Partner of Choice: Why the Best Shipper-Carrier Relationships Now Go Beyond Shipper of Choice

FreightWaves reported on Oct. 20, 2026, that SONAR's Partner of Choice sitrep explains what shippers should expect from a higher-priced carrier relationship. The report builds on SONAR's June 2026 Shipper of Choice report and defines partner of choice as a relationship in which both sides invest in each other's networks, not just transact on loads. Shipper of choice earns preference for the freight, while partner of choice earns investment in drivers, equipment, surge capacity, network ideas and pricing flexibility, the report states.

Tender rejections averaged 13.78% in the week of Oct. 6–12, 2026, compared with 5.48% in the same week of 2025, according to SONAR data. Van contract rates were $2.73/mi as of Sept. 30, 2026, up 18.2% year over year from $2.31/mi, the data show. Tender volume rose to 11,202 from 10,364, about an 8% year-over-year increase, while rejections rose about 150%, according to the data.

The report identifies five attributes of a partner-of-choice relationship: transparency, commitment, network fit, mutual problem solving and shared value. It also says network fit is an underused lever, with shippers that have outbound freight in inbound-heavy markets able to trade that structural value for priority on harder lanes.

The sitrep frames partnership as a maturity curve from transactional to shipper of choice to partner of choice. For sourcing professionals, the report concludes that the window is now because contract repricing is largely done but partner-of-choice positions are still being set before the 2027 bid season.