the past history of what trucks have moved similar loads for along a similar lane in the most recent month. The market city rate for the pick-up market city and the market city rate for the drop-off city determines the Market-to-Market rate [109], as depicted in the screen-shot of Figure 3. As an example, the Chicago Market to the Portland, Oregon Market rate for the month of June is $1.50 per mile for flatbed trucks and $1.30 per mile for a Dry Van carrier. The January rate for the same lane is $1.45 per mile for flatbed trucks and $1.20 per mile for a Dry Van carrier.

The system will use the Pickup state to find the Fuel Region. An RSS feed is received from a website that is continuously updated: www.eia.gov/petroleum/gasdiesel every Monday. There are 8 regions for pricing diesel fuel in the US. The presently described system utilizes the state of the pickup city to calculate the fuel surcharge price per mile [111]. The system also utilizes the systems Fuel Surcharge Schedule, and can also access a local data base such as www.Cheeseman.com/tools/fsc, to determine the average price of fuel in the region the state is located. The system then searches the proprietary fuel surcharge chart to obtain the price per mile.

The Fuel Surcharge Schedule, which is based on the DOE national weekly average, shown below in Table 1, is used to determine adjustments to freight charges for line haul transportation. The scale is based upon the Department of Energy (DOE) National Average Price for self-serve diesel fuel index reported each Monday and is the basis for calculation of rebates or surcharges applied to Carrier freight charges. Revisions to this fuel adjustment scale will occur the next day after the DOE posts its weekly fuel index. The National Average Price can also be verified by contacting the Energy Information Fuel Hot Line at (202) 586-6966.

The shipment will be subject to a $.010 per mile rate adjustment for each $.059 per gallon increase or decrease above or below the base price for fuel, as stated in the following schedule. The adjustment will be applied on the per gallon cost of diesel fuel as reported weekly by the DOE. In applying these provisions, the line haul miles for transportation are determined and a rebate or surcharge is assessed as indicated below. Fractions will be rounded to the nearest whole cent. Table 1 : Fuel Surcharge Schedule

Once the costs to the carrier (mileage, fuel) have been determined, the system adds a profit amount [112], as a percentage, to the quote. Within a local database of all 18,225 possible combinations of markets, each market has a percentage profit to be added to the lane.

Example: Portland, OR to Gary, IN has 25% profit to be added. Likewise, Gary, IN to

Portland, OR is set at 10% profit to be added. Gary, IN is a desirable destination because of the amount of loads leaving that central location. Portland, OR is not a desirable location to go to since there are not a lot of loads that leave from this city. Supply and demand can and does change by the month/seasons. For this reason, different rates are on file for each month of the year. Flatbed trucks, Dry Vans, and Reefers have separate profit margins, with each one having one profit percentage for all 12 months.

A full truck load rate [113] is therefore determined using the following Formula (1) (1) Miles(Market to Market rate + FSC) + % Profit = Rate

Example 1: Determination of Full Truck Load Rate - Virginia Beach, VA to Medford, OR

• User asks for Virginia Beach, VA to Medford, OR, Flatbed truck, load today, full weight and footage (45k LBS/53’).

• System first looked for driving miles - determined to be a 2981 mile trip for this lane.

• System used Norfolk Market City to Medford, OR market city rate for August for flatbeds which was provided as $1.34 a mile.

• System looked at V A to find fuel surcharge per mile.

o Since VA is in the East Coast region and fuel Monday was $2 623 FSC came back at .28 cents a mile from local FSC database.

• Profit for Norfolk, VA market to Medford, OR market for flatbeds is 15%.

• Formula (1) is used to calculate the full truck load rate.

(1) Miles(Market to Market rate + FSC) + % Profit = Rate 2981(1.34+.28) + 1.15=$5, 549.41

• System quotes $5,549.41 to user.

If a FTL shipment is the requirement of the shipper, as shown in Example 1, the FTL quote is provided [115] to the user [101] No further information or calculations are required and the shipper can accept the FTL quote [113] and book the shipment.

The freight quote system [100], based on user shipment information [102], will determine [114] if the user [101] requires LTL shipping. If YES, the system [100] will continue to the LTL TQ calculator [116] If NO, the system [100] will provide the FTL quote [115] to the user [101]

Rate by Area vs. Rate by Weight

Once the full truck load rate [113] is determined, the proprietary LTL TQ calculator [116], as shown in Figure 4, and utilized for this embodiment of the present disclosure (shown in an Excel® format), can be utilized to find the price that will be quoted to the user for the LTL load [120] The weight and footage needed is utilized to calculate which one dimension (weight or footage) provides a higher percentage of truck usage, and this information is used for the quote. Trucks can haul up to a maximum of 53 ft. and 45k pounds. A load that is 53 ft. long and weighs only 1,000 lbs. is determined by the system as a footage quote since the freight is still regarded as a full load for the purposes of a quote. If the load is 4ft long and weights 45k lbs., the system will use the weight to provide the quote as the freight is still considered a full load.

The LTL TQ Calculator [116] houses the tabulated variable information for weight and footage quote calculations [117, 119] as shown in Figure 5A and Figure 6A respectively. Figures 5B and 6B provide screen-shots for the weight and footage calculations [117, 119] of the freight quote system presented [100]

In a further embodiment of the disclosure, the variable information for weight [117] and the variable information for footage [119] can be combined for use within the LTL TQ

Calculator [116]

Figure 7 is a screen-shot of the Home Page of the freight quote system [100] The Home Page also functions as a graphical user interface (GUI) where the user [101] is prompted to input user shipment information [102] Once the user shipment information [102] is input, the user [101] will guide the pointer on the screen or otherwise“click” a portion of the screen where it is states“Get Quote” [103] at the bottom of the input area.

Figure 8 is a screen-shot of the LTL quote [120] provided to the user [101] for a dry van shipment with a pick-up location of Virginia Beach, VA and a drop-off location in Houston, TX. A date of November 1, 2017 was selected as the date of shipment pick-up. Weight of the freight was provided as 4,000 lbs. with a load footage of 4 cubic feet. A quote of $452.01 is given to the user [101]

Figure 9 is a screen-shot of the LTL quote [120] provided to the user [101] for a flatbed shipment with a pick-up location of Virginia Beach, VA and a drop-off location in Houston, TX. A date of November 1, 2017 was selected as the date of shipment pick-up. Weight of the freight was provided as 4,000 lbs. with a load footage of 4 cubic feet. A quote of $467.81 is given to the user [101] The computer readable media described within this application is non-transitory. The transmission of data is transmitted via signals that are non-transitory signals.

In addition, each and every aspect of all cited granted patents listed above are hereby fully incorporated by reference.

It will also be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many changes and

modifications could be made while remaining within the scope of the disclosure. It is intended to cover all such equivalent methods or systems, and to limit the disclosure only as specifically delineated in the following claims.

It is readily apparent that the claimed disclosure may be embodied in a number of manners. Though the disclosed embodiment, and the currently preferred embodiment, is a series of web pages run on a web server and a database server, the disclosure could be a network- based program run over a distributed system, a set of web pages run on a single server or distributed server, or any other alternative which may be immediately apparent to one skilled in the art, and that advances in distributed networks may make possible embodiments which are not presently available without making substantial changes to the disclosure.

In compliance with the patent laws, the subject matter disclosed herein has been described in language more or less specific as to structural and methodical features. However, the scope of protection sought is to be limited only by the following claims, given their broadest possible interpretations. The claims are not to be limited by the specific features shown and described, as the description above only discloses example embodiments. While the foregoing is directed to preferred embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims which follow.

The above description is not intended to limit the meaning of the words used in the following claims that define the disclosure. Rather, it is contemplated that future modifications in structure, function or result will exist that are not substantial changes and that all such insubstantial changes in what is claimed are intended to be covered by the claims.

Claims

I claim;

1. One or more devices comprising; at least one computer that connects with an internet, intranet, or both an internet and intranet server such that said at least one computer and associated server performs a series of computational operations that determines and creates an optimized price for freight delivery of one or more items for at least one shipper to consider, wherein said shipper provides both a shipment determined weight and area that said one or more items will occupy on or in or both on and in a type of vehicle, both pickup and destination locations, and a date for pickup, wherein said computational operations are also performed that determine and compare rates for shipment of said items that possess said shipment determined weight and area and wherein said computational operations selects an optimal value for one or more quotes for shipment of freight and displays said quotes such that at least one shipper utilizes said one or more devices which further provide one or more quotes that delivers a profitable return for shipment of said items for both a carrier and a broker more often than a loss return for said broker who is at least partly involved with said shipment.

2. The devices of claim 1 , wherein either a broker or a carrier or both a broker and a carrier utilize said devices to access one or more quotes together with or separate from a shipper in order to estimate and compare said quotes.

3. The devices of claim 1, wherein said computational operations provide a profit, loss, or breakeven return based upon a fee that said broker charges for said rates for shipment of freight.

4. The devices of claim 1, wherein said computational operations further optimize packing of said freight for a shipment of said freight within one or more vehicles so that said vehicles carry as much freight as possible and allowable from a pickup location to a destination location.

5. The devices of claim 1, wherein a cost for shipment of freight is provided with a market comparable rate to other freight services and wherein ease of use of said devices for said shipper is accomplished by simple provision of weight and area of said items without a need for provision of classification of goods or a determination of pallet numbers and pallet sizes of said items or both a determination of classification of goods and pallet numbers and pallet sizes.

6. The devices of claim 1, wherein said shipper does not choose a carrier for shipment of said items.

7. The devices of claim 1, wherein said vehicles are trucks selected from a group consisting of dry vans, flatbeds, and refrigerated trucks known as reefers.

8. The devices of claim 1, wherein said vehicles carry freight to a specific location that has been further defined to be located within a specific designated region.

9. The devices of claim 1, wherein said devices enable one or more websites or webpages within one or more websites to provide said shipper with an ease of use capability to perform said computational operations and receive information on a profit or loss that results in shipment of said items.

10. The devices of claim 1, wherein said devices enable shippers to acquire one or more accounts or subaccounts with quotes without a requirement for provision of shipper information.

11. A system comprising; at least one computer that connects with an internet, intranet, or both an internet and intranet server such that said at least one computer and associated server performs a series of computational operations that determines and creates an optimized price for freight delivery of one or more items for at least one shipper to consider, wherein said shipper provides both a shipment determined weight and area that said one or more items will occupy on or in or both on and in a type of vehicle, both pickup and destination locations, and a date for pickup, wherein said computational operations are also performed that determine and compare rates for shipment of said items that possess said shipment determined weight and area and wherein said system selects an optimal value for one or more quotes for shipment of freight and displays said quotes such that at least one shipper utilizes said devices which further provide one or more quotes that delivers a profitable return for shipment of said items for a both carrier and a broker more often than a loss return for said broker who is at least partly involved with said shipment.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein either a broker or a carrier or both a broker and a carrier utilize said devices to access one or more quotes together with or separate from a shipper in order to estimate and compare said quotes.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said computational operations provide a profit, loss, or breakeven return based upon a fee that said broker charges for said rates for shipment of freight.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein said computational operations further optimize packing of said freight for a shipment of said freight within one or more vehicles so that said vehicles carry as much freight as possible and allowable from a pickup location to a destination location.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein a cost for shipment of freight is provided with a market comparable rate to other freight services and wherein ease of use of said devices for said shipper is accomplished by simple provision of weight and area of said items without a need for provision of classification of goods or a determination of pallet numbers and pallet sizes of said items or both a determination of classification of goods and pallet numbers and pallet sizes.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein said shipper does not choose a carrier for shipment of said items.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein said vehicles are trucks selected from a group consisting of dry vans, flatbeds, and refrigerated trucks known as reefers.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein said vehicles carry freight to a specific location that has been further defined to be located within a specific designated region.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein said devices enable one or more websites or webpages within one or more websites to provide said shipper with an ease of use capability to perform said computational operations and receive information on a profit or loss that results in shipment of said items.

20. The devices of claim 11, wherein said devices enable shippers to acquire one or more accounts or subaccounts with quotes without a requirement for provision of shipper information.