DAT iQ Benchmark - Broker FAQs

6 minute to read

What are the differences between the Pro and Premium packages?

Premium offers these additional features:

• Unlock Dynamic maps, with position to benchmark at the City, State, and Zip levels
• Find opportunities to improve by geography
• Cost by Attributes (bubble chart)
• Quickly identify worst performing: Office Number, Load Planner, Carrier, Equipment Type to find areas to make the biggest impact
• Lanes and Carrier Tables unlocked beyond top 5 to see unlimited Lanes and Carriers in app
• Lanes and Carrier Tables unlock beyond top 100 download results to excel
• Unlock filters to 25 filters

How can I confirm my access to DAT iQ Benchmark?

Access to DAT iQ Benchmark is available to brokers who meet the following requirements:

• You must have an active RateView Combo Premium or RateView Combo Pro subscription.
• Your company must have contributed data within the last 13 months.

Next Steps:

• If you meet both requirements but still can’t access DAT iQ Benchmark, follow our browser troubleshooting steps.
• If you’re unsure about your access or subscription status, please contact your account manager for assistance.

What rates are used in DAT iQ Benchmark?

DAT's Best Fit Rate - this provides the most accurate and relevant rates for your needs. This rate is determined by factoring in both area and time frame. If data is available, it may reflect a 3-day rate from one city to another. If sufficient data isn’t available, the system expands the parameters—such as using a 7-day rate from a city to a market—to ensure you receive the most reliable rate possible.

Note: The Best Fit Rate represents the average rate at the date of shipment, and not the minimum or maximum rates.

What are the primary use cases for DAT iQ Benchmark?

• Managerial Reporting: Gain insights into how your company’s rates compare to the RateView benchmark, whether they are X% above or below.
• Tactical Analysis: Identify high-impact areas such as the top lanes or carriers exceeding benchmarks, focusing on metrics like Delta Cost or dollars over benchmark. This analysis can also be applied across dimensions such as state, city, office number, shipper, or planner name.

How are Spot and Contract Rates defined in DAT iQ Benchmark?

Spot and Contract rates are defined using the contribution file field you specify for these categories. If no designation is provided, rates will default to spot for brokers. This ensures consistency and accuracy in how rates are categorized within the platform.

Are the rates in DAT iQ Benchmark My Buy or Sell rates?

DAT iQ Benchmark reports your buy rates, which reflect what you spend on carriers.

What should I do if my data looks incorrect in DAT iQ Benchmark?

• Add or replace data: Simply send the updated data file. We will add or overwrite records based on the load ID.
• Large files: For files larger than 60,000 records, please split them into smaller files of less than 60,000 records each before submitting.
• Adding or removing fields: Contact your account manager to collaborate with our Data Operations team. They will guide you through the process and request a sample file to initiate the mapping process.

Please see our data validation checklist

Why does the Shipper filter have different or missing data, I know we are sending it?

The Shipper filter displays data based on the Shipper field from your contribution files. If data appears missing or inconsistent, here are three ways to address it:

1. Swapping Customer and Shipper Fields: If you currently send both Customer and Shipper fields but want the data swapped, you can update the mapping on your end and resend all historical records.
2. Using Customer Data for the Shipper Filter: If you only send a Customer Name field and want those values displayed in the Shipper Name filter, we’ll update our mapping accordingly. Once that’s done, you can resend your historical records.
3. Adding a Shipper Field: If you currently send only one field (e.g., Customer) and want to add a separate Shipper field, send us a sample file with the additional field. This allows us to update our mapping before you send historical or recurring files.

What is the difference between Equipment Type and Equipment Details in the load level data download?

• Equipment Type: This is the DAT-standardized type that we mapped your data to.
• Equipment Details: This reflects the raw data provided directly by you, without any modifications.

What is Lane Consistency and how is it calculated?

Lane consistency in the Benchmark product is calculated by identifying the number of times a lane has moved in the past year. The lane consistency is categorized into four groups based on the frequency of movement:

• Rare: 1-3 weeks
• Occasionally: 4-12 weeks
• Often: 13-25 weeks
• Frequent: 26-52 weeks

One use case is to identify lanes that run consistently that are the most over benchmark to make improvements.

The technical calculation for a Lane = Origin 5 digit zip + Dest 5 zip + equipment type. Count of weeks in the last 52 weeks with any volume.

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