LTL Shipping Checklist

It is important to know how to properly send pallets to FBA. Following FBA guidelines will help ensure low costs. When you choose to use FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) services, you are handing over the shipping process to one of Amazon’s 75 fulfillment centers. By using FBA, shippers can relax and have the peace of mind that their product(s) will arrive at their destinations in a safe and cost-effective manner. Providing details of your product will help you determine the right shipping methods. Doing this will allow you to pay the lowest cost according to Amazon’s current pricing structure. Amazon FBA has a very simple pricing structure. You pay $2.49 per unit for Amazon to store your product in their fulfillment centers, and they also handle all of the shipping and customer service for you. There is no monthly or annual fee, so you only pay when you make a sale. Additionally, you will need to make sure that you read all the fine print taking into account any potential additional fees.

Pallets are your best friend.
Pallets allow forklifts and pallet jacks to easily load and unload your cargo. When measuring the dimensions of a palletized shipment, the length and width should be the same as the length and width of the pallet. Why is this important? Because your cargo cannot hang over any of the edges of the pallet. The height is measured as a straight line from your cargo’s highest point to the bottom of the pallet where it touches the floor.
Know what packaging materials you need.
Having an inventory of internal packaging materials like packing peanuts or bubble wrap and external packaging materials like shrink wrap, cardboard boxes, and crates will keep you moving and shipping with more ease. No more scrambling to find the materials you need.
Download our free comprehensive packaging guide.
We created a Guide to Freight Packaging which is a complete dive into the world of LTL freight packaging. Our free guide includes more best practices, helpful resources and information on packaging materials in one place. Keep it handy when you are packaging your freight.

After packaging your cargo, the next step is to measure and weigh your packaged freight correctly. These details are essential because carriers verify all information regarding weight and measurements using their sophisticated equipment. If the carrier’s weight or measurements differ from what the customer initially reported, the customer will receive a billing adjustment after completing the shipment. Suppose there are discrepancies between the customer-provided information on the Bill of Lading (BOL) and what the carrier’s weights/measurements are. The carrier will issue a billing adjustment for the difference in that case.

There are vital freight measurements to keep in mind when measuring your cargo. Please make sure you understand measurement factors such as actual weight, dimensional weight, density and how they impact the cost of your shipment, and what services/carriers best fit your needs. These factors play into whether or not you’ll need overlength shipping or what your freight class will be.

Regarding weight, it is best practice to always weigh your packaged freight on an industrial freight scale at a local junkyard, shipping depot, or warehouse. You might consider investing in a personal industrial freight scale if you ship freight often. While an industrial freight scale is a considerable expense, consider the benefits of the investment, such as lowering billing adjustments, getting your freight weight accurate before shipping, and having the scale ready for use whenever you need it.

All too often in the freight world, cargo gets lost or damaged. Being covered in the event of such unfortunate cases is essential. Every carrier offers a “basic” level of insurance coverage known as limited liability coverage. For some shippers, this is enough, but this level of coverage doesn’t necessarily reflect the full value of your item and is determined based on either flat rates or the weight and freight class of your shipment.

Purchasing freight insurance provides additional coverage above and beyond the carrier’s default protection policy. These independent policies can protect the full value of your shipment and remove the need to prove liability if any damage or loss of cargo occurs. For many shippers, purchasing an independent freight insurance policy gives them peace of mind because they don’t have to worry about their shipment.

Make sure you have all your bases covered and understand everything you need to know about freight insurance so you pick the right coverage option.

It’s prevalent for shippers to need or require services beyond the basic curbside pickup and delivery, which is an SOP for carriers. Most shippers don’t even know they may need additional assistance, and often they end up with a surprise billing adjustment after their shipment has been delivered. These other services are called accessorials or add-ons and come in all shapes and sizes. What you may think is a part of the primary or included shipping services could cost you a lot of money.

Ask yourself a few questions, like:

-Is the delivery or pickup location a residential location or limited access location?

-Will the shipment require a liftgate to load or unload from a truck because there is no loading dock or forklift at pickup/delivery location?

-Do you or the person receiving the shipment need inside pickup or delivery?

If you answered any of the above questions with “yes” or “maybe,” then you will need an accessorial from the beginning of your freight quote process. Other types of accessorials include white glove services, first mile/final mile services and special handling services.

We know there are a lot of accessorials, and you may want more detailed information. Download our LTL Shipping Checklist for a complete overview of some of the most common accessorials.

Paying for your shipment is part of the booking process. When booking with FreightCenter, once payment has been received, your shipping agent generates an email for you with all the paperwork you will need, including:

Terms and Conditions.

Bill of Lading (2 copies).

Shipping labels (2 copies).

Attach the two shipping labels provided by FreightCenter to your package; one on the long side and one on the short side. Please make sure they are visible and easy to read. To ensure they do not become loosened from the package, add a coating of clear packaging tape over the labels. This will also help protect your labels from elements. Check out our LTL Shipping Checklist for more details.

Pickup times are requests, not reservations. If you need to have your shipment picked up on a particular date or time, you will need to book that with your agent. Extra charges will apply. Freight is usually picked up in the afternoon and delivered in the morning. When the truck arrives to pick up your shipment, you (or your authorized representative) need to be there to meet the truck. If no one is there, the pickup will have to be rescheduled, and additional charges will be added.

If you are working with FreightCenter, remember: It is very important that you give the FreightCenter BOL to the driver. If you don’t, the carrier will not process your order with the discounts FreightCenter has secured on your behalf.

The consignee is the person or company that will receive the delivery of your shipment. Once you have booked your shipment, please send photos of your package to make it easy for the consignee to check for damage. If the package is damaged, or if less freight is delivered than expected, the consignee should note the damage or shortage on the Proof of Delivery receipt provided by the driver before accepting delivery of the shipment. Seemingly minor damage like dented, torn, ripped, crushed, or broken shrink wrap, boxes, pallets, or crates need to be noted. Ensure the consignee understands that they must be there to accept delivery on the date and time specified by the carrier.

We’ve got you covered if you’re looking for a concise, comprehensive checklist to print out and put on the fridge or have at your desk. Download our LTL Shipper’s Checklist today, a summed-up version of everything within this article. And to make the shipping process even easier for you, partner with FreightCenter to help guide you step by step through the LTL shipping process. With expert agents who can find personalized solutions for your small business shipping and supply chain needs, a strong network of carriers to choose from, and a robust transportation management software (TMS) to centralize everything you need into one place, we’re the go-to 3PL for shippers everywhere.

Start by getting a free quote, or call 800.716.7608 today.