Our Ranking Methodology
At Ainsworth Fairchild Limited, the AF Index is built on a clear, consistent, and transparent process. Our rankings are published every other week and reflect a balanced blend of data, industry expertise, and real-world perception. Because our team represents every corner of the transportation industry, from operations and HR to sales, marketing, and shipper experience, we evaluate carriers with a level of depth that goes beyond surface-level metrics.
How We Build the AF Index
Operational Performance
We review the factors that matter most in day-to-day freight movement:
On-time performance
Claims ratios
Service consistency
Network reliability
Equipment quality and capacity
Our team includes former operations managers and service center leaders who know how to spot operational strengths and weaknesses that aren’t visible in public reports.
Customer Experience & Company Culture
Culture impacts outcomes. We evaluate:
Employee satisfaction
Turnover trends
Driver experience
Customer reputation
Public perception
A company with healthy culture delivers more consistent service - period.
Sales Strategy & Market Position
Our sales and marketing leaders assess:
Sales approach and alignment
Communication practices
Market competitiveness
Brand strength and recognition
This ensures our rankings reflect not only performance, but the experience of working with each carrier.
Pricing & Value
We evaluate pricing not just on cost, but on fairness, transparency, and ROI.
A low rate is only as good as the service behind it.
Industry Expertise & Professional Judgment
With more than 165 years of combined experience, our team applies professional judgment to interpret trends and validate the data. This prevents outliers, anomalies, or short-term noise from skewing the rankings.
What Makes the AF Index Different?
Not Paid. Not Influenced. Not Sponsored.
No carrier pays to appear, rank, or remain in the AF Index.
There is zero advertising influence and no compensation tied to placement
Evaluated Every Two Weeks
Transportation moves fast. So do we.
Each ranking cycle includes:
Fresh operational reviews
Updated industry sentiment
Market fluctuation analysis
New data and firsthand insight from ongoing professional networks.
Data + Human Insight = Balanced Rankings
Pure data rarely tells the full story.
Pure opinions can lean subjective.
We intentionally combine both to reflect real-world performance.
A System Built to Earn Trust
We created the AF Index because the industry needs a reliable, unbiased source of truth: one built by people who have actually managed freight, led teams, built networks, and worked directly with carriers.
Why You Can Trust Our Process
We have no financial stake in the ranking positions.
Multiple experts review each carrier to prevent individual bias.
Our panel covers every major function of transportation, offering a complete perspective.
Every update is done with consistency, integrity, and transparency.
The result: a ranking you can rely on—grounded in experience, validated by data, and built to help shippers make smarter decisions.
