Freight Cost

Freight cost is the price or shipping cost incurred when you ship your products or goods from one location to another. There are multiple components that makeup freight costs. Some of these components consist of mode, accessorials, and surcharges. Learn more. The freight shipping cost is affected by several factors, including weight, dimensions, density, stowability, packaging, fragility, destination specifications, mode of transportation, time sensitivity, and freight class. 

To calculate freight costs, you need to know the following: type of packaging (pallets, crates, containers), type of goods (for classification), shipment size and weight, delivery zip code, and whether there are any special handling requirements.

FreightCenter can help you calculate freight costs. Our free freight quote tool provides shippers instant access to freight rates from dozens of top freight carriers.

When getting a shipping cost for freight, a common thought is that freight costs are standard. This is not true—generally, the higher your cargo’s density, the cheaper the rate. Mode of freight also matters — road and rail are the most affordable. But air freight is the most expensive. There are many ways to reduce freight costs, regardless of load size. If you have several shipments going in the same direction, consider consolidating them into a partial or full truckload shipment. It can be as easy as becoming more flexible with how and when you ship your items.

Ensuring your load is properly prepared for shipping is a great way to reduce freight costs. To have your shipment prepared means more than just being correctly packed and labeled. It also means having someone standing by who can load and unload when the truck arrives is essential. The trucking company can add additional freight costs as a detention charge per end if the pickup or delivery takes longer than 20 minutes per location. Having your shipment ready for the shipping company can help reduce freight rates in the future.

In addition to planning, think about whom you’re shipping with and what your shipment contains. Suppose you ship a lot but have found yourself raising unneeded costs due to multiple shipments. In that case, it may be time to consolidate these shipments. Doing so creates the opportunity to save by receiving a fixed rate for six pallets simultaneously, compared to a load of three. Of course, these shipments will take up more room, so it will be essential to work with your Carrier to ensure all parties benefit from the shipping process.
When everyone is on the same page, costs stay low, and everyone is happy. Another way to save includes eating up a carrier’s “empty miles.” These empty miles create costs for them. So by adding freight to their run, you will be creating opportunities to save on your freight shipment while reducing wasted time and money for your Carrier.

FreightCenter provides low-cost freight shipping services for businesses and residential shippers. Compare rates and delivery times from multiple shipping companies in seconds. Get a free freight quote today and instantly save up to 85% off your cost of shipping. Save time and get the best price by comparing rates and services from reliable, trusted freight carriers with just one search. For the lowest cost on freight shipping, FreightCenter is your #1 source.

On a budget? The more you ship, the more you save. With a large, on-time, and reliable network of carriers throughout the United States and Canada, our experienced freight agents can help you find the best value on freight shipping services. Get a free quote from multiple carriers or call our shipping experts at 800.716.7608.

Use ours! Our freight shipping calculator will help you get low-cost freight shipping rates quickly so that you don’t lose a customer. There’s no reason to lose a sale. We provide all the costs and details your customers need to know before purchasing. To get started, register for your free account or login now.

FreightCenter can help you reduce freight costs. Our free freight quote tool provides shippers instant access to freight rates from dozens of top freight carriers. In addition, our team of experienced freight agents can help you ensure a successful shipment and mitigate risk.

Flexibility

Flexibility helps reduce freight costs in a big way. Most of the time, shippers will look to move their items as quickly as possible. But when looking to cut costs and improve your overall experience, many factors can help ensure a lower rate. Try to ship on off-peak days, like Monday or Friday. Freezer and food items are examples of items that are not available for off-peak shipping. Another option is combining your freight with another shipment headed in a similar direction. By putting multiple loads together, carriers can cut down on their costs and, in turn, lower yours as well. In addition, extra planning can also help lower freight costs.

Negotiate your Freight Costs

Getting the best price is of the utmost importance for all shippers. No one wants to pay more if they don’t have to, and who could blame them? When discussing the freight costs of various freight carriers, compare and contrast the pros and cons. FreightCenter can help those wishing to ship items by offering the rates of multiple carriers across the United States and beyond. Carrier freight shipping costs vary by the minute for a majority of carriers. It is essential to take factors like time of day, load dimensions, and ease of handling your load to reduce your freight costs. And while shopping around is entirely normal, be sure to consider the importance of building relationships. Existing bonds with past carriers can help create a repertoire as a trusted customer, leading to possible discounted rates when applicable.

Several factors can affect freight costs. Generally, the higher the cargo’s density, the cheaper the rate. Mode of freight also matters — road and rail tend to be cheapest while air is most expensive. In addition, not all freight brokers have access to the best rates. Learn more

Freight rates from all the top carriers are just a few steps away. It is easy to use our Freight Cost Calculator. Just fill in a few short details about your shipment and instantly receive instant freight shipping rates from leading freight carriers in one easy place. Trust the experts at FreightCenter to give you the best prices and options for your LTL Freight shipping needs. When you ship via FreightCenter, you can compare multiple carrier costs. FreightCenter ships a lot. We get volume discounts from many top freight carriers. The carriers sweeten those discounts because we handle all communications with our shippers and all the paperwork. From the shipper’s perspective, we arrange the shipment, pay the Carrier, and take care of the necessary paperwork. 

Our freight cost calculator is quick and easy to use

FreightCenter makes calculating your shipping rates quick and easy with our instant freight quote form. If you have questions about how you can book low-cost freight, please get in touch with one of our knowledgeable freight agents. A frequently asked question is, “How much does freight shipping cost?” Below are the variables to consider when defining or calculating actual freight costs. Using our freight cost calculator, you will access all major freight companies and their shipping costs.

By definition, freight shipping cost includes the price of fuel, mileage, capacity requirements, and any other equipment or services (like White Glove) you need to complete the shipment. Below are a few freight cost estimates to give you a general idea of how much it costs to ship specific items. The prices below do not reflect actual costs but are representations of shipments previously booked by a FreightCenter customer.

Freight costs vary depending on freight class. Your freight class is determined by its National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) number. It is determined based on various factors, including ease of handling, value, weight, length, height, density, and liability. Your freight class to calculate the shipping cost to get the most accurate freight cost estimate. There are 18 different freight classes. The lowest class is Class 50, and the highest is class 500. Freight classes are influenced by the load’s density, storability, handling, and liability. The higher the freight class, the more expensive the shipping cost. It is common for a Class 100 item to cost half the price to ship as a class 200 item.

Need to know your freight class? Use our handy freight density calculator to provide a number based on the dimensions and weight of your packaged freight.

Packaging and Shipping Costs

Did you know how well your packaged items could affect freight shipping costs? Factors that determine freight shipping costs are your packages’ dimensions, weight, and distance. With LTL shipments, the more space you take up in a truck, the more expensive your shipping will be. Be efficient when packaging your pallets. Additionally, your packaging can affect your freight class. For instance, look at the expense of shipping a sofa. An assembled sofa will cost more to ship than a disassembled sofa. This increase in shipping costs compensates for the space it will take up in the trailer. Because of this, shipping disassembled items can result in a 20-50% savings over shipping assembled items. Ask your freight agent for tips on packing your furniture or packaging and crating to reduce your shipping cost.

Accessorial Costs:

An accessorial charge is a fee added to a shipper’s freight invoice for services the motor freight carrier performed beyond the standard pickup and delivery. The additional charges cover a wide variety of services outside the line haul charge and fuel surcharge connected with the transportation of goods. Below are some accessorial freight costs.

Liftgate Costs

Not all trucks are equipped with liftgates. You will need to specify before pickup or delivery if you require one. Commercial trucks are designed to load and unload onto loading docks. Trucks going to addresses with no loading dock area will require a liftgate. A liftgate is a hydraulic platform on the back of a truck. The liftgate raises or lowers a shipment to and from the ground.

Redelivery Costs

If the receiver rejects the shipment, a carrier may need to redeliver an order. Redelivery can also occur if the necessary equipment isn’t on-site. Redelivery is one of the priciest accessorial fees because it requires the Carrier to redo the job and miss out on other income.

Layover Costs

A charge will apply if the truck cannot be unloaded/loaded during its slated delivery day.

Reclassification and Reweigh Costs

Factors that determine LTL base rates are weight, dimension, and classification. Dimensions, weight, and class all impact how a truck is loaded. Accurate shipment details are the best way to avoid unexpected shipping costs. The freight carrier will reclassify or reweight your order if these details need to be corrected or provided.

Advance Notification Costs

This fee applies if a carrier needs to notify a consignee before making a delivery.

Limited Access Costs

Places with limited access, either by permission or hours of services, may charge this fee. Example: Government facilities, schools, prisons, medical facilities, camps, and nursing homes have limited access.

Lumper OR Driver Load/Unload Costs

Unloading a vehicle is outside the requirements of a carrier. A fee applies if the driver must load or unload the freight. Distributors pass these charges on to shippers as a “lumper” fee.

Residential Costs

Carriers charge an added fee for delivery into a residential area is much different from a commercial office or warehouse.

Inside Delivery Costs

Inside delivery costs are fees to bring a shipment into a house. Often the inside delivery fees cover equipment (such as a pallet jack to lift the pallet curbs and stairs), extra time, and, sometimes, a different workforce.

Metro Pickup/Delivery Costs

Congested cities with parking limitations can be challenging to navigate ads with additional costs.

Fuel Surcharge Costs

A surcharge is charged according to the current price of fuel.

Oversized/Overlength Costs

Carriers must specially configure loads to accommodate. When an order takes up more space than a pallet, it costs additional to transport.

Sort/Seg Costs

There is an additional cost If a driver is required to break up an order and move the product from one pallet to another.

Hazardous Materials Costs

The Department of Transportation (DOT) requires that Hazardous Materials (HazMat) are adequately documented during transport. This includes extra paperwork and risk, which the Carrier adds accessorial costs.

After-hour Deliveries Costs

Going to a facility outside of regular operating hours can cost extra.

Truck Ordered Not Used (TONU) Costs

Carrier will have a clause allowing for a TONU. There is only a charge if the truck is canceled after a pre-established cut-off time.

Diversion Miles Costs

Diversion costs will occur if the Carrier is told to drive to a different location upon arrival at a shipper or receiver.

Additional Stops Costs

These charges typically occur when a shipment has two or more destinations, requiring a driver to make several stops.

Detention Costs

Detention charges may apply if a carrier is delayed at a shipper/receiver.

Delivery Time Costs

Logistics are carefully managed to ship your LTL or truckload shipment across the nation. The delivery time of ground shipping can either be booked as guaranteed or estimated, depending on which option you choose for your shipment. Unfortunately, we can’t always predict natural disasters, road collisions or blocks, or even driver illness. Thus delivering an exact date for your delivery will only sometimes be accurate. However, we offer guaranteed shipping for those willing to pay extra shipping costs to ensure their freight shipment arrives on time. With guaranteed shipping, should an instance occur, your shipment will move to the front of the line in order of importance.

Destination Specifications Costs

Specifications at your destination can also affect shipping costs. Requesting a call before delivery, ordering inside delivery, or delivering to a limited-access location can increase your shipping cost. Here is a list of limited access delivery locations: storage units, churches, schools, commercial establishments not open to the public, construction sites, farms, fairs, or carnivals.

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