FAQ – Common Shipping Questions

Freight is considered to be 150 lb and up. Parcels are normally 1 – 150 lb. There is a grey area between 60 to 150 lbs where packages could be shipped through either freight or small parcel service.

First of all – consolidation ocean shipments take longer than air shipments – even longer than full container loads. Secondly, for example, a company might want to ship 500 lbs and it might be quicker and cheaper to do it by air rather than by boat because of warfage fees and other accessorials. These fees can add up and Air could turn out to be less expensive and so much quicker. It is best to request quotes for both services or ask for free consultation if you are not sure.

It is the weight you will be charged or billed for. It will be the larger of the two between Actual Weight and Dimensional Weight. This formula is commonly used in many different services and it means that you either pay for how much it weighs OR how much space it takes up.

You will have to complete a Bill of Lading or provide one filled out by your freight desk or broker. You will have to make sure the freight is on a pallet / skid and well secured banded and wrapped. You will have to be able to load or unload the truck with a forklift or pallet jack without letting the driver unnecessary wait for too long. (Waiting time could be passed on to the billing party or shipper.)

When goods cross borders (import and export) a code is used to identify certain kinds of products. This system is used in most countries today. When importing, that code will be used to determine how much import taxes you will pay. It is your responsibility to know your products and make sure your vendor uses the correct code. Customs will keep you responsible and not your broker or freight forwarder.

If your package weighs more than 150 lbs, it is too heavy for a courier service. You will need a common carrier to provide LTL service. LTL (Less than Truckload) trucking companies will provide transportation for shipments weighing anywhere from 100 to 10,000 lbs. If your shipment weighs more than 10,000 lbs, it may take up an entire truck which means you will need a FTL (Full Truckload). A Full Truck can carry up to 40,000 lbs.

Trucking companies designed their services around commercial clients and locations. The standard procedure is a truck driver backing up to a loading dock for the shipment to be loaded by the shipper then driving the shipment to the destination loading dock to be unloaded by the consignee (receiver). Any additional services required outside of this standard procedure, may require additional fees called accessorials. Examples of additional services needed could be: lift gate required, residential pick-up or delivery, or limited access delivery. Express and/or guaranteed deliveries are available at extra cost. Delivery times for regular service are estimates.

Your shipment will be transported via truck along with other customer's shipments so that the costs of transportation are shared. The consolidation process makes LTL transportation economical and affordable. Freight should be well secured on pallets for handling purposes and also to protect your products from possible damage.

If your shipment is large enough to take up the entire truck space, it is a "full truckload" and will be transported via truck all by itself. If your shipment does not quite require the entire space, it is considered a "partial truckload" and will be transported via truck along with another partial load. It is possible that you might be quoted the distance there and back if the truck is expected to return empty.

Freight Class refers to the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) and it is the category of your freight as defined by the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA). Your shipment's freight class determines the carrier's shipping charges. There are 18 freight classes ranging from class 50 (the least expensive) to class 500 (most expensive). The class of your shipment is determined by its contents and NMFC item number.

This is the item number that specifically identifies each type of product that can be shipped by a LTL carrier. The National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA) assigns NMFC item #'s to all products along with a freight class. The NMFC # identifies what you are shipping and that number represents your commodity’s freight class. Special freight classes are available for mixed shipments.

Your product NMFC number identifies the freight class and the freight class in turn, determines your shipping charges. For example some of these classes are determined by density and / or scale of liability. For this reason, it is critical that you know the correct NMFC # and freight class in order to receive accurate freight charges. This will ensure that the carrier does not re-class your shipment which could result in a higher shipping charge. Know your products!

All classes and NMFC #'s are catalogued in the NMFC Tarrif for freight carriers. Any freight carrier can look this information up for you. You may also call the NMFTA direct at: (703) 838-1810 for additional information.

Because sometimes things happen!