Shipping Overlength Freight

If you sell or ship bulky or oversized 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 more essential items. But you don’t have to try to figure out overlength matters alone. We’re walking you through common overlength problems and how to handle them so that you can ship adeptly and low-priced.

What Is Overlength?

Many shippers confuse the differences between overlength freight and oversize freight.  Oversize cargo 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, you’ll need to pay more if your freight exceeds that size when adequately packaged. 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 shipping lumber or pipes? Trimming the size of your freight by sending your item in pieces or halves could remove an overlength issue. You could also try cutting the pipe or lumber at any specific lengths your customer needs. Doing it for them prior helps you manage shipping costs and helps your customer. It makes your customer more likely to continue doing business with you. 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 crucial 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 your shipping, you must ensure you have suitable packaging materials for your freight. That could include large crates, pallets, shrink wrap, and more. You want to ensure your shipment fits on a shrink-wrapped pallet without any portion hanging from the sides.

Items considered overlength require additional resources on the carrier’s part. Overlength is classified as an accessorial and requires that distinction when filling out an LTL quote form. Any incorrect information 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. You will receive a billing adjustment if there is any discrepancy between what the shipper reports and what the carrier reports. So, accurately packaging, measuring, and weighing your freight is critical.

Shipping Experts by Your Side

It’s too complicated and time-consuming for a shipper to reach out to multiple carriers and see their overlength restrictions. You can do that in a fraction of the time by partnering with a third-party logistics company (3PL) like FreightCenter. With a robust transportation management system (TMS), 3PL centralizes your search for a suitable 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 ship overlength freight? Start by getting a free quote or give us a call at 8007167608 and let our agents help.