Understanding the Amazon Relay Scorecard

Your Amazon Relay scorecard is the most powerful tool controlling your business; it dictates when and how much work you can book. 

A high score grants you "early access" to bids and contract eligibility. Conversely, a low score severely restricts your load visibility and puts your entire account at risk. 

This guide demystifies the strict "Weakest Link" system and provides you with a strategic blueprint to master your metrics and maximize your freight access.

How Your Overall Performance Score is Calculated

The most critical thing to understand is that your overall score is not an average of your metrics. 

Amazon's system uses a "Weakest Link" model: "A Relay carrier's performance score is only as good as their lowest performance metric". This design forces carriers to address their most problematic area.  

The score isn't permanent; it's calculated on a "trailing six weeks" of work. While your official score "refreshes every week," the most important tool on your portal is the "daily, real-time prediction" of your upcoming score. 

Checking this daily is the best way to proactively identify your current "weakest link" and take action.

Deep Dive into the "Big Four" Core Metrics

Your overall grade is determined by four core performance metrics: On-Time, Acceptance, App usage, and Disruption-free.  

Remember, this grade is based on the "Weakest Link" rule. Even if you have perfect scores in three of these categories, your one lowest score will become your entire grade.  

Here is a deep dive into what each metric means and how it is tracked.

On-Time Performance

This is the "Ratio of loads that arrive by the planned arrival time" at both the origin and destination.  

This is a critical point. Your score is not based on gate logs. It is calculated exclusively from the "check-in timestamp at the site" that your driver makes using the Relay app. 

If a driver arrives 10 minutes early but the app check-in is one minute late, the load is marked as late.  

Acceptance

This metric tracks "How often a carrier rejects tendered work," with a target of 90% or higher.  

It's crucial to know that letting work expire is treated exactly the same as an active

rejection and will hurt your score.  

Furthermore, the penalty is not static; rejecting a load closer to its scheduled pick-up time will damage your score more than rejecting it 48 hours in advance.  

App Usage

This metric measures how effectively drivers adhere to the rules for the Relay app. To maintain a high score, drivers must "keep the app running and maintain location availability

for the entire trip," which is a mandatory requirement for Amazon's load tracking. 

Failing to complete all app steps, such as check-ins and check-outs, will also lower this score. 

Disruption-Free

The Disruption-Free score measures reliability by minimizing interruptions encountered during transit. 

Amazon tracks two specific failures here: "stationary trailers," where the system automatically flags a truck stopped for an extended, unexplained period. 

And "loads without assigned drivers," which is a dispatcher-level failure resulting from not assigning a specific, vetted driver to the accepted load in the portal . 

Successfully managing this metric relies on proactively completing driver assignments and ensuring continuous driver app usage for load tracking.

What the Letters (A+ to F) Really Mean

Your "Weakest Link" percentage is converted into a letter grade. This grade dictates your access to freight.

• A+ / A (Top Performers: 98% - 99.9%+) You get "early access" to the best bids and "priority matching" in Post A Truck. You see the best freight first.  

• B+ / B (Contract Eligible: 90% - 97.9%) This is the most important tier. Like the B+ carrier in the screenshot, you are eligible for Amazon's short-term and long-term contracts. A "B" grade is the minimum requirement for contract work.  

• C+ / C (At Risk: 70% - 89.9%) Falling to a "C" grade is a major penalty. You immediately lose eligibility for all contracts and "early access" to spot loads.  

• D / F (Critical: Below 70%) At this level, your load access is severely limited, and your account is at high risk of warnings or suspension for poor performance.

Your CSA/BASIC Safety Scores

Your operational performance is only half the story. The Safety Status tab acts as a mandatory pass/fail switch for your entire account, monitoring FMCSA safety data

(CSA/BASIC scores).

Amazon's standards are stricter than federal thresholds. You can be federally compliant, but still face suspension if your scores exceed Amazon's limits, regardless of your performance grade.

You must maintain scores below these strict limits:

• Unsafe Driving & HOS Compliance: Below 60%

• Vehicle Maintenance, Controlled Substances, & Driver Fitness: Below 75%

• Driver Violation Rate must also remain at or below 35%, and Vehicle Violation Rate at or below 50% .

Thorough pre- and post-trip inspections are critical, as they are your best defense against roadside violations that could push your safety scores above these thresholds and lead to immediate account suspension.

How to Use the Portal to Improve Your Scorecard

Success means constantly checking the "daily, real-time prediction" to pinpoint your "weakest link" metric. 

Coach your team using single load-level data to prevent errors. Drivers must keep the app running for the entire trip and perform thorough inspections.  

If a score is incorrect, file a performance dispute via the web portal (not the app). For severe issues, like an F-grade or suspension, you must submit a formal Plan of Action (POA) to seek reinstatement.

The Portal is Your Engine for Growth

The Amazon Relay scorecard is your business's growth engine. Mastering the "Weakest Link" rule and core metrics, alongside strict safety thresholds , secures profitable contracts and prime freight access.

Consistent operational excellence is the only reliable path to stable work.  Don't let missed opportunities hold your business back.

We are, a dedicated Amazon Relay Dispatch service. We specialize in turning low scores into A+ performance by managing daily predictions, handling all disputes, and implementing driver coaching protocols.

Book a Free Call to discuss your current scorecard and learn how we can unlock maximum contract eligibility for your fleet.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the overall Amazon Relay Performance Score calculated?

Your score is dictated by the "Weakest Link" rule, meaning it equals your single lowest metric among the four core categories. This forces carriers to maintain excellence across all areas.  

What score is required to be eligible for Amazon Relay contracts?

You must maintain a performance grade of "B" (90%) or higher to be eligible for stable contracts and receive priority load access.  

How is On-Time Performance (OTP) actually tracked?

OTP is tracked exclusively by the driver's check-in timestamp recorded using the Relay mobile app. Physical arrival time does not count if the app check-in is late.  

How often does my performance score update?

The official score refreshes every week, based on the trailing six weeks of work. However, the portal provides a crucial "daily, real-time prediction" of the upcoming score.  

What affects my Acceptance score besides rejecting loads?

Letting work expire is penalized equally to an active rejection. The penalty is also higher if the rejection is made closer to the scheduled pick-up time.  

What is the most critical requirement for the App Usage metric?

Drivers must keep the app running and maintain location availability for the entire trip. This ensures continuous load tracking and prevents disruption penalties.  

What are Amazon's key safety score requirements?

Amazon enforces strict FMCSA BASIC thresholds (e.g., Unsafe Driving below 60% and Vehicle Maintenance below 75%). Failing these standards risks immediate account suspension.