Basically, you should be able to take a few colonists and send them over to chat with your good friends, using your own pack muffalo or something to deliver a bunch of goods. When they arrive, you could have the option to call your caravan and do trading only with what you sent.
Yep. I agree on this.
I had suggested the same.... with the extension to ride also other faciotns/colonies, in the same way, select soldiers, equipment and send.