Predictika · Freight and logistics

An AI sales agent's LTL accessorial charges, checked before the quote goes out

An AI sales agent prepares the accessorial charges for a less-than-truckload shipment: residential or limited access delivery, tailgate lift, notification, over-length articles and Time Critical Guaranteed Standard service, with the weight, the dimensions and the total the quote states. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of Estes' published rules tariff and accessorial charges and returns a verdict, every reason and the charges it computed.

Scope: Estes Rules Tariff EXLA 105 and Accessorial Charges sheet: residential, limited access, tailgate lift, notification, over-length and Time Critical Guaranteed Standard charges at list rates. See everything this validator covers

This validator models one LTL shipment's accessorial charges, based on the public Estes Express Lines Rules Tariff EXLA 105 (effective January 2, 2026) and the Accessorial Charges sheet (effective November 17, 2025), not just the scenarios shown below.

  • Service rules — Time Critical Guaranteed Standard is not available to or from government facilities or for articles of 28 feet or more; the heaviest handling unit cannot weigh more than the shipment.
  • Charges at list rates — residential delivery (per 100 pounds with a minimum and a maximum) and the residential appointment, limited access delivery, tailgate lift (per 100 pounds with a minimum and a maximum, and applied automatically to a residential delivery when a piece weighs 50 pounds or more), notification (business destinations under 20,000 pounds), over-length articles from 96 inches, residential over-length labor, and Time Critical Guaranteed Standard at 30, 40 or 50 percent of the class rate with a minimum, plus its over-length surcharge.
  • Approvals — a tailgate lift for a unit over 2,000 pounds or too large for the tailgate; the residential notification and appointment fees, which the tariff lists twice; a residential unit of exactly 144 inches, where two labor tiers overlap; notification at 20,000 pounds and over; and a guaranteed shipment over 10,000 pounds, which the tariff spot rates.
  • The stated total — the accessorial total the quote states must equal the computed one.

Any LTL shipment that involves these accessorials is in scope — not only the scenarios pictured here. Per-100-pound charges use the exact shipment weight, because the tariff text read does not state a weight rounding rule. Not covered: linehaul rates and discounts (the discounted class-rate charge is an input), the fuel surcharge, other accessorials on the Estes sheet, and any contract terms that differ from the public tariff.

The AI sales agentBuilds the accessorial charges from the conversation and says the quote is ready.
Predictika validatorChecks every rule at once and returns the verdict, each finding, and the computed figures.

7 scenarios in 3 groups · each group runs from the agent’s first attempt to the outcome · click one to switch

What the agent proposes

The AI sales agent says

Illustrative agent statement. The validator receives the structured request below.

Proposing agent: AI sales agent (scripted)

Before sending, the agent must call Recorded run

Predictika validator


      

        
        
        
      

      
Waiting for the call.

      
    

  

  
  

    
Where rules-based CPQ gets it wrong
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Our assessment of what a typical rules-based CPQ (product rules, price rules and validation rules, as in Salesforce CPQ) does with the same cases. It is a judgment about effort and reliability, not a claim that nothing can be built.

    
What the validator caughtTypical rules-based CPQPredictika
Services the tariff will not offer (Time Critical to a government facility or for a 28-foot article)Only with workarounds
Each exclusion is a rule on a pair or a combination of fields, and a rule that is missing lets a quote through.		Every exclusion is checked on every call, in any order the choices arrive.
Per-100-pound charges with a minimum and a maximumOnly with care
Residential and tailgate lift charges each scale with weight between a floor and a cap. Price rules multiply and then clamp, and rounding is easy to get wrong.		Charges are computed in exact hundredths of a cent, so there is no rounding to disagree with.
A lift that is added automatically (residential delivery of a piece of 50 pounds or more)Only with workarounds
The charge depends on the destination and on the weight of the heaviest piece, so a price rule has to look at fields that are not the lift option itself.		The automatic lift is part of the model, and each line item shows what was charged.
Fees the tariff lists twice or ambiguously (residential notification and appointment, a 144 inch unit)Only with care
A rules engine has to pick one reading silently, and nobody sees that a choice was made.		The model charges one reading and sends the quote to a person, with the reason.
The accessorial total the quote statesOnly with care
The stated total is derived from many lines, so a rule has to recompute all of them and compare.		The stated total is a field in the request, compared with the computed one on every call.
Every problem returned in one answerOnly with workarounds
Rules tend to fire as the quote is saved or a step is completed, so a person often fixes one error and meets the next.		All findings come back together, whatever order the choices arrived in.

  

  

    
What this validator catches: findings from its test cases
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Every rule is checked on every call, in any order the choices arrive; one problem never hides another. Blocking findings stop the quote; approval findings need a person to sign off; everything else is computed.

    
1Tailgate lift service may not be provided when a handling unit weighs more than 2,000 pounds; the heaviest unit is 2100 pounds.
2Tailgate lift service may not be provided when a handling unit is over 84 inches long, 72 inches high or 48 inches wide as positioned on the tailgate.
3The notification charge applies only to shipments under 20,000 pounds; at 20000 pounds none is charged, so a person should confirm the service.
4Item 647 (residential notification) and Item 751-05 (residential delivery appointment) each list a charge of 25 dollars; the quote charges it once, so a person should confirm that.
5For a residential delivery of a 144 inch unit weighing 500 pounds or more, the tariff lists both the 90 dollar tier (up to 144 inches) and the 115 dollar tier (144 inches or greater); the quote uses 90 dollars and a person should confirm it.
6An article of 336 inches (28 feet or more) is not eligible for Time Critical Guaranteed Standard service.
7Time Critical Guaranteed service is not available to or from government facilities.
8A guaranteed shipment over 10,000 pounds, or with a piece over 144 inches long and over 49 inches in a second dimension, is spot rated with the volume and truckload application, so the list charges here do not apply.
9The shipment weight of 0 pounds is not a valid weight.
10The heaviest handling unit of 2500 pounds is more than the shipment weight of 2000 pounds.
11The quote states accessorial charges of $100.00; the tariff rates give $294.00.
12The quote states accessorial charges of $50.00; the tariff rates give $30.00.
13An article of 340 inches (28 feet or more) is not eligible for Time Critical Guaranteed Standard service.
14The quote states accessorial charges of $1.00; the tariff rates give $1,905.00.

  

  

    
Scenarios and results
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The recorded result of the validator for each scenario on this page: the request the AI agent sent, the verdict, and every finding, in the order they appear above.

    
1. Time Critical service: Time Critical Guaranteed delivery to a government facility

    
The agent's request. Please quote the accessorial charges for an LTL shipment of 8,000 pounds for Northfield Millwork, delivering to a government facility. The heaviest piece weighs 1,200 pounds and the longest side is 60 inches. The discounted class-rate charge for the shipment is $1,800.00. Services needed: tailgate lift, notification before delivery, Time Critical Guaranteed by 5 PM. The quote states accessorial charges of $465.00. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Time Critical service not available at government facilities. Time Critical Guaranteed service is not available to or from government facilities.
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  • Stated total does not match. The quote states accessorial charges of $465.00; the tariff rates give $1,005.00.
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2. Time Critical service: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote the accessorial charges for an LTL shipment of 8,000 pounds for Northfield Millwork, delivering to a government facility. The heaviest piece weighs 1,200 pounds and the longest side is 60 inches. The discounted class-rate charge for the shipment is $1,800.00. Services needed: tailgate lift, notification before delivery. The quote states accessorial charges of $465.00. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Accessorial total. Accessorial charges of $465.00 at tariff list rates, before any fuel surcharge.
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3. Time Critical service: Time Critical Guaranteed by noon for 28-foot steel tubing

    
The agent's request. Please quote the accessorial charges for an LTL shipment of 6,000 pounds for Northfield Millwork, delivering to a limited access location. The heaviest piece weighs 1,500 pounds and the longest side is 336 inches. The discounted class-rate charge for the shipment is $1,500.00. Services needed: notification before delivery, Time Critical Guaranteed by noon. The quote states accessorial charges of $1,115.00. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Time Critical service not available for 28-foot articles. An article of 336 inches (28 feet or more) is not eligible for Time Critical Guaranteed Standard service.
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  • Stated total does not match. The quote states accessorial charges of $1,115.00; the tariff rates give $2,215.00.
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4. Time Critical service: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote the accessorial charges for an LTL shipment of 6,000 pounds for Northfield Millwork, delivering to a limited access location. The heaviest piece weighs 1,500 pounds and the longest side is 336 inches. The discounted class-rate charge for the shipment is $1,500.00. Services needed: notification before delivery. The quote states accessorial charges of $1,115.00. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Accessorial total. Accessorial charges of $1,115.00 at tariff list rates, before any fuel surcharge.
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5. Residential delivery: Residential delivery with notification and a stated total that misses the appointment fee

    
The agent's request. Please quote the accessorial charges for an LTL shipment of 2,400 pounds for Northfield Millwork, delivering to a residence. The heaviest piece weighs 300 pounds and the longest side is 60 inches. The discounted class-rate charge for the shipment is $900.00. Services needed: notification before delivery. The quote states accessorial charges of $322.80. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Stated total does not match. The quote states accessorial charges of $322.80; the tariff rates give $347.80.
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  • Residential notification fee overlaps the appointment fee. Item 647 (residential notification) and Item 751-05 (residential delivery appointment) each list a charge of 25 dollars; the quote charges it once, so a person should confirm that.
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6. Residential delivery: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote the accessorial charges for an LTL shipment of 2,400 pounds for Northfield Millwork, delivering to a residence. The heaviest piece weighs 300 pounds and the longest side is 60 inches. The discounted class-rate charge for the shipment is $900.00. Services needed: notification before delivery. The quote states accessorial charges of $347.80. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Needs approval.

    
    
      
  • Residential notification fee overlaps the appointment fee. Item 647 (residential notification) and Item 751-05 (residential delivery appointment) each list a charge of 25 dollars; the quote charges it once, so a person should confirm that.
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  • Accessorial total. Accessorial charges of $347.80 at tariff list rates, before any fuel surcharge.
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7. Residential delivery: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote the accessorial charges for an LTL shipment of 2,400 pounds for Northfield Millwork, delivering to a residence. The heaviest piece weighs 300 pounds and the longest side is 60 inches. The discounted class-rate charge for the shipment is $900.00. Services needed: notification before delivery, unattended delivery. The quote states accessorial charges of $322.80. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Accessorial total. Accessorial charges of $322.80 at tariff list rates, before any fuel surcharge.
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Narration transcript
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The text of the narrated walkthrough, step by step.

    
    
      
  1. Welcome to a demo of Predictika's Validator. An AI sales agent prepares the accessorial charges for a less-than-truckload shipment: residential or limited access delivery, tailgate lift, notification, and more. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of Estes' published rules tariff and accessorial charges and returns a verdict, every reason and the charges it computed.
    2. 
      
  2. I will start with the first request by the agent.
    3. 
      
  3. The agent says. Please quote the accessorial charges for an LTL shipment of 8,000 pounds for Northfield Millwork, delivering to a government facility. The heaviest piece weighs 1,200 pounds and the longest side is 60 inches. The rest of the request is on screen. The quote states accessorial charges of $465.00.
    4. 
      
  4. Before it goes out, the agent calls the validator.
    5. 
      
  5. Blocked, with two findings, all in one answer. Time Critical Guaranteed service is not available to or from government facilities. The quote states accessorial charges of $465.00; the tariff rates give $1,005.00.
    6. 
      
  6. The validator returned two blocking findings in one answer. A check that reads one field at a time would pass most of this; it shows only when the choices in the quote are checked against each other and against the stated total.
    7. 
      
  7. What this shows: for services the tariff will not offer (Time Critical to a government facility or for a 28-foot article), a rules-based CPQ can do this only with workarounds.
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  8. Now the agent resubmits.
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  9. The corrected request. It removes the Time Critical Guaranteed.
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  10. It calls the validator again.
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  11. This time the validator clears it.
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  12. Both earlier findings are cleared, and the validator's total, $465.00, matches the quote.
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  13. Two problems caught in one call, fixed in one pass, and a clean $465.00 quote. That is the value of Predictika's validator: catching mistakes before they reach the customer. Now you can try the other scenarios yourself.
    14.