C.H. Robinson's AI Agents Automate 95% of Missed LTL Pickup Checks

In the complex world of less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping, missed pickups have long been an accepted — yet costly — reality. With a single truck often carrying freight from up to 20 different shippers, tight schedules, terminal congestion, traffic delays, or communication breakdowns can easily disrupt the entire network. A single missed pickup doesn't just affect one shipment; it triggers a cascade of delays across terminals, routes, and other customers' freight, leading to wasted capacity, unnecessary return trips, and frustrated shippers.

On January 26, 2026, C.H. Robinson — the largest mover of LTL freight among third-party logistics providers (3PLs) in North America — announced a major advancement in addressing this widespread pain point. The company has deployed a new set of specialized AI agents that automate the detection, investigation, and resolution of missed LTL pickups.

These intelligent agents use advanced reasoning to track down the status of shipments, contact carriers, analyze available data, and determine the best next steps to keep freight moving. Coordinated AI workflows replace manual processes: one agent gathers information from carriers, while another decides on actions such as re-tendering or updating customers — all happening in parallel.

The measurable outcomes are substantial:

• 95% of checks on missed LTL pickups are now fully automated.

• More than 350 hours of manual labor are saved every single day.

• Freight is able to move up to one full day faster.

• Unnecessary carrier return trips — where trucks are dispatched only to find the freight unavailable or already collected — have been reduced by 42%.

The agents are already resolving hundreds of shipments daily and supporting more than 11,000 customers. This deployment is a core component of C.H. Robinson's "Lean AI" strategy, an approach that applies artificial intelligence selectively — only where it delivers clear, tangible business results. The company has developed over 30 such specialized AI agents to handle routine tasks throughout the shipment lifecycle, including LTL pricing, order management, freight classification, tracking, appointment setting, and proof of delivery.

Before these AI agents, resolution of missed pickups was highly manual and time-intensive. Teams often spent over half the day checking carrier websites, making phone calls, recording updates, and notifying customers. If status couldn't be confirmed quickly, shipments were re-tendered, prompting carriers to send another truck — frequently resulting in wasted trips and further delays.

Greg West, C.H. Robinson's Vice President for LTL, described the transformation: “Before this transformational tech, teams of people spent over half the day chasing missed pickups — manually checking carrier websites, making calls, recording updates and notifying customers. Now that all that time and capacity aren’t being wasted, it keeps other shippers’ freight from getting delayed.”

The AI agents enable parallel processing, making hundreds of calls and decisions simultaneously and compressing resolution times from hours to minutes. This provides shippers and receivers with earlier visibility and greater reliability.

Beyond internal gains, C.H. Robinson shares aggregated missed-pickup data with carriers daily. This new visibility allows carriers to identify and address specific issues, such as gaps in electronic communications, operational problems at particular terminals, or scheduling inefficiencies. As West noted, “Having more efficient LTL networks nationwide benefits our employees, carriers and customers — and everybody else who uses LTL shipping.”

The initiative began as a pilot for small- and medium-sized customers on the Freightquote platform, then scaled to the full LTL customer base starting in July of the previous year. Mark Albrecht, Vice President for Artificial Intelligence at C.H. Robinson, emphasized the disciplined approach: “We don’t just throw AI at anything and everything. It’s not a hobby for us. We use AI agents only where they can deliver tangible business results.”

At Gain Consulting LLC, based in Salt Lake City, we closely monitor innovations like C.H. Robinson's AI-driven missed-pickup solution because they deliver clear, quantifiable improvements in supply chain performance. For shippers dealing with LTL challenges — inconsistent pickups, unpredictable transit times, wasted carrier capacity, or rising costs from delays — these results represent real opportunities: 95% automation of a labor-intensive process, 350+ hours saved daily, faster freight movement, and a 42% reduction in unnecessary trips.

If your business relies on LTL shipping and you're looking to enhance reliability, reduce waste, and gain a competitive edge through proven AI strategies, reach out to Gain Consulting LLC. Our team specializes in helping companies optimize freight management for faster, more predictable, and cost-effective operations in today's demanding logistics landscape.

Contact us today to discuss how similar advancements could transform your supply chain.