Benchmarks 2026
Freight DSO and AR benchmarks for 2026
Published receivables benchmarks for freight are scarce, so most brokers benchmark against nothing. These are composite ranges across operations we run: freight brokers, 3PLs, and trucking companies in the US and Canada. Most numbers are ranges, not averages, and the formula behind each one is published in how we measure it. To see where your own operation lands, run your numbers in the DSO calculator.
What this report covers
- DSO by company type, before and after collections get structured
- How fast DSO drops once follow-up runs on a schedule
- Accounts receivable (AR) aging distribution benchmarks
- Short-pay and dispute rates, with the most disputed charges
- How fast invoices go out, with and without paperwork in hand
- Dispute resolution times and electronic invoice rejection rates
The 2026 benchmarks
Cards with two numbers compare the same operations in two states: billing and collections handled in spare moments between dispatch calls, and the same desk once every invoice is worked on a schedule.
Read these the way you would read any benchmark: as a range to locate yourself in, not a target to hit this quarter. The spread inside each range comes from customer mix, payment terms, and how much of the cycle runs on a schedule versus on spare time.
How we measure these numbers
DSO
Standard calculation (accounts receivable divided by revenue, times days) on a rolling 90 day window. Composite figures are ranges across operations we run, not weighted averages. Accounts in formal collections or litigation are excluded.
Aging distribution
Share of open invoice dollars by bucket at month-end, expressed as a composite range. Written-off balances are excluded.
Short-pay and dispute share
Invoices where the first payment received was less than the invoiced amount, or where the customer raised a formal dispute, as a share of invoices issued over a trailing 12 months.
Delivery to invoice
Median calendar days from delivery date to invoice submission, split by whether the document packet was complete on the day of delivery.
Dispute resolution
Median calendar days from dispute identified to resolution: paid, credited, or written off.
EDI and portal rejections
Electronic submissions returning a rejection status on first pass, as a share of all electronic submissions.
The same conventions apply to every number ClearLane publishes. The full set of formulas and exclusions lives at how we measure it. Benchmarks on this page are reviewed and refreshed annually.
Want your numbers on the right side of these ranges?
ClearLane runs the billing, AR, and audit desks these benchmarks come from, inside your TMS and your workflows. A demo walks through what the cadence would look like on your ledger. Or email us at info@getclearlane.com.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good DSO for a freight broker?
Our working benchmark places freight brokerage DSO between 45 and 65 days. Operations with clean invoicing and scheduled follow-up sit at the low end or below it; the composite run-state range across broker operations we run is 38 to 46 days. Anything trending past 55 usually points at process: late invoices, unworked disputes, or follow-up that happens when someone has time.
Where do these benchmarks come from?
They are composite ranges across freight operations ClearLane runs: brokers, 3PLs, and trucking companies in the US and Canada. We publish ranges rather than averages, and the formula and exclusions behind each number are listed on this page and in how we measure it. No single client’s data is identifiable in any figure.
How often are these numbers updated?
Annually, with the year in the title. The current edition is 2026. When the ranges are refreshed, the changes and the reasons for them are noted on this page.
How do I benchmark my own DSO against these numbers?
Calculate DSO the same way these figures are calculated: accounts receivable divided by revenue, times days, on a rolling 90 day window. The DSO calculator runs the formula on your numbers and shows where you land against the ranges here. If your figure sits above the “in spare time” range, the aging report will usually show why.