Help & Standard Operating Procedures

Step-by-step guides for the Carrier Portal

SOP-008: Getting Started with the Carrier Portal

Carrier Getting Started
When to use: After receiving your carrier login credentials from SRL.
  1. Navigate to the Carrier Portal login page at /carrier/login.html
  2. Enter your email and the temporary password provided by SRL
  3. On first login, you will be prompted to set a new secure password (min 8 characters)
  4. After setting your password, you'll land on the Dashboard showing your CPP tier, active loads, and compliance status
  5. Check the sidebar for navigation: Dashboard, My Loads, Available Loads, Payments, Compliance, and Help
  6. Review your Compliance Center to ensure all documents (W-9, COI, Authority Letter) are uploaded
Pro Tip: Complete your compliance documents first — you cannot accept loads until your account is fully approved.

SOP-009: Browsing & Accepting Available Loads

Carrier Load Management
When to use: When looking for new loads to haul.
  1. Navigate to Available Loads from the sidebar or dashboard
  2. Browse posted loads — they are filtered to match your equipment type
  3. Review load details: origin/destination, pickup date, equipment type, weight, distance, and carrier rate
  4. Click View to see full load details including special instructions and broker contact
  5. Click Accept to book the load — optionally enter driver name, phone, truck #, and trailer #
  6. The load moves to "My Loads" with status BOOKED and the broker is notified automatically
Pro Tip: Loads with higher rates per mile and shorter deadhead are more profitable. Check the distance column.

SOP-010: Managing Active Loads & Status Updates

Carrier Load Management
When to use: After accepting a load through delivery.
  1. Go to My Loads to see all your assigned loads
  2. Click a load to open the detail view with timeline, info, and action buttons
  3. Update driver and equipment info using the Driver & Equipment form on the right
  4. Use the Update Status buttons to progress through: AT PICKUP → LOADED → IN TRANSIT → AT DELIVERY → DELIVERED
  5. Each status update creates a check call and notifies the broker automatically
  6. After marking as DELIVERED, the broker will handle invoicing and your payment will appear in the Payments section
Pro Tip: Timely status updates improve your CPP score — especially on-time pickup and delivery metrics.

SOP-011: Understanding Your Payments

Carrier Payments
When to use: To track earnings and understand payment timelines.
  1. Navigate to Payments from the sidebar
  2. Review the KPI tiles: YTD Earnings, Pending, Scheduled, and Total Paid
  3. Use the status filter to find specific payment types (Pending, Scheduled, Paid)
  4. Each payment row shows the load reference, route, gross amount, QuickPay discount (if any), and net pay
  5. Standard payment terms are Net 30 from delivery and POD submission
Pro Tip: Submit your POD (Proof of Delivery) and carrier invoice promptly — this speeds up payment processing.

SOP-012: Requesting QuickPay

Carrier Payments
When to use: When you need expedited payment (24-48 hours).
  1. Go to Payments and find a payment with status Pending or Prepared
  2. Click the QuickPay button next to the payment
  3. Confirm the request — a percentage fee will be deducted based on your CPP tier:
    Platinum: 1% | Gold: 1.5% | Silver: 2% | Bronze: 3%
  4. Payment will be expedited and processed within 24-48 hours
  5. The net amount (after QuickPay fee) will be shown in the payment details
Pro Tip: Higher CPP tiers get lower QuickPay fees. Consistent performance pays off!

SOP-013: Understanding the CPP Loyalty Program

Carrier CPP
When to use: To understand how to earn rewards and advance tiers.
  1. Your CPP (Caravan Partner Program) tier is shown on the Dashboard tier card
  2. Tiers are based on your overall performance score (0-100):
    Bronze: 0-89 | Silver: 90-94 | Gold: 95-97 | Platinum: 98+
  3. Score is calculated from: on-time pickup (20%), on-time delivery (20%), GPS compliance (15%), claims ratio (15%), communication (10%), doc timeliness (10%), acceptance rate (10%)
  4. Tier perks include: load priority access, bonus percentages (Gold 1.5%, Platinum 3%), reduced QuickPay fees, and dedicated support
  5. Track your progress bar on the Dashboard — it shows points needed for the next tier
Pro Tip: Focus on on-time performance and communication — they account for 50% of your score combined.

SOP-014: Maintaining Compliance

Carrier Compliance
When to use: To ensure your documents and certifications stay current.
  1. Navigate to Compliance from the sidebar
  2. The Overview tab shows: insurance status, FMCSA authority, document checklist, and active alerts
  3. Ensure all required documents are uploaded: W-9, Certificate of Insurance (COI), and Operating Authority Letter
  4. Monitor the Expirations tab for upcoming document and insurance expirations
  5. You'll receive alerts 30 days before any document expires (WARNING) and immediately when expired (CRITICAL)
  6. Upload renewed documents through the Documents section or by contacting your SRL broker
Pro Tip: Set calendar reminders 45 days before insurance/authority renewals to avoid any lapses in compliance.

SOP-015: Understanding CSA Scores & Safety Metrics

Carrier Compliance
When to use: To monitor your safety performance and FMCSA standing.
  1. Go to Compliance → CSA / Safety tab
  2. View your FMCSA BASIC scores across 7 categories (lower is better):
    Unsafe Driving, Hours of Service, Driver Fitness, Drug & Alcohol, Vehicle Maintenance, HazMat, Crash Indicator
  3. Scores above 65-80% (depending on category) may trigger FMCSA intervention
  4. Below the BASIC scores, view your SRL-specific performance metrics: on-time rates, communication, claims, and doc timeliness
  5. The Score History table shows your performance trend over recent scoring periods
  6. Work to keep all scores in the green zone to maintain your CPP tier and avoid safety interventions
Pro Tip: Regularly check your CSA scores on the FMCSA SAFER website and contest any inaccurate data through DataQs.

SOP-016: Responding to Automated Check-Calls

Carrier Load Management
When to use: When you receive an SMS check-call from SRL during a load.
  1. You will receive an SMS at key milestones: 2 hours before pickup, at pickup, midpoint, 2 hours before delivery, and at delivery
  2. The text will say: "SRL Check-Call: Load #SRL-XXX. Reply: 1=At Pickup, 2=Loaded, 3=In Transit, 4=At Delivery, 5=Delivered"
  3. Reply with the number matching your current status (e.g., reply "3" if you're in transit)
  4. The system automatically updates your load status — no need to log into the portal
  5. If you don't respond within 30 minutes, you'll receive one reminder text
  6. If you still don't respond, your broker will be alerted and may call you directly
Pro Tip: Responding to check-calls promptly improves your CPP communication score. Missed check-calls negatively impact your performance rating.

SOP-017: Urgent Load Notifications & Fall-Off Recovery

Carrier Load Management
When to use: When you receive an urgent load notification from SRL.
  1. You may receive urgent notifications when another carrier has fallen off a load and SRL needs a replacement quickly
  2. These appear as "Urgent Load Available" in your notifications with the load details and rate
  3. Review the load: origin, destination, pickup date, equipment type, and rate
  4. If you can take the load, accept it through the portal or reply "YES" to the SMS
  5. The load will be immediately assigned to you and your broker will be notified of the successful recovery
Pro Tip: Accepting urgent loads quickly builds trust with SRL and can positively impact your CPP tier. Reliable backup carriers get priority on future loads.

SOP-018: Understanding Load Risk & Your Performance Impact

Carrier CPP
When to use: To understand how your actions affect load risk scores and your carrier performance.
  1. Every active load has a risk score (GREEN/AMBER/RED) that your broker monitors
  2. Your actions directly influence the risk score:
    • Responding to check-calls on time → reduces risk
    • Missing check-calls → increases risk (+25-50 points)
    • Being a Bronze tier carrier → adds +10 risk points
  3. High-risk loads get escalated to management, which can affect your standing
  4. To keep loads GREEN: respond to check-calls promptly, update your status at each milestone, and communicate any delays proactively
  5. Fall-offs (cancelling an assigned load) are tracked and penalized:
    • 1st fall-off: noted on your profile
    • 2+ fall-offs: flagged for deactivation review
  6. Maintaining a clean record with zero fall-offs and prompt communication is the fastest path to higher CPP tiers
Pro Tip: If you have an issue with a load (truck breakdown, weather delay), call your broker immediately. Proactive communication is always better than going silent.

SOP-019: Using the Detention Pay Tracker

Carrier Tools
When to use: When you've waited more than 2 hours at a pickup or delivery facility.
  1. Navigate to Tools from the sidebar, then click the Detention Tracker tab
  2. Enter the Load Reference number (e.g., SRL-2026-0042) and the Facility Name
  3. Enter your Arrival Time and Departure Time using the date/time pickers
  4. Click Calculate Detention. The system shows: total time, free time (2 hours), billable hours, and detention pay at $75/hour
  5. If detention pay is owed, click Submit for Payment to send the claim to your broker for review
  6. Track your detention history at the bottom of the page — see status of previous claims (Pending, Approved, Paid)
Pro Tip: Always note the exact arrival and departure times. Take a photo of the facility check-in/check-out log as evidence for detention claims.

SOP-020: Using the Deadhead Minimizer

Carrier Tools
When to use: After delivering a load, to find nearby loads and reduce empty miles.
  1. Navigate to Tools from the sidebar, then click the Deadhead Minimizer tab
  2. Enter your current delivery city and state (e.g., "Atlanta, GA")
  3. Click Find Backhaul Loads. The system searches all available POSTED loads
  4. Results are sorted by deadhead distance (closest first). Each card shows: origin, destination, rate, distance, equipment type, and pickup date
  5. Found a good match? Go to Available Loads to accept the load directly
Pro Tip: Check the Deadhead Minimizer before every delivery trip ends. Planning your backhaul in advance maximizes revenue per mile and minimizes downtime.

SOP-021: Using Maintenance Reminders

Carrier Tools
When to use: To set up and track maintenance schedules for your trucks and trailers.
  1. Navigate to Tools from the sidebar, then click the Maintenance tab
  2. To add a reminder: enter the Truck/Trailer number, select the Reminder Type (Oil Change, Tire Rotation, DOT Inspection, etc.), and set the Due Date
  3. Click Add Reminder. The reminder appears in the Active Reminders list below
  4. Reminders are color-coded: Green (30+ days), Amber (7-30 days), Red (less than 7 days or overdue)
  5. Click the × button next to a reminder to delete it after completing the maintenance
  6. Reminders are saved locally in your browser — they persist between sessions on the same device
Pro Tip: Set up reminders for ALL required maintenance when you first start using the tool. This creates a complete maintenance calendar that helps prevent breakdowns and DOT violations.