The EDI 990 is the carrier's yes or no to a load. When a shipper sends a 204 Motor Carrier Load Tender, the carrier replies with a 990 to accept or decline it. It is a short, fast transaction, but it is the hinge of the whole freight booking: until the 990 comes back, the shipper does not know if the load is covered.
This guide covers what the 990 communicates, its segments, where it sits in the freight flow, and why response speed matters.
What Is an EDI 990?
An EDI 990 is the Response to a Load Tender transaction defined by the ASC X12 standards body, used by a motor carrier to accept or decline a 204 load tender from a shipper, broker, or 3PL. It closes the offer-and-answer loop that books a load.
Authoritative references for 990 implementation:
- The X12.org Transaction Sets reference defines the B1 segment and the reservation action codes used across 990 implementations
- The NMFTA assigns the SCAC carrier codes that identify the responding carrier
Who sends it? The carrier that received the 204 tender.
When is it sent? As soon as possible after the 204 arrives, often within minutes under a committed-capacity agreement.
Why does it matter? A load is not booked until the carrier accepts. A fast 990 confirms coverage; a decline lets the shipper re-tender immediately rather than discovering at pickup that no truck is coming.
Accept or Decline: the Action Code
The 990 carries one decision in its header:
- Accept. The carrier commits to the load as tendered. The shipper treats the load as covered and moves on to dispatch.
- Decline. The carrier passes on the load. The shipper re-tenders to the next carrier on its routing guide.
That decision lives in the reservation action code in the B1 segment, which is what makes the 990 such a small but consequential document.
Key Segments Explained
Here are the segments you will work with in a 990 transaction set:
| Segment | Name | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| ST | Transaction Set Header | Identifies the start of the 990 and assigns a control number |
| B1 | Beginning Segment for Booking or Pick-up/Delivery | The carrier SCAC, the shipment identification number, the date, and the reservation action code that accepts or declines |
| N9 | Reference Identification | Carries the load number and any references that tie the response back to the original 204 |
| G62 | Date/Time | Relevant dates, such as the response or pickup date |
The 990 is intentionally lean. Its job is to return one clear decision against a known tender, so the B1 action code does almost all the work.
Where the 990 Sits in the Freight Flow
The 990 is the second step of the freight transaction:
- 204 Motor Carrier Load Tender - Shipper offers the load
- 990 Response to a Load Tender - Carrier accepts or declines
- 214 Shipment Status Message - Carrier reports status once moving
- 210 Motor Carrier Freight Invoice - Carrier bills for the move
A clean 204-and-990 exchange is what lets a shipper run a routing guide automatically: tender to the primary carrier, and on a decline, fall to the next, all without a phone call.
How Shippers Track Tenders and Responses
When tenders go out by hand, the responses come back scattered across email and portals, and a load that was quietly declined can slip through until pickup day.
OrderSync reads inbound 990 responses (and arbitrary-format accept and decline messages) and matches each one to its original 204 tender, so a decline surfaces immediately as an exception to re-tender. It is the document layer that keeps the tender-and-response loop legible, not a TMS that dispatches trucks. Try the free EDI inspector on a response document, or book a 15-minute walkthrough to see the tender loop end to end.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an EDI 990 used for?
The 990 is used by a motor carrier to respond to a 204 load tender, telling the shipper whether it accepts or declines the load. It is what confirms, or releases, a freight booking.
What is the difference between an EDI 204 and an EDI 990?
The 204 is the load tender the shipper sends to offer a load. The 990 is the carrier's response that accepts or declines it. One offers; the other answers.
How fast should a carrier send an EDI 990?
As quickly as possible, often within minutes under a committed-capacity routing agreement. A slow response delays the shipper's decision and can force a late re-tender.
What happens if a carrier declines an EDI 990?
The shipper re-tenders the load to the next carrier on its routing guide by sending a new 204. Automated routing guides rely on the 990 decline to trigger that fall-through.