What is MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity) in transport?

MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity) is the smallest quantity of goods that a supplier or transport company is willing to ship or accept in a single order. In truck transport, MOQ usually refers to the minimum load (for example weight, volume, number of pallets or minimum revenue) that makes a delivery commercially viable for the carrier. Carriers and suppliers set MOQs to cover fixed costs such as vehicles, drivers, handling and administration and to avoid running half-empty trucks or processing many very small, uneconomical shipments. For shippers, MOQ is an important parameter when planning order sizes, shipment frequency, replenishment strategies and how to consolidate orders.

What does MOQ mean in truck transport?
In lorry and truck transport, MOQ can be defined in different ways, such as:

• A minimum weight (for example 2 tonnes per shipment)
• A minimum volume or loading metres (for example a certain number of pallet spaces)
• A minimum freight charge (a minimum price per shipment)

Depending on the lane, customer and cost structure, carriers choose the MOQ level that makes a trip worthwhile while still remaining attractive for shippers.

How can shippers deal with MOQ in practice?
If a single order does not reach the MOQ, shippers can:

• Consolidate several smaller orders going to the same customer, region or route into one larger shipment
• Group shipments over time to build enough volume while still respecting delivery windows
• Negotiate different MOQ levels or minimum charges with the carrier for regular flows or strategic lanes

A clear understanding of MOQ helps both shippers and carriers to plan loads more efficiently, reduce empty mileage and keep transport costs under control.

How IMPARGO (TMS) helps you meet MOQ
A Transport Management System (TMS) like IMPARGO can support MOQ management in day-to-day operations:

• Route and load optimisation: helps planners build efficient routes and loads, combine compatible shipments on the same vehicle and reach MOQ thresholds for weight, volume or revenue more often
• Real-time visibility: shows which shipments are already assigned to trips and which capacity is still free on each truck, making it easier to fill remaining space and avoid running below MOQ
• Order consolidation: supports grouping smaller orders with similar routes, customers or time windows, so shippers can meet MOQ requirements more frequently and reduce the number of uneconomical small shipments
• Better communication: improves information flow between shippers, carriers and customers so MOQ constraints (minimum weight, pallet count, minimum charge) are visible early in the planning process, reducing last-minute changes and minimising the risk of falling below MOQ
• Data-driven planning: uses transport history and performance data so companies can analyse load factors, order sizes and routes, adjust MOQs and planning rules and make better decisions about when and how to consolidate shipments

This data-driven approach helps balance cost efficiency with service quality while still complying with MOQ requirements.