Shipping Overlength Freight

If you sell or ship bulky or large items, you know how tricky shipping overlength freight can be. Sifting through different carriers’ size limits, rules, and regulations can be confusing and time-consuming. Overlength issues can be expected when you’re forging and shipping larger items. But you don’t have to try to figure out overlength issues alone. We’re walking you through common overlength issues and how to handle them, so you can ship adeptly and low-priced.

What Is Overlength?

Many shippers confuse the differences between overlength freight and oversize freight.  Oversize freight accounts for limits on width, height, and weight. In contrast, overlength is only citing the length of an item. Most carriers have an overlength limit of 8 feet (96 inches). Therefore, if your freight exceeds that amount of length when properly packaged, you’ll need to pay more for it. Other carriers have overlength limits stretching out to 12 feet (144 inches). Always check with your carrier on their specific overlength limit.

Handling Overlength Freight Issues

People and businesses who ship items such as pipes or lumber will run into overlength scenarios often. One best practice for handling overlength issues is to see if you could shorten the length of your item. For example, are you are shipping lumber or pipes? Shortening the length of your freight by shipping your item in pieces or halves could remove an overlength issue. You could also try cutting the pipe or lumber at any specific lengths needed for your customer. Doing it for them prior helps you manage shipping costs and helps your customer out as well. Makes your customer more likely to continue doing business with you in the future. An additional option is to keep it as is and take advantage of a flatbed trailer.

Packaging Overlength Freight Properly

And just like everything in freight shipping, the packaging is a key component. Proper packaging is a must for all freight. Shortening the length of your items can also help you consolidate the shipping of those items. As you can fit a larger bundle of shorter pipes in one package rather than shipping them each at full size and paying the overlength fees each time.

Depending on what you’re shipping, you will need to make sure you have the right packaging materials for your freight. That could include large crates, pallets, shrink wrap, and more. You want to make sure your shipment fits on a pallet, shrink-wrapped, without any portion hanging from the sides.

Items that are considered overlength require additional resources on the part of the carrier. Overlength is classified as an accessorial and requires that distinction when filling out an LTL quote form. Any incorrect or inaccurate information found on an LTL quote form will impact your final rate and costs. In addition, it could also cause a headache-inducing rescheduling process because the truck that comes out isn’t prepared to handle your shipment. Carriers will always weigh, measure, and inspect your shipment before it is shipped using their sophisticated equipment. If there is any discrepancy between what the shipper reports and what the carrier reports, you will receive a billing adjustment. So, accurately packaging, measuring, and weighing your freight is key.

Shipping Experts by Your Side

It’s too difficult and time-consuming for a shipper to reach out to multiple carriers and see what their overlength restrictions are. You can do that in a fraction of the time by partnering with a third-party logistics company (3PL) like FreightCenter. With a powerful transportation management system (TMS), 3PL centralizes your search for the right carrier. In addition, expert shipping agents personalize your experience every step of the way. You don’t have to get caught up in the complexities of the freight shipping business. And, you can save money with discounted rates available only through FreightCenter.

Need solutions to shipping overlength freight? Start by getting a free quote or give us a call at 8007167608 and let our agents help.