4. Poor compliance with prescribed routings. Prescribed routings include
the correct use of mode and carrier for a specific size of shipment. In most
cases, local shipping personnel should follow the routing guide as prepared by
a professional traffic manager. A routing guide should be customized for each
location and include the best route and at least one alternative routing along
with the cost and service difference between the two. Complete routing instructions
may include specifications for parcels, emergency parcels, less-than
-truckload shipments, priority LTL, and truckload shipments. The best mode
and carrier should be specified by destination region, state, city, or ZIP Code
as needed. As mentioned above, a good freight payment database can support
analysis of compliance with these instructions. It is not unusual to identify
15 percent freight savings in cases where professional routing guides are
not maintained and where compliance is not monitored.