Amazon Relay Performance Score: How to Maintain a High Rating
Your Amazon Relay performance score determines which loads you see, how much you earn, and whether you stay on the platform. Here's how the scoring system works and how to keep your rating high.
96%+
Target On-Time %
<5%
Max Cancellation Rate
30 Days
Rolling Window
Premium
High-Score Loads
Ahmad Qazi
Founder & CEO, O Trucking LLC
Fact-Checked by O Trucking Dispatch Team
5+ years managing carrier compliance and performance metrics
Sources:
Written by Ahmad Qazi, founder of O Trucking LLC, drawing on 9+ years dispatching for owner-operators. Learn more about us.
O TruckingAmazon Relay Performance Score: How It Works & How to Improve (2026)
Key Takeaways
- Performance is measured on a rolling 30-day window, so recent loads matter far more than your older track record.
- On-time pickup and delivery (target ~96%+) and cancellation rate (target under ~5%) are the metrics that most affect load visibility.
- GPS check-in via the Relay app is what counts — always check in on time even when an Amazon facility is the cause of a delay.
- Last-minute cancellations within 4 hours of pickup are weighted most heavily and damage your score fastest.
- A short run of perfect loads can move you out of an at-risk tier within a couple of weeks as older problem loads fall outside the window.
How Amazon Relay Scores Carriers
Amazon Relay evaluates carrier performance across several key metrics, measured on a rolling 30-day window. Your composite score determines your standing on the platform and directly impacts load visibility.
Unlike CSA scores from FMCSA which look back 24 months, Amazon's performance window is much shorter — meaning recent performance matters far more than your historical track record.
Key Performance Metrics
On-Time Pickup Rate
Target: 96%+Arriving at the pickup facility within the scheduled window. Amazon uses GPS check-in via the Relay app. Late arrivals count against you even if Amazon's warehouse caused the delay — check in on time regardless.
On-Time Delivery Rate
Target: 96%+Delivering within the scheduled window at the destination facility. Factor in traffic, weather, and HOS when accepting loads. If you can't make the delivery window, don't accept the load.
Cancellation Rate
Target: <5%Percentage of accepted loads you cancel before pickup. Cancellations within 4 hours of pickup are weighted more heavily. This is the fastest way to damage your score.
Tender Acceptance Rate
Target: 70%+Percentage of offered loads you accept. While declining loads isn't as damaging as cancellations, consistently low acceptance suggests you're not a reliable capacity partner.
App Compliance
Target: 100%Using the Relay app to check in/out at facilities, confirming deliveries, and maintaining GPS tracking throughout the trip. Missing app check-ins creates data gaps Amazon can't verify.
What Happens at Each Performance Level
| Level | On-Time | Cancel Rate | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Excellent | 98%+ | <2% | Premium loads, first access to high-rate freight, priority support |
| Good | 96–98% | 2–5% | Full load visibility, standard rate access |
| At Risk | 90–96% | 5–10% | Reduced load visibility, warning notifications |
| Poor | <90% | >10% | Severely limited loads, risk of temporary or permanent deactivation |
Recovery Strategy
7 Strategies to Maintain a High Score
Only Accept Loads You Can Complete
Before accepting, verify you have enough HOS hours, fuel, and time buffer. A declined load is far less damaging than a cancellation or late delivery.
Arrive 30 Minutes Early to Every Pickup
Traffic, construction, and facility access can all delay you. Build a 30-minute buffer into every pickup to guarantee you check in within the window.
Use the Relay App Religiously
Check in immediately upon arrival, confirm every milestone, and never skip app steps. Amazon can't give you credit for on-time performance if there's no data.
Monitor Weather and Traffic
Check conditions before accepting loads in the 48-hour window. If a major storm is forecast on your route, skip that load rather than risk a late delivery.
Communicate Proactively
If something goes wrong (breakdown, weather, facility issue), contact Amazon Relay support immediately. Documented issues may be excluded from your score calculation.
Avoid Last-Minute Cancellations
Cancellations within 4 hours of pickup are weighted most heavily. If you need to cancel, do it as early as possible to minimize score impact.
Focus on Familiar Lanes
Running lanes you know well reduces the risk of navigation errors, unexpected traffic, and facility access issues. Build consistency in 5–10 regular lanes.
Amazon Relay Deactivation
Amazon can temporarily or permanently deactivate carriers for consistently poor performance. Common triggers include:
- On-time rate below 85% for 60+ days
- Cancellation rate above 15%
- Safety violations reported at Amazon facilities
- Missing app check-ins for multiple consecutive loads
- Failure to respond to performance improvement notices
If you receive a deactivation notice, you can appeal through the Relay app. Provide documentation of any extenuating circumstances (weather events, facility delays, breakdowns with repair receipts). Many late deliveries trace back to over-promising on drive time, so build your pickup acceptance around realistic hours-of-service limits rather than best-case driving.
Common Mistakes That Tank Your Score
- Skipping the Relay app check-in to "wait out" a backed-up facility — a missing check-in looks worse than a recorded warehouse hold.
- Accepting loads you can't legally finish on available hours of service, then delivering late instead of declining up front.
- Canceling within 4 hours of pickup rather than as early as possible, multiplying the score penalty.
- Ignoring early warning notifications instead of appealing or fixing the pattern before a deactivation notice arrives.
- Failing to document Amazon-side delays (weather, facility holds, breakdowns) that could otherwise be excluded from your score.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good Amazon Relay performance score?
There is no single published number — Amazon shows your standing as a status tier in the Relay app scorecard rather than a points total. In practice, carriers who keep on-time pickup and delivery above roughly 96% and cancellations under about 5% sit in the healthy range and keep full load visibility. Check your live scorecard in the Relay app for your current tier and the exact thresholds Amazon is applying to your account.
How long does it take to recover an Amazon Relay score?
Because Amazon evaluates performance on a rolling 30-day window, recent loads carry far more weight than older ones. A short run of perfect on-time, no-cancellation loads can move you out of an at-risk status within a couple of weeks, since older problem loads steadily fall outside the window. Consistency matters more than volume — one fresh late delivery can undo the progress.
Does Amazon Relay penalize carriers for warehouse delays?
GPS check-in via the Relay app is what counts, so always check in on time even if the facility is backed up. If a documented Amazon-side delay causes a late departure, contact Relay support promptly and keep your records — issues Amazon verifies on its end may be excluded from your score. Never skip the app check-in to 'wait it out,' because a missing check-in looks worse than a recorded warehouse hold.
Can you get reactivated after an Amazon Relay deactivation?
In many cases yes — temporary deactivations come with an appeal path in the Relay app. Submit documentation for any extenuating circumstances (weather events, breakdowns with repair receipts, facility delays) and a clear plan to fix the underlying pattern. Permanent deactivations for repeated safety issues or fraud are much harder to reverse, so address warnings early rather than waiting for a notice.
Related Amazon Relay Guides
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