Lift Gate Fee: The Ultimate FAQ Guide

In this guide, I will answer all your questions on lift gate fee.

So, if you want to learn more about lift gate fee – read this guide.

What Is A Liftgate Fee?

The Liftgate fee charges you pay when offloading or loading using the truck with liftgate.

These devices vary from electrical, lowering, and hydraulic devices.

Furthermore, the liftgate fee also applies for delivery sites with no docking areas.

You should remember that the liftgate fee varies depending on the amount of offloading and loading cargo.

Other factors include the type of truck and carrier.

Truckers should notify prior for trucks that do not have a liftgate.

This facilitates arrangements for special offloading and loading of cargo. Liftgate requires high maintenance and is costly.

This may be a reason you find trucks with no liftgate at all.

What Is A Liftgate Truck?

This is a piece of hydraulic equipment or box truck which contains a liftgate that you can attach to the back of the truck.

Loading and offloading cargo can sometimes be a big hassle due to the unavailability of the right equipment.

This is where the liftgate comes in.

A liftgate is normally a mechanical platform that requires mechanical devices to lift and lower the cargo.

Liftgate makes the process of loading and offloading easier for material handling equipment such as trolleys and hand pallet trucks.

What Is A Lift Gate Fee Service?

Liftgate services are normally additional services that carriers offer while delivering or picking up the cargo.

Unavailability of mechanical devices such as forklifts and loading docks results in seeking liftgate services.

The freight carriers will assist in offloading or loading the heavy cargo on or off the truck. Carriers determine how heavy the cargo is while rendering the services.

Liftgate pickup or Liftgate delivery are the common factors that determine where this service will be offered.

Carrying out the liftgate service results in to offload or loading of the cargo from the liftgate platform.

Delivery of the cargo requires you to move it after the liftgate unless you have an inside delivery.

When Will You Pay For Lift Gate Fee Service?

From the above summary, liftgate service is optional unless need be.

To determine when you require liftgate service depends on the following factors.

• The infrastructure of the delivery and pickup locations: Mostly, you will find facilities/warehouses with no loading docks.

This makes it difficult for forklifts and truck pallets to offload and load cargo from the trucks.

Truck drivers should seek liftgate services to lift the material handling equipment to load or unload the cargo.

• The type of cargo: Heavy materials, many goods, or personal effects require safe handling.

Lack of loading docks or material handling equips will result in you adopting the liftgate services.

This is because you cannot offload or load the goods using your hands. It is tedious, and safety is not guaranteed.

• The cost that comes with purchasing material handling equipment is very high. This results in seeking liftgate services from carriers of your choice.
• Additionally, you can use liftgate services to carry personal purchases that you cannot carry by hand.

For instance, ridges it’s obvious even if you try, you cannot carry this appliance using your hands due to the weight.

Does A Lift Gate Fee Service Include A Pallet Jack?

Delivery of the shipment from one docking location to another requires the use of a pallet jack.

This pallet jack can perform the services of offloading and loading the shipment on the truck.

Liftgate service applies where there is absentia of docking bay or the material handling equipment such as the pallet jack.

Therefore, the liftgate service does not necessarily include the use of a pallet jack.

Is Inside Fee Delivery Inclusive Of Lift Gate Fee Service?

No, inside fee delivery and liftgate services are two separate charges.

These changes occur in different scenarios. Inside fee delivery occurs after offloading the shipment using the liftgate.

No consignee would want the shipment left on the loading dock; hence the aspect of inside delivery comes in.

We consider inside delivery fees as charges as a result of the following;

• An additional requirement of the equipment. Example use of pallet jack.
• Additional time.
• Need for additional manpower.

How Much Is Lift Gate Fee?

To determine the lift gate fee, you first need to consider the following factors the size and the liftgate model.

Considering these factors, a single liftgate can cost between $2,000 and $7,000.

These type of liftgates normally holds up to 3,500 pounds of shipment. This is equivalent to 1.6 tones and can still comfortably fold back.

Who Pays For Liftgate Fee?

Normally, the consignee has the obligation of making payments of the liftgate fee.

Even though the charges will not apply directly, during offloading and loading with the availability of the liftgate, the trucker will first request to use it.

The charges made while using the liftgate by the trucker will be incorporated on the final involve receipt.

This is where the consignee comes into making the payments.

Additionally, when the consignee requests liftgate pickup or delivery, the carrier does not invoice the consignee as per the carrier tariff services.

In case of prepayment of the shipment to flock freight, the bill must go through the same party.

All these charges will be passed and given to the consignee who should make the payments. The payments pertain to the execution of the shipment.

Is Liftgate Fee Negotiable?

Yes, the liftgate fee is negotiable.

You will often find that the carrier’s lift gate fee is often a flat rate.

This means for every crossing border or diversion of miles, the liftgate fee remains constant, giving the consignee room to negotiate.

While working with carriers, you have all the rights to disagree with the liftgate fee they have put in place.

The frequency with which you ship with these carriers should indicate the relationship that is there.

For instance, if the carrier charges $90 per hour, you can negotiate for a lower amount of up to $65.

It’s also important to be aware of tariffs and contacts rates that will benefit you and the carrier. This creates a rappel where both parties benefit at the end of it all.

Note, you should also consider using third-party logistics.

They best know how to negotiate liftgate fee rates.

Will I Pay Lift Gate Fee Even If I Open An Account With The Trucking Company?

Acquiring an account with the trucking company does not guarantee free liftgate services.

The key thing to keep in mind is how many of the trucks have liftgates.

It will be unreasonable to get a free liftgate fee, but they delay shipping.

Make sure the company you are signing up for has enough trucks equipped with liftgates.

Why Is Lift Gate Fee Service Essential?

Liftgate service has extreme benefits that allow you to permanently opt to use the services. These benefits include;

• You require less manpower: the delivery team performs all the tasks of offloading and loading shipment. This means the minimal need for extra manpower to perform the tasks.
• Avoiding damages: Damages as a result of regular truck surfaces result in extra expenditures.

These additional charges are mostly higher than the original fee. If this happens, you will be liable for the damage fee on top of the liftgate charges.

• To avoid this, ensure proper handling of fragile shipments.
• Evading injuries: The common injuries at different workplaces are a result of lifting heavy materials/loads.

These injuries have dire consequences such as delays, pose harm to employees. To avoid these, adopt using the liftgate, which provides lifting services.

Do All Carriers Charge Lift Gate Fee?

Carriers who provide the full-truckload and less-than-truckload do not offer liftgate services. They deliver the shipment directly to the consignee who has loading docks, making the process easier.

Therefore, the carriers find to need to equip the liftgate at the back of the truck.

If you are unsure of the availability of the liftgate services, kindly reach out to the carriers for clarification.

How Do I Request For A Liftgate Service?

This mostly occurs during the delivery of shipment. We recommend you directly involve the carriers.

The carriers will require you to provide the following information;

• Pickup and delivery addresses
• Description of the cargo.
• Availability of loading bay.
• Availability of material handling equipment.

Some of these trucking companies will always recommend the use of material equipment handling such as pallet jack.

This facilitates the easiness of offloading and loading trucks.

It’s also advisable that you go through the terms and conditions before taking a step to request liftgate services.

What Are The Alternatives To Liftgate Delivery Service?

There are other options to offloading and loading the shipment on the trucks.

Adopting the various alternatives depends on the budget you have, location of the business.

Some of the alternatives besides using the liftgate service include;

• Loading docks

• Use of forklift

• Use of pallet jack.

• You may also opt to outsource the shipment prep and loading. This option is a little bit expensive.

With the above options, you can easily choose what best suits you and liftgate services that pose minimal damages.

Do Carriers Charge One Liftgate Fee If Shipping From Two Separate Locations?

No, carriers do not charge one liftgate fee if shipping from two separate locations. Normally the charges of the liftgate services are as per a shipment.

You can only charge one liftgate fee when you are shipping orders from one single location.

You need to ship from two different locations arises. Then you should be ready for two separate liftgate fees.

What Will Happen If I Use A Lift Gate Service Without Prior Intimation?

Use of liftgate service before intimation has dire consequences. The following scenarios would occur if you decide to use liftgate service before intimation;

• If the delivery receipt doesn’t indicate any charges on the liftgate fee, whereas it’s clear there is the use of one—it results in additional charges.
• The use of a liftgate and the presence of a signature on the delivery receipt are not disputable.
• If you request a liftgate and the carriers do not provide or charges made on the liftgate, there is no evidence of use. You can dispute this on the dispute form provided.

Who Takes Responsibility If Goods Get Damaged When You Pay Lift Gate Fee?

The presence of any damages or defects on the shipment during the liftgate service holds the carriers accountable.

The carriers will be liable for these damages, if not whole, but to a certain percentage.

Carriers are responsible for the damages since they have the obligation of rendering the liftgate services. This is proven under the shipping policy.

How Can I Reduce Liftgate Fee In Shipment Pickup/Delivery?

The key point to keep in mind is that the liftgate fee is negotiable.

The liftgate fees will, in the end, determine the actual cost of shipping the shipment.

A better understanding of the liftgate fees allows you to determine the frequency of the liftgate charges.

This, as a result, enables negotiation, which results in a reduction of the liftgate fee. Additionally, ensure you have an accurate description of the shipment.

This helps solve any disputes of the liftgate fee that may occur.

Lastly, you can involve the third-party logistics who better understand negotiation protopathic will get you the best liftgates fee deal.

Apart From Lift Gate Fee, What Other Tracking Fee Should I Be Aware Of?

We can also refer to this fee as accessorial charges. You must get all the information of any other trucking fee to prevent been caught unawares.

This trucking fee caters to any additional services carriers will render to you apart from the pickup and delivery services.

Below are some of the other trucking fees you should be aware of;

Limited Access Location

Sometimes you will have a shipment to deliver or pick up in a limited access location, making it a liftgate. For instance, a truck that is 53-foot on this location is hassle using a liftgate.

You can arrange for a smaller truck to ship the cargo to your convenient location to cab this event.

Trade Shows And Conventional Centres

Usually, shipping to convectional centres or trade shows can be chaotic. Imagine a convention centre that is overcrowded by trucks?

The hassle will be tedious, and a lot of commotion.

To evade this hassle most trucks, have specific arrival and offloading times.

In other scenarios, the carriers will have a preference on trade shows to use.

Construction Zone Deliveries

Delivering to construction zones can be a little difficult, especially if there is no permanent address location.

For instance, we are delivering shipments in the middle of construction. Let say road construction.

With no specific address, you should ensure you arrive early to find a recipient of the delivery.

Administrative Accessorial

Omissions, errors in the bill of lading, or any changes from the shipper result in additional charges.

Furthermore, it can result in delays in the shipment. With this scenario, an assessment of the accessorial costs will occur.

Some of the most administrative errors that result in accessorial charges include;

• Freight class to the bill of lading.
• Inaccurate weight.

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