9 Trimble Transportation Bid Don’t Bet Know Your Network As you go into bid season, it’s absolutely fundamental to evaluate your trucking network, and then use bidding as an opportunity for optimization. This is how you will strengthen your network and ultimately grow your business. Network evaluation is similar to a medical health assessment. Just as you determine what elements of your body are at risk or need attention before making a change to your diet or starting a new medication, so too must you assess your network before deciding what new business agreements can help you the most. The network of a trucking company is a complex system, and it operates on two planes - geography and customers. Both of these have their own sets of considerations that relate to and affect your finances and your manner of operating. Perhaps the most basic geographical consideration is area: what is your operating territory? Do you aim to be a nationwide carrier, or regional? If you haul nationwide, do you have or want to have a stronger presence locally? These considerations apply to both customers and the geography in which you operate. Beyond area, there are plenty of other elements on which to evaluate your network. 9 Trimble Transportation Bid Don’t Bet