Preparing Your Shipment for Less Than Truckload (LTL) Shipping

In the complex world of logistics, preparing an LTL (Less Than Truckload) shipment is not just a task – it's a critical strategy that impacts your business and your relationships with vendor partners. Understanding the implications of unprepared shipments is essential to saving your business money and building lasting relationships with the people who get your products where they need to be. Need a quote for an LTL shipment? As always Next Carriers will give you an instant quote for free.

Physical Preparation: Accurate Dimensions and Weights One of the first steps in preparing an LTL shipment is ensuring the accuracy of the dimensions and weights of your goods. Often, data from order or warehouse management systems may not be accurate, leading to increased costs due to reweigh fees or misclassifications. Accurately capturing these details is crucial for avoiding unexpected expenses and ensuring efficient space utilization in LTL shipping.

Pallet Configuration: Ensuring Structural Integrity How your pallets are built, whether they’re overstacked or if they have the necessary corner boards, directly affects the structural integrity of your shipment. Proper pallet configuration is vital to avoid damages and additional charges. It's important to wrap and secure your pallets effectively, considering the specific requirements of your freight.

Physical Bill of Lading (BOL): Accuracy is Key The Bill of Lading is a critical document in LTL shipping. It must include accurate information, from lift gates to service levels. Automating the BOL generation can reduce errors and save labor costs in your warehouse. Ensuring the correct NMFC (National Motor Freight Classification) and other essential details on the BOL is crucial for a smooth shipping process.

Non-Physical Aspects: Lead Time and Contract Negotiation Lead time is increasingly important in today's capacity-constrained environment. Providing sufficient lead time for carriers allows for better route planning and can reduce costs. Additionally, negotiating contracts, especially for regular LTL shipments, is vital. Understanding and pre-negotiating accessorial charges like liftgate fees can result in significant savings and avoid surprise charges.

The Importance of Scorecarding and Reducing Chargebacks Both carriers and vendors often use scorecarding processes to evaluate your shipping practices. Good shipping habits can lead to better relationships with carriers and vendors, potentially leading to reduced chargebacks. Understanding vendor requirements, like on-time and in-full deliveries, can improve your scorecard ratings.

Ask the Experts: Leveraging Carrier Expertise If you're unsure about how to prepare your freight properly, ask your carrier or a managed partner for advice. Carriers can offer valuable insights on how to package and secure your freight effectively, especially for complex shipments.

Avoiding Surprise Charges: Know Your Tariffs and Accessorials Unanticipated charges can significantly impact your shipping budget. Understanding the carrier's tariff for accessorial charges and having these negotiated beforehand can mitigate unexpected costs. For instance, if a liftgate is required but not pre-arranged, you might face a substantial fee based on the carrier's standard tariff rates.

Conclusion: Setting Up for Success Effective shipment preparedness involves a combination of physical and non-physical aspects, from accurate pallet configurations to strategic contract negotiations. By focusing on these critical elements, businesses can set themselves up for successful deliveries, positive vendor and carrier relationships, and ultimately, a more streamlined and cost-effective shipping process.

Remember, every detail counts in LTL shipping. Taking the time to get it right can save you not just money but also build your reputation as a reliable and efficient business partner in the logistics chain.