Karen Kroll | Inbound Logistics
September, 2026
Tracking carrier performance metrics sounds straightforward. In practice, the volume of available data makes it easy to measure everything and act on nothing.
“You can chase too many rabbits,” says Lynn Gravley, founder and CEO of NT Logistics.
The September 2026 issue of Inbound Logistics tackles this problem head-on. Writer Karen Kroll identifies the transportation metrics that consistently drive the most value, separating the signals from the noise. The article makes a clear case: the greatest insights don’t come from more data points, but from deeper understanding of the right ones.
To be useful, a metric needs to connect to a lever. That lever is almost always cost, service, or both. A manufacturer that tracks on-time, in-full deliveries but can’t identify which carriers are arriving late or which facilities are shipping short inventory isn’t acting on data. It’s just collecting it.
The Metrics That Matter Most
The article walks through 11 key performance indicators every logistics leader should be tracking. The list covers ground that might seem obvious but rarely gets measured consistently:
Total landed transportation cost per unit gives shippers visibility into margin erosion before it shows up on a P&L. On-time delivery and pickup rates capture not just whether freight arrives, but whether it arrives on the first attempt. Expected versus actual delivery times reveal consistency, which matters more than speed alone. Exception communication tracks whether a carrier proactively flags a problem or waits for a customer call. Safety records, damage and claims rates, financial health, and billing accuracy round out the picture.
The article is direct about what matters most: “A package that takes three attempts and a customer service call isn’t on time, even if it technically beats the promised date on paper,” notes Kyle Henzel, COO of SHIP.com.
Randy Ofiara on What Customer Retention Really Tells You
On metric number ten, customer retention rate, Inbound Logistics turned to BlueGrace Logistics for perspective. Randy Ofiara, Senior Vice President of Managed Logistics Performance, makes the case that retention data cuts through a lot of noise:
A solid customer retention rate shows that a provider offers long-term value. A significant customer turnover rate warrants investigation. Among the issues to check are the company’s account management strategy and its approach to staffing and training. Most leading companies have low customer turnover and a solid management structure to help drive value for their clients.
It’s a metric that doesn’t show up on a rate sheet, but it tells you more about a carrier’s actual performance than almost any other single number.
Read the Full Article
The complete piece covers all 11 metrics in detail, including equipment quality and availability, continuous improvement benchmarks, and what financial health indicators to look for when vetting a carrier.
Read the full article in the September 2026 issue of Inbound Logistics here.
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