For the best shipping rates, you want to start the process of preparing your shipment as soon as possible. Depending on what you're shipping, this may involve packing, packing, and placing your cargo on pallets for dry truck loading. If you have flatbed hauling, such as heavy equipment, you will need to collect the make and model, as well as the size and weight of the load. Once you have your load ready and have a solid plan for the size of the load, it's time to decide on shipping. By taking these steps before contacting the company for shipping costs, you can save a lot of backtracking.
Choose your shipping type
Do you ship by full truckload, including 26 pallets or 46,000 lbs? Or would you like to ship some of your shipments using less than full truckload (LTL) freight services? Either is possible, but you need to know which type of shipping service to request.
Choose a trailer
Determine the type of trailer required for loading. If the load requires weather protection and safety, a dry truck trailer is the way to go. However, your load must fit on a 53-foot wall trailer. If you're transporting oversized loads, heavy equipment or vehicles, a flatbed trailer is your only option. Unprocessed liquids and bulk commodities such as corn or grain require tanker trailers. A refrigerated trailer is required for cargo that must be kept at a certain temperature, such as frozen meat or fresh fruit. Know the basic trailer type you need to get a more accurate shipping rate.
Determine the distance
The biggest determinant of shipping costs is how far the goods need to be transported. Get the shipping and delivery destination addresses before contacting anyone for shipping costs. The freight company will calculate the exact mileage based on the actual mileage or short distance mileage. The difference between actual and short mileage is the mileage required to deliver the load. Typically, short-haul miles cost less than actual miles by up to 5%.
While you might be inclined to choose shipping rates based on short mileage, keep one thing in mind. Carriers who pay actual miles are generally considered higher-paid freight employers. These high-paying companies are able to attract higher-quality drivers who are more experienced and ready to work with the company long-term. This means for you usually a more specialized fleet to handle your freight and represent your brand in front of your customers.
Contact a shipping agent
You can contact individual shipping companies or independent contractors to obtain shipping charges for your shipments. However, time is of the essence, and you want to determine shipping quickly to avoid last-minute shipping surcharges. The easiest way is to contact a freight forwarder such as TJ chinafreight. We'll do the heavy lifting for you to shop around. Our team, working in over a hundred countries around the world, is always ready to help you. This enables you to get the most competitive price possible.
Make sure your load
Whether you hire a freight carrier or work with a shipping agent, you need to protect your cargo. This is where cargo insurance comes in. The shipping company will have its own liability insurance. However, you also need to make sure that the person you choose to ship the goods has adequate cargo coverage to cover the value of the goods you ship. If your load values exceed your coverage limits, consider increasing your coverage.
