What this calculator estimates
OCL Cargo’s hidden-loss calculator turns four operating inputs (trips/month, average cost, carriers, admin headcount) into a monthly and annual leakage estimate. It is not a quote and not tax advice: it is an operational reference to see whether the pain is assignment speed, accessorial evidence, slow collections, or admin load.
Who it is for
Shippers, IMMEX, 3PLs, and Mexico–U.S. corridor operators still matching invoices by hand or sampling. If Finance pays without a complete file (rate + CFDI + Carta Porte + GPS + POD), this tool puts leakage in pesos before you ask for a pilot.
Inputs
Four fields; monthly freight spend is derived automatically.
- Trips per month
- Volume you already run, not an aspirational plan.
- Average cost per trip (MXN)
- Typical road rate for your network; adjust for short vs long hauls.
- Active carriers
- Carriers you regularly award.
- Admin employees
- People chasing PODs, reviewing invoices, and resolving disputes.
What the leakage estimate includes
Two fronts: opportunity cost and direct losses. Percentages are conservative MX industry averages, not your audited figure.
| Front | Assumption |
|---|---|
| Trips lost to slow assignment | ~4% of volume × average cost (slow response). |
| Cash tied up by slow collections | ~15 extra days × reference CETES rate on monthly spend. |
| Unbillable accessorials | ~2.5% of monthly spend when dock evidence is missing. |
| Admin time | Hours/day × fully loaded MXN rate × working days. |
How to use it
- 1
Enter your operation
Set trips, average cost, carriers, and admin headcount to your reality, not the demo defaults.
- 2
Read monthly and annual totals
Results update live. Expand opportunity vs direct-loss sections for the breakdown.
- 3
Compare with 100% audit
OCL’s published pattern is recovering ~5–7% of freight spend when auditing 100% before pay. Treat the calculator as order-of-magnitude, not a close commitment.
- 4
Book a diagnostic
If leakage justifies a pilot, book 30 minutes. Typical pilot: 6–8 weeks without changing your TMS on day one.
When to trust vs dig deeper
The calculator orients; it does not replace a sample of real invoices.
- Trust the order of magnitude
- If monthly leakage clearly exceeds pilot cost, you have a business case.
- Dig into invoices
- Use the free 100-invoice diagnosis or the accessorial / detention / ROI calculators.
- Do not contract on the %
- Assumptions (4%, 2.5%, CETES) are industry; your network may be better or worse.
Related tools and guides
Pick the next step for the front that hurts most.
- Tools hub
- Mexico freight rates
- SAT code finder
- Freight audit ROI calculator
- Accessorial calculator
- Free 100-invoice diagnosis
- OCL Cargo pricing
- What is freight audit
OCL Cargo audits the full file before pay and leaves Finance only diagnosed exceptions. 6–8 week pilot without rip-and-replace.
FAQ
Does the calculator use my real invoice data?
No. It only uses the four fields you type. Nothing is sent to an invoice backend; it is a browser-side estimate.
Is OCL’s 5–7% recovery the same number as the calculator?
No. The calculator estimates operating leakage with industry assumptions. The 5–7% is the published pattern when auditing 100% of the lane (rate + CFDI + Carta Porte + GPS + POD) before Finance pays.
Is it for carriers or only shippers?
The model is built for whoever pays or manages freight spend (shipper, 3PL, IMMEX). Carriers can use it to size collection leakage, but the product CTA targets the paying side.
Why is CETES in the model?
To value opportunity cost when collections stretch ~15 days for missing POD or evidence. It is a Banxico-class reference, not your true cost of capital.
What should I do after I see the number?
If the amount is material, book a diagnostic or run the free 100-invoice diagnosis. You can also narrow by front with the accessorial, detention, or ROI calculators.
Are the results a commercial commitment?
No. They are an educational estimate. A 6–8 week pilot on your stack is the right way to validate real recovery.