Inbound logistics: everything you need to know to optimize your flows in 2025

Logistics are now very expensive. In France, the cost of driving personnel rose by 7.5% in 2024 , according to the CNR. On a European scale, operating costs for road haulage companies have risen by 15% compared with 2023. At the same time, diesel prices rose by 4.8% in the first quarter of 2025. Add to this the volatility of spot rates, regulatory constraints and driver shortages, and you have supply chain managers under pressure. To meet these challenges, many are turning their attention to theupstream part ofthe supply chain. As a result, this stage of the supply chain has been transformed from a mere technical link to a genuine lever for logistics performance.

What is this upstream phase? Why is it fundamental to the supply chain in 2025? What are its main challenges, and how can we meet them? Shiptify answers all your questions about pre-carriage.

1. What is inbound logistics?
2. Inbound logistics issues and challenges in 2025
3. How to implement optimized inbound logistics?
4. How does inbound logistics fit in with other links in the logistics chain?
5. What is the impact of INCOTERMS on pre (and post) routing?
6. Why choose Shiptify solutions to optimize your inbound logistics?

What is inbound logistics?

Inbound logistics refers to the transport of goods from the supplier (factory, warehouse, manufacturer or producer) to a logistics center, hub or intermodal terminal, before transferring them to a main mode of transport.

This essential link in the logistics chain aims to collect, sort and consolidate shipments before they are loaded onto the most important transport vehicle.

The concept of pre-carriage is particularly used in combined transport: rail and road, for example. It can also be seen in groupage, where goods from multiple shippers are brought together upstream.

Inbound  vsoutbound logistics: what's the difference?

Inbound logistics must be distinguished from other segments of the logistics chain:

The main journey only starts once the shipments have been collected and consolidated after pre-carriage. Post-routing comes second. This is the last link in the chain, known as final delivery or last mile, from the logistics center (arrival of the main transport) to the final recipient.

The strategic importance of pre-carriage for transport and the supply chain

This stage plays several strategic roles:

• Collection and consolidation: bringing together shipments from different shippers, in order to pool volumes (groupage), maximize vehicle fill rates and reduce the number of empty runs;
• Reduced logistics costs: this step enables transport costs to be shared between several shippers;
• Increased reliability: well-organized collection, via optimized rounds, guarantees regular pick-ups that respect time windows;
• Minimized risk of delays or overloads, thanks to more precise planning of the main route and post-carriage;
• Improved quality of service: goods passing through platforms benefit from several points of control, sorting and tracking;
• Better traceability: data collected during picking, scanning and loading feed information systems and enhance visibility of upstream flows, contributing to indicator-based management;
• Green supply chain: limiting empty runs means reducing the carbon impact of transport. What's more, pre-carriage (often by road) consolidates flows towards sea or rail terminals, which are proportionally less polluting.

Inbound logistics issues and challenges in 2025

Before activating this powerful lever, it is essential to consider the issues and challenges involved. Otherwise, the ROI (return on investment) is likely to be less attractive.

Costs and optimization

Along with the last kilometer, the pre-carriage phase, also known as the first kilometer, is one of the most costly phases of transport.

According to OECD/ITF studies,trucks travel up to 30-40% of their kilometers empty in some road traffic, which represents a significant proportion of logistics costs.

This item therefore has a direct impact on margins, particularly when trucks make unloaded returns or fragmented collections.

So, the main challenges in 2025 are :

• reducing empty runs through grouping and pooling ;
• improving vehicle load factors;
• organizing multi-point collections by optimizing routes to limit unnecessary kilometers.

Did you know? According to the ITF/OECD Transport Outlook 2023, load pooling can reduce kilometers traveled by around 30% and cut delivery costs and times by around 25% in densely populated areas.

Service quality and on-time delivery

In the event of delays, missed deadlines or collection errors, pre-carriage penalizes the rest of the logistics process. In this sense, there are several issues at stake:

• Time window collections: strict time windows imposed by warehouses on shippers.

• Keeping logistical appointments to avoid bottlenecks on the quayside (this is why we have developed our dock scheduling solution).

• Reliable inbound flows thanks to real-time route tracking.
• Reduce unforeseen events by anticipating volumes and stock-transport visibility.

Sustainability, intermodality and digitalization

By 2025, companies are aiming to reduce the environmental impact of the supply chain through intermodality.

Road transport emits almost 7 to 9 times more CO₂ per tonne-kilometre than rail freight, according to ADEME / AFT data.

The strong trends that stand out are as follows:

• combining road and rail to reduce CO2 emissions;

• plan shorter, denser routes using data and BI (Business Intelligence);

• automate routes via TMS integrating AI or optimization engines.

Coordination between players and a multi-link chain

Inbound logistics relies on efficient cooperation between the various players: shippers, carriers, logistics platforms, forwarding agents and hubs. Poor synchronization creates queues, delays and additional costs. It is therefore essential to :

• share reliable information (estimated lead times, unforeseen events, etc.) in real time between all links;

• coordinate operations at every stage;

• facilitate transshipment, i.e. promote smooth passage between two operators;

• improve planning and forecasting with collaborative platforms such as Shopify ;

• standardize data to speak the same language and avoid misinterpretation.

How to implement optimized inbound logistics?

More concretely, implementing optimized inbound logistics requires a precise methodology. Here's a practical guide to follow!

Key steps in defining your scope

The OECD's work on optimizing inbound transport emphasizes the importance of this scoping phase, which involves precisely mapping inbound flows:

• Identify logistics points: collection points (supplier site, factories, secondary warehouses, etc.), logistics centers (cross-docking platform, regional hub, rail terminal), volumes and types of packaging (pallets, parcels, bulk) as well as frequencies and variability (weekly, seasonal, peaks).

• Mapping of existing flows: current routes, distances and journey times, visualization of routes and average load factor, then identification of empty runs, duplicates, unnecessary load breaks.

• Define the scope of optimization: segment by geographical area, prioritize high-volume or low-performance flows and define a target scenario, e.g. +15% load factor.

Indicators and KPIs to monitor

Any improvement in supply chain performance must be managed using structuring KPIs. In pre-carriage, the indicators to be monitored are as follows:

• Truck loading rate: the target is 80% or more in most sectors.

• Number of empty runs, ideally below 25%.

• Collection times: measured in terms of reliability and compliance with time slots.

• Transport cost per pallet or per ton transported.

• Time-window collectioncompliance rate.
• CO₂ emissions per journey, based on emission factors

Useful technologies and tools

Logistics digitization is essential to optimize the first mile of the supply chain. This means choosing the right upstream TMS to plan routes, allocate resources and monitor them in real time. To achieve this, the software uses :

• specialized optimization modules based on algorithms, AI and geocoding ;
• methods for optimizing transport capacity (optimal loading, consolidation);
• real-time tracking using IoT, telematics and dynamic ETA.

At Shiptify, we have developed a multi-carrier TMS, a collaborative tool that enables centralized management of routes, real-time visibility and KPIs that update automatically. At the same time, the ShiptiDock tool manages dock scheduling to reduce waiting times and streamline pick-ups.

Best practices specific to transport/logistics

ADEME and France Supply Chain, inspired in particular by lean transport, recommend :

• grouping and pooling;
• route optimization (homogeneous zones, reduced distances, elimination of duplication);
• the use of precise, realistic time windows, adapted to suppliers and consignees alike;
• continuous improvement (Kaizen transport), notably through a monthly review of routes and analysis of discrepancies between forecasts and actual performance
• regular benchmarking of the transport network to compare costs, reliability, carbon emissions and service rates.

Common mistakes to avoid

Before deploying Shiptify within the companies we support, we frequently observe the following bad practices:

• planning a collection without taking actual volumes into account, resulting in overloaded trucks or, conversely, parcels that cannot be picked up;
• lack of upstream visibility, leading to delays at the hub and higher post-carriage costs;
• incomplete or unstructureddata that hinders optimization;
• poor synchronization between carriers and warehouses, leading to loading dock congestion and penalties.

Find out how MLT Groupe improved its responsiveness thanks to Shiptify's TMS:

How does pre-carriage link up with other links in the supply chain?

As you can see, pre-delivery is not an isolated block. It is part of an operational chain:

1. collection (pre-carriage) or collection from shippers ;
2. consolidation at a platform or hub;
3. loading into the main transport;
4. arrival at the regional or local platform;
5. final delivery, which may be by cyclo-logistics or commercial vehicles.

Cross-impacts of inefficient inbound logistics

As the efficiency of each stage depends on the previous one, upstream flows need to be viewed from end to end, so that they can be accurately anticipated and realistically planned. Otherwise, immediate domino effects occur:

• cascading delays ;
• overcrowding and congestion in front of the platforms ;
• additional costs due to unforeseen events;
• lower service levels.
  

End-to-end vision and global flow management

It's essential to see upstream as an integral part of the supply chain, and not simply as a collection point. The end-to-end approach makes it possible to :

• synchronize all flows, from the first to the last kilometer;
• align capacities with requirements, to avoid disruptions or bottlenecks;
• improve forecasting thanks to a common, constantly updated dashboard;
• reduce costs;
• increase overall service quality.
  
  

What is the impact of INCOTERMS on pre (and post) delivery?

INCOTERMS determine who is responsible for each stage in the transport of goods: pre-carriage, main carriage and post-carriage. Depending on the rule chosen, responsibility for the truck, port of departure, storage, container loading and unloading or port services changes from the exporter (or seller) to the importer (or buyer).

The following table summarizes these responsibilities according to the type of INCOTERM:

Why choose Shiptify solutions to optimize your pre-carriage?

Shiptify solutions are designed by supply chain specialists to optimize end-to-end transportation. They give you a 360° view of your supply chain.

Our TMS to manage your inbound transport

Shiptify TMS centralizes all your carrier data in a single interface, facilitating communication with your partners. This gives you real-time visibility of your pick-ups and shipments, as well as the ability to track routes, anticipate contingencies and react very quickly to unforeseen events, as the PCM Group's International Flows and Compliance Manager explains in this video :

Thanks to its planning and optimization modules (route simulation, order consolidation), Shiptify calculates the best routes, encourages the pooling of volumes and avoids empty transport. The software automatically generates transport documents (consignment note, customs documents, etc.) according to customized parameters.

Our TMS provides KPI monitoring and reporting of costs, transport performance and quality indicators. This data centralization enables you to manage your operations proactively.

Linked to your existing systems, the software can be integrated with your ERP or WMS, guaranteeing data consistency and fluidity between your internal systems and your carriers.

Shiptidock: our dock scheduling solution to streamline warehouse flows

ShiptiDock is an appointment system dedicated to docks. It enables carriers to make appointments online for loading or unloading, without having to go through manual exchanges (e-mail, telephone).

With collaborative planning, warehouse teams have a dynamic calendar view of truck arrivals and departures, enabling them to distribute the workload and avoid peaks in activity. What's more, the tool offers real-time tracking of arrivals and departures, with traceability of drivers' entries/exits to limit waiting times, blockages or congestion at the docks.

ShiptiDock also provides key data such as slot compliance rates, attendance times and delays. The module is designed to be easy to deploy: it takes just a few dozen minutes to configure the RDV link and make it available to carriers.

Finally, integration between Shiptify TMS and ShiptiDock creates a unified logistics suite: transport planning coupled with dock synchronization guarantees greater fluidity, less friction and better overall performance.

Whatever the size or sector of your business, you can benefit. Request a free demo to see how Shiptify can help you take control of your supply chain.