Nicolas Telesca

Key Takeaways Most bad carrier contracts don’t look bad at signing. They look bad six months later, once minimum charges, surcharges, and expired discounts start showing up on invoices. The base rate discount is the easiest number to compare and usually the least important part of the deal. A lot of the real cost sits in places people don’t think to check: minimum charge floors, the DIM divisor, and accessorial terms that change faster than base rates do. Once a contract is signed, it still...

Key Takeaways DAS and EDAS are per-package fees UPS and FedEx charge for delivering to ZIP codes they’ve classified as harder to reach. In 2026, DAS typically runs $4.80 to $6.60 per package. EDAS, being the more severe tier, runs $6.50 to $8.80. A third tier, Remote Area Surcharge, can run significantly higher for the most isolated ZIP codes. These fees are climbing faster than the general rate increase most years, so they take up a growing share of your bill even when nothing about your...

Key Takeaways Your shipping volume is the single biggest factor in what discount UPS or FedEx will offer you. More volume means more leverage. Carriers measure volume as dollars spent, not packages shipped. A smaller number of expensive packages can carry more weight than a larger number of cheap ones. Most contracts use rolling averages, often 52 weeks, to track your volume. Drop below your tier, and your discount can fall automatically, even mid-contract. Volume isn’t just about size....