A manufacturer looking for a carrier: how to find the right transport company
The question of how to find a transport company comes up again and again at manufacturers that are outsourcing logistics or expanding into new markets. To a manufacturer, a carrier is not a one-off service provider but a logistics partner on which supply chain continuity and on-time delivery to end customers depend. A single unreliable run can cost you a commercial contract, damage your reputation and cause real financial losses running into tens of thousands of PLN.
Getting it right takes a systematic approach: defining your own needs, finding candidates, checking them legally and operationally, assessing their offers and negotiating the terms of cooperation. Most mistakes manufacturers make come from skipping one of these stages or looking only at the rate per km without analysing reliability and service quality.
This article takes you step by step through the whole process: from assessing your needs, through proven search channels and practical legal checks in KREPTD (the Polish register of road transport undertakings) and KRS (the Polish National Court Register), to evaluating offers beyond price and building a long-term business relationship. Each step ends with a specific action or a checklist you can put to use straight away.
Define your transport needs before you start searching
The first step towards finding a transport company is to define your logistics needs precisely. Most manufacturers skip this stage and waste time talking to carriers that offer the wrong vehicles or specialisations. A detailed needs assessment lets you rule out unsuitable candidates as early as the first contact.
Questions to answer before you start looking for a transport company:
- What are you shipping? Type of goods, dimensions, weight, special requirements such as ADR for dangerous goods, temperature-controlled transport, food requiring HACCP, pharmaceuticals covered by GDP, textiles or building materials
- How much and how often? Monthly volume in tonnes or pallets, a regular schedule versus seasonality, production peaks in particular months of the year
- Where are you shipping to? Domestic transport, the European Union, non-EU countries, specific destinations and regions, frequency on individual routes
- When do you need delivery? Loading and unloading time windows, just-in-time delivery tied to the production schedule, flexibility on dates
- How do you load and unload? A side loading bay requires a curtainsider, a rear dock works with a tarpaulin trailer, there may be crane loading from above, and no dock at all calls for a vehicle with a tail lift
- What documents are required? CMR, bill of lading, customs documents for exports outside the EU, veterinary documents, CITES for certain goods
The key insight is this: the more precisely a manufacturer describes its needs, the more accurate the offers it receives and the easier it is to reject unsuitable candidates. An internal transport needs sheet on a single A4 page should answer all the questions above, together with information on annual volume, seasonality and export growth plans.
The transport needs sheet is an internal document that forms the basis of the requests for quotation you send to potential carriers. It should be updated every quarter to reflect changes in the production schedule and sales strategy. Manufacturers who use a needs sheet receive offers that are 30 - 40% better matched than those who send general enquiries with no specification.
Where should you look for carriers?
The second stage is choosing the right channels to find candidates. Different sources offer different levels of vetting, speed and fit with a manufacturer’s needs. Below are the five most effective channels used by manufacturing companies in Poland and across Europe.
Freight exchanges and transport platforms
The most popular answer to the question of how to find a transport company is a transport platform such as Trans.eu, Timocom, LOAD24 or Antrans BiS. You get tens of thousands of active carriers in one place, vetted by the platform for licences, reviews and post-job ratings. Trans.eu is the largest freight exchange in Central Europe, while Timocom has over 55,000 verified partners according to figures published by the platform.
Platforms let you post a request for quotation and compare many offers within a few hours. They are the fastest route for urgent loads, but they can also lead to long-term cooperation through closed exchanges for regular partners. The downsides are a monthly subscription fee and the risk of dealing with brokers rather than actual carriers.
Business referrals and networking
Referrals from trading partners, other non-competing manufacturers in your sector and chambers of commerce are another way to find a transport company. A referral acts as an initial quality check and considerably shortens the onboarding of a new logistics partner. Chambers of industry and commerce, including the Wielkopolska Chamber of Industry and Commerce and the Lewiatan Confederation, give their members access to databases of TSL (transport, forwarding and logistics) companies.
Industry networking at trade fairs and logistics conferences lets you meet a company’s management in person and judge its professionalism. The drawbacks of this channel are its limited scale and the time it takes to build a network of business contacts.
The KREPTD register run by GITD
The public, free register of all Polish carriers with an active licence, available at kreptd.gitd.gov.pl and kept by GITD (the Polish Road Transport Inspectorate), is the official way to find a transport company and confirm that it operates legally. You can search by company name, NIP (Polish tax identification number) or town and see the licence type, number of vehicles, activity status and serious infringements.
As a search tool, KREPTD works better for checking candidates you have already found than for actively searching, because it holds no contact details or specialisations. Combining KREPTD with transport platforms gives the best results when shortlisting carriers.
Industry search engines and business directories
Panorama Firm, Kompass, Euler Hermes directories and industry portals such as Logistyka.net.pl and Trans.info are further tools for finding a transport company, with filters for specialisation, location and certificates. The data in these directories is sometimes out of date, so always check candidates in KREPTD and KRS before making contact.
A freight forwarder as an intermediary
A freight forwarder managing a pool of carriers is an option for manufacturers without the resources to manage contracts directly. The advantages are a single point of contact, flexibility and the ability to absorb volume fluctuations. The disadvantages are the extra cost of the forwarder’s 10 - 20% margin and less control over which carrier actually performs the transport. For what a forwarding contract looks like and what a forwarder is liable for, see our article on freight forwarding step by step.
A forwarder makes sense for irregular shipments, small manufacturers without a logistics department, or international transport that requires customs clearance and knowledge of local regulations. Before you book transport abroad, check in your sales contract whether, under Incoterms, transport is your responsibility at all.
How do you check a carrier’s reliability?
The third stage is a thorough legal, reputational and operational check of your candidates. Most competing guides name no specific verification tools and stop at vague advice to check the licence.
Checking the transport licence in KREPTD
The kreptd.gitd.gov.pl website is the first thing to check. What you are checking: the authorisation to pursue the occupation of road haulage operator (for domestic transport) or the Community licence for international transport, issued by GITD. What you will see: active, suspended or withdrawn status, the number of vehicles covered by the licence, the date of issue and the record of infringements.
The company handling your transport must appear in KREPTD with an active status. No entry means the transport is illegal and you cannot claim compensation under the carrier’s liability insurance (OCP). KREPTD is connected to the European ERRU register, so infringements recorded in France or Germany are fed into the Polish register.
Checking the carrier’s liability insurance (OCP)
Carrier’s liability insurance (known in Poland as OCP) is a key element when choosing a transport company. Ask to see a copy of the policy, or get the insurer’s name and call to confirm the cover is valid. What you are checking: the expiry date, a sum insured at least equal to the value of your most valuable load, territorial scope (domestic, EU or worldwide), and exclusions for ADR, medicines, electronics or food.
Without valid OCP cover, the answer is simple: keep looking. Without a policy, the carrier’s liability is tightly limited by the CMR Convention to 8.33 SDR per kilogram, and compensation is practically impossible to enforce without an insurer.
Checking the company’s legal status in KRS and CEIDG
The KRS at krs.ms.gov.pl for companies and CEIDG.pl (the Polish register of sole traders) for sole proprietorships are the next step. Check that the company is not in liquidation, bankruptcy or restructuring. The National Register of Debtors (KRZ) at krz.ms.gov.pl offers a free check of insolvency proceedings.
Companies bought together with their history are used by fraudsters as a shield. Check that the owners and management board are the same as in the historical KRS entries. A change of management in the last 6 months is a warning sign that calls for additional reference checks.
- Transport licence active in KREPTD, no exceptions
- Valid OCP insurance with a sum insured at least equal to the value of the load
- Legal status in KRS or CEIDG with no bankruptcy or liquidation entry
- No significant debts above 50,000 PLN in KRD (the Polish National Debt Register)
- Specialist certificates (ADR, GDP, HACCP) if your type of goods requires them
Checking the carrier’s reputation and operations
Ask for references from 2-3 current clients and check them by phone, not by email. An email can be faked; a phone call with a logistics manager confirms authenticity. Ask about the condition and age of the fleet: newer Euro 6 vehicles pay lower CO2-based tolls in Germany under the Toll Collect system.
How do you read a KREPTD entry?
Few shippers looking for a transport company know about KREPTD; it is used mainly by carriers themselves to keep an eye on competitors. The kreptd.gitd.gov.pl website is open to everyone, free of charge and without logging in.
Step-by-step guide to checking a transport company in KREPTD:
- Enter the company name or NIP in the search field on the home page
- Optionally, filter by town or voivodeship (Polish province) to narrow down the results
- Check the authorisation status: active means OK, suspended or withdrawn means you must not place orders
- Check for a Community licence, which is needed for international transport outside Poland
- Assess whether the number of vehicles matches your volume requirements
- Review the record of serious infringements as a warning sign of operational problems
KREPTD’s limitations include no information on OCP insurance, no data on debts, and a possible delay of a few days between a company’s actual status and the update in the system. Always combine a KREPTD check with other sources to get a full picture of a carrier’s reliability.
How to evaluate a carrier’s offer: criteria beyond price
The fourth stage is assessing the offers you receive. Most mistakes manufacturers make come from looking only at the rate per km without analysing service quality and the partner’s reliability. The rate alone does not tell you whether it is an all-in price including e-TOLL (the Polish electronic toll system) and other road tolls, or a net price with charges to be added on top.
| Assessment criterion | What to check | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Punctuality | OTD rate over the last 6-12 months | Delays damage customer relationships |
| Communication | Response time, dedicated account manager | Fast reaction in a crisis |
| Fleet | Own fleet or broker, vehicle age | Quality control and reliability |
| Technology | GPS tracking, electronic CMR | Transparency and monitoring |
| Scalability | Spare capacity for seasonal peaks | Operational flexibility |
Punctuality and delivery reliability
The on-time delivery (OTD) rate for the last 6-12 months is the first thing to ask about if you want a transport company with proven quality. Professional carriers achieve an OTD of 95 - 98%, meaning only 2-5 deliveries in a hundred arrive late. Ask for references from clients with similar volumes and routes, and check reviews on freight exchanges that rate carriers after each job.
Communication and responsiveness
The response time to a request for quotation should be 1 - 4 hours on working days. A professional company assigns a dedicated account manager, not a call centre with high staff turnover. Ask how communication works in a crisis, such as a vehicle breakdown or a delay: having a plan B is a sign of operational maturity.
Own fleet versus a transport broker
A carrier with its own fleet has more control over quality than a broker who subcontracts the transport. Fleet age matters: Euro 5 vehicles cause problems on routes through Germany because Toll Collect charges are higher for older engines. Check that the trailers suit your cargo and the unloading arrangements at your customers’ sites.
Technology and operational transparency
By 2025, GPS tracking with access for the client had become standard. No tracking is a red flag that suggests a low level of professionalism. Electronic invoicing, digital CMR and delay notifications by text message or email are the hallmarks of a modern logistics partner.
Scalability and flexibility
Whether the carrier has spare vehicles for your seasonal production peaks is a key question if you are looking for a long-term partner. Ask how it handles unplanned express orders and whether it serves foreign destinations in case you plan to export in the future.
Red flags that should make you reject a carrier immediately: A rate more than 30% below the market average, which is impossible with normal costs. No OCP insurance, or a sum insured lower than the value of a typical load. Refusal to show the OCP policy or the KREPTD licence number. No references, or refusal to let you contact current clients. A company that has existed for less than 12-18 months with no documented track record.
Negotiating terms and signing a framework agreement
The fifth stage is negotiating terms and formalising cooperation in a framework agreement. For manufacturers planning a long-term relationship with a carrier, the agreement is the key tool that protects both parties and cuts the cost of negotiating every single order.
How to negotiate rates as a manufacturer
Your trump card in negotiations is regular, predictable orders, which carriers value at a premium. Better fleet planning and less empty running are savings you can negotiate into a lower rate. Start by offering a set number of runs per week or month on fixed routes, and ask for a contract rate 10 - 20% below the spot market.
An annual contract with a guaranteed minimum volume is the strongest negotiating position for securing preferential terms. Don’t negotiate on price alone: negotiate a package covering the rate plus response time plus OTD rate plus claims terms. A comprehensive approach gets better results than focusing on a single parameter.
Key elements of a contract with a carrier
A contract with a carrier should include the following sections:
- Scope of services: routes, vehicle types, schedule, minimum and maximum volume
- Rates and adjustment rules: fuel indexation based on Platts Diesel, annual inflation adjustment
- Quality standards: OTD rate of at least 95%, response time to an order of no more than 2 hours
- Insurance: minimum OCP sum insured matched to the maximum value of a single consignment
- Liability: claims procedure, deadlines for handling claims, compensation in line with the CMR Convention
- Contractual penalties: for missing the OTD target and for failing to provide a vehicle at the agreed loading time
- Termination: a notice period of at least 1-3 months to keep deliveries running
- Confidentiality clause: covering data on customers, routes, products and volumes
Models of working with carriers
Giving one carrier exclusivity on a route or region brings a lower price but creates concentration risk. A panel of 2-3 companies per destination offers greater operational security at the cost of more complex coordination. In a mixed spot plus contract model, regular loads go through the framework agreement and peaks go through a freight exchange, which combines flexibility with cost optimisation.
How do you build a long-term relationship with a carrier?
The sixth stage is building a lasting business relationship after the contract is signed. For a manufacturer, a carrier is part of its operational infrastructure, and changing partners means cost, risk and downtime. It pays to invest in the relationship through consistent actions that strengthen cooperation.
Practices that build good cooperation for years to come:
- A quarterly review of cooperation analysing OTD, claims and operational issues
- Prompt payment, which carriers value more than low rates because it keeps their cash flow healthy
- Precise orders with exact addresses, contacts, reference numbers and warehouse opening hours
- Notice of changes to the production schedule and seasonal peaks at least 2-4 weeks in advance
- Joint seasonal planning for manufacturers with marked seasonality, such as FMCG, household appliances or construction
When should you change carrier and look for a new partner? When the agreed OTD is missed three times in a quarter without justification, when cargo is damaged and the carrier refuses to handle the claim, when rates rise by more than 20% without warning or in breach of the adjustment clause in the contract, or when problems with the licence or OCP come to light during the KREPTD check you run every 6-12 months.
Find a proven carrier for your production
Finding a transport company does not have to be time-consuming or risky if you follow the systematic approach described in this article. The Antrans BiS platform connects manufacturers with verified carriers matched to their industry, tonnage and destinations. It lets you find a partner for regular cooperation, with full legal and reputational vetting, in one place.
Whether you are looking for a carrier for domestic Euro pallet transport in Poland or a partner for exports to Western markets, you will find the right solution for your needs. Contact us and see how easy it is to build a stable supply chain with a professional logistics partner verified by independent systems such as KREPTD and by reviews from other manufacturers.
Useful articles: How to start a transport company in Poland in 8 steps | Finding transport orders: 5 effective ways to win new loads | Funding for road transport: grants for transport companies | Transport documents in road haulage in 2026
FAQ: common questions about finding a transport company
Below you will find clear answers to the most important questions about how a manufacturing company should choose a carrier. We cover legal checks, evaluating offers, negotiating terms and building long-term cooperation, to help you find a transport company that fits your logistics needs safely and effectively.
Does a manufacturer need to sign a contract with a transport company?
For regular cooperation, a framework agreement is definitely worth signing, although for one-off jobs a transport order with a CMR consignment note is enough. A framework agreement protects both parties and reduces the cost of negotiating each individual order. It should include clauses on rates and fuel adjustment rules, an OTD rate of at least 95%, a maximum 2-hour response time to orders, the minimum OCP sum insured, and the rules for claims and compensation. A contract eliminates disputes over how the terms of cooperation should be interpreted and speeds up the settlement of claims for damaged cargo. An annual contract with a guaranteed minimum volume lets you negotiate rates 10 - 20% lower than the spot market. Without a contract, the manufacturer loses the ability to enforce contractual penalties for missed delivery dates or for a vehicle that fails to turn up at the agreed loading time.
How do you check whether a carrier has a valid transport licence?
You can check for free on kreptd.gitd.gov.pl in a few minutes, without logging in. Enter the company name or NIP (Polish tax ID) in the search field to see the type of licence: the authorisation to pursue the occupation of road haulage operator for domestic transport, or a Community licence for international transport within the EU. An active status means the company operates legally; a suspended or withdrawn status means you must not give that company any transport orders under any circumstances. You will also see the number of vehicles covered by the licence and the record of serious infringements that could lead to the loss of the licence in the future. KREPTD is connected to the European ERRU register, so infringements recorded abroad, in Germany, France or the Netherlands, are fed into the Polish register. A KREPTD check is the first step towards finding a transport company with confirmed legal standing, and you should do it before your first phone call with a prospective carrier.
What is the difference between a carrier and a freight forwarder, and which should you choose?
A carrier physically transports the load with its own or leased vehicles, while a freight forwarder acts as an intermediary, subcontracting the transport and managing the whole logistics process. A manufacturer pays a forwarder more because of the intermediary’s 10 - 20% margin, but gains a single point of contact and flexibility when volumes fluctuate. A forwarder makes sense for irregular shipments, small manufacturers without a logistics department, or international transport requiring customs clearance and knowledge of local regulations. Working directly with a carrier gives more control over service quality and lower costs for large, regular volumes. For medium-sized and large manufacturers with predictable delivery schedules, direct cooperation with a carrier is usually more cost-effective and operationally efficient. The exception is complex international supply chains with multiple transhipment points, where a forwarder provides coordination that is hard to manage in-house.
What should you do if a carrier damages a manufacturer’s cargo?
Enter your reservations on the CMR consignment note immediately when you receive the goods, or send them in writing within 7 days for damage that was not apparent at unloading. Compensation is governed by the CMR Convention, which limits the carrier’s liability to 8.33 SDR (Special Drawing Rights) per kilogram, unless the framework agreement or the carrier’s OCP policy provides for higher limits. Contact the carrier’s insurer, quoting the OCP policy number and providing photographs of the damage together with the invoice showing the value of the goods. When choosing a transport company, check the OCP sum insured before signing the contract: it should be at least equal to the value of the most valuable load you ship regularly. Professional carriers have claims procedures with a handling time of 14 - 30 days from notification. If the carrier refuses to process the claim or disputes it, consider switching to a new logistics partner with higher quality standards, using the criteria described in this article. The deadlines for reservations and the 8.33 SDR per kilogram limit are explained in our article on the CMR Convention.
How can a manufacturer with regular shipments negotiate lower rates?
Your main bargaining chip for securing preferential terms is the regularity and predictability of your orders, which carriers value at a premium. Offer an annual contract with a guaranteed minimum volume, for example 4-8 runs a week on the same route, which lets the carrier plan its fleet and eliminate empty running on the return leg. A carrier that can plan ahead has lower operating costs and can cut its rate by 10 - 20% compared with the spot market. Don’t negotiate on price alone: negotiate a package covering the rate plus an OTD rate of at least 95% plus a maximum 2-hour response time plus flexibility during seasonal peaks. Include a fuel adjustment clause based on the Platts Diesel index and an annual inflation adjustment in the contract, which protects both sides against extreme cost swings. Prompt payment within 14 - 21 days is another argument that makes a transport company more willing to lower its rates, because carriers value cash flow more than you might think.
How often should a manufacturer review its carrier?
Review your carrier every 6-12 months by checking its licence status in KREPTD, the validity of its OCP policy and the company’s legal status in KRS. A quarterly review of cooperation covers the OTD rate, the number of claims and operational problems, plus a joint discussion of improvements before problems escalate into a crisis. An annual performance review should compare the carrier’s rates with the market and assess communication quality, responsiveness in urgent situations and the ability to scale up during seasonal peaks. Signals that call for an immediate review and a search for a new partner include the agreed OTD being missed three times in a quarter without justification, damaged cargo combined with a refusal to handle the claim, a rate increase of more than 20% without warning, or a suspended status in KREPTD. Proactive monitoring removes the risk of sudden disruption to your supply chain and lets you plan a change of carrier well in advance while keeping production running smoothly.
Managing Director | Antrans BiS, Olkusz
Sebastian Szklarczyk has led the development of Antrans BiS, a transport company operating throughout Europe, for more than 15 years. He started as Head of the Freight Forwarding Department, gaining practical experience in organising international transport and managing a vehicle fleet on European routes.
As Managing Director, he is responsible for the strategic management of a company handling more than 21,000 transport operations a year on its main routes: Poland-Italy, Poland-Germany, Poland-Austria, Spain, the Benelux countries and Scandinavia. Under his leadership, Antrans BiS has expanded its fleet to 220 vehicles, including its own and partners’ vehicles, and achieved an on-time delivery rate of 98%.
Specialisms: international FTL transport throughout Europe, automotive and FMCG logistics, optimisation of European routes, road traffic regulations and driving bans in the EU, and transport documentation (CMR, VAT-UE, INTRASTAT).
On the Antrans BiS blog, he shares practical knowledge about international freight forwarding, transport regulations and the business aspects of running a transport, freight forwarding and logistics company in different European countries.
