Lane Cost freight rates

Estimate a truckload lane

estimate_lane_rate

Read-onlyIdempotent

Estimate what it costs to ship one full truckload between two US places: total price, typical low and high, rate per mile, fuel share, road miles and transit days. Returns every truck type unless one is given. Figures are modeled estimates of the all-in price (linehaul plus fuel) for one full truckload of standard freight, in US dollars. They are not quotes.

Tool call template

Replace each placeholder with a value matching the input schema. Only required parameters are included; add optional parameters as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {
      "origin": "<origin>",
      "destination": "<destination>"
    },
    "name": "estimate_lane_rate"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`month`	No	Price the lane as of an earlier month, YYYY-MM, from 2003-12. Default: the latest month.
`origin`	Yes	The pickup place: a city and state such as "Chicago, IL", or a 5-digit ZIP. Lower 48 states only. A city alone picks the largest of that name; the result says which place was used.
`equipment`	No	Truck type. Leave out for all types.
`destination`	Yes	The delivery place: a city and state such as "Chicago, IL", or a 5-digit ZIP. Lower 48 states only. A city alone picks the largest of that name; the result says which place was used.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedNov 14, 2026

TDQS

A3.7/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare this read-only, idempotent and non-destructive, so the description doesn't need to repeat safety. Instead it adds genuinely useful context: figures are modeled all-in estimates (linehaul plus fuel) in USD and "not quotes," which tells the agent how to present and caveat results.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Front-loaded with purpose and outputs, then currency/scope, then the disclaimer. Four tight sentences with the most decision-relevant information first; only the output list is mildly dense.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

There is no output schema, yet the description enumerates the returned fields, states currency and that results are modeled estimates rather than quotes, and covers the equipment default. For a simple four-parameter read tool this is close to complete.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so both required places, the month field and the equipment enum are already documented. The description only adds the default-behavior note that every truck type is returned unless one is given, which is a small but real supplement over the schema.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description opens with a specific verb and resource: "Estimate what it costs to ship one full truckload between two US places," then enumerates the actual outputs (total price, low/high, rate per mile, fuel share, miles, transit days). That clearly separates it from history or aggregate-rate siblings, though no sibling is named explicitly.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines3/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Usage is only implied: the scope is one lane, one truckload, modeled pricing. There is no explicit statement of when to prefer this over get_lane_rate_history or get_national_rates, and no exclusions beyond the schema's "Lower 48 states only."

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

All Lane Cost freight rates tools Inspect

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