Start with the record
Put the lane facts where the quote work happens.
A quote can stall when the desk has to reconstruct basics: what equipment is actually needed, whether the appointments are firm, who covered a similar lane, or what the shipper already said. A lane record does not replace your systems. It gives the broker a clean page for the facts that need to be confirmed before the number is sent.
Keep these practical fields together:
- Origin and destination: city, state, ZIP when available, and any route detail the shipper supplied.
- Equipment and load facts: equipment type, weight, dimensions, commodity, and handling requirements.
- Appointment constraints: pickup and delivery windows, FCFS notes, and any stated scheduling condition.
- Shipper notes: contact, quoted terms, special instructions, and the question that still needs an answer.
- Recent covers: comparable lane history, the source of that history, and what changed on this shipment.
- First calls: the carriers, contacts, or capacity sources to check first, with the response recorded.
- Do not quote below: the owner-approved internal reference or the escalation point for this lane.
Keep the desk moving
A concise 10-minute quote workflow
Use this as a sequence for the lane on your desk. It does not make the quote for you, and it does not guarantee a speed or outcome.
01
Minute 0–2
Open the lane record
Put the origin, destination, equipment, timing, and shipper request on one page. Mark unknowns instead of filling gaps from memory.
02
Minute 2–4
Check lane context
Review the most relevant recent covers and carrier notes. Separate recorded history from a new assumption.
03
Minute 4–6
Confirm constraints
Re-read appointment windows, accessorial questions, handling requirements, and the shipper's stated expectations.
04
Minute 6–8
Work the first calls
Check the first appropriate capacity contacts or sources for the lane. Record what was confirmed and what remains open.
05
Minute 8–9
Compare to the floor
Use the owner-approved margin-floor reference or raise the lane for an internal decision when it does not fit.
06
Minute 9–10
Approve before sending
A licensed brokerage person reviews the facts, chooses the number, and approves the quote before it is sent.
Owner reference
Use a margin floor as an internal stop sign.
A margin floor is an owner-approved operating reference: the minimum dollars and percentage your brokerage wants to review before it calls a load worth taking. It can prompt a pause, a different number, or an escalation. It is not a profitability guarantee and it is not financial advice.
Printable-style desk sheet
Freight broker quote check
Final checkpoint
Human broker approval recorded before quote is sent.
Scope and decisions
Frequently asked questions
Is Cover Desk a TMS, load board, or broker?
No. Cover Desk provides educational operating templates. It is not a TMS, load board, broker, or carrier-selection service.
Does the checklist make carrier, insurance, or compliance decisions?
No. Cover Desk does not provide legal, insurance, or financial advice and does not make carrier-selection, tender, or compliance decisions. Licensed brokerage personnel retain those responsibilities.
Is this an authority package or a quote automation system?
No. Cover Desk does not provide authority packages or automated quoting. A human broker reviews and approves each quote before it is sent.
Does a margin floor guarantee a profitable load?
No. A margin floor is an owner-approved internal operating reference. It is not a profitability guarantee or financial advice.