SONAR Report: Truckload Tender Rejections Hit 13.78%, Nearly 2.5x Last Year as Carriers Favor "Partner of Choice" Shippers

Truckload tender rejections averaged 13.78% in the week of Oct. 6–12, about 2.5 times the 5.48% recorded a year earlier, while van contract rates rose 18.2% year over year to $2.73 per mile from $2.31, according to SONAR data cited in a new sitrep, "Partner of Choice." The report argues shippers must move beyond "shipper of choice" status to earn carrier investment ahead of the 2027 bid season. Tender volume rose about 8% year over year to 11,202 from 10,364 even as rejections climbed roughly 150%, signaling capacity-driven tightness rather than a demand surge. Rejection rates diverged by equipment: reefer averaged 21.47% and flatbed 19.01%, versus 11.05% for van. Origin markets such as Quincy, Illinois (48.38%) and Cedar Rapids, Iowa (38.46%) ran far tighter than inbound-heavy markets like Lakeland, Florida (3.25%) and Phoenix (3.55%). The report defines a partner of choice as a shipper whose carriers commit drivers, equipment, surge capacity and pricing flexibility, built on five attributes: transparency, commitment, network fit, mutual problem solving and shared value. It says the window to establish such positions remains open now that contract repricing is largely complete.