LTL Shipping: How to get an accurate quote
Here at C&D Logistics we like to share information on logistics topics that matter to you, our readers. With that being said, we’d like to dive into the world of LTL quotes, and we’ll be talking about what you’ll need to provide to obtain an accurate quote. But first things first – what exactly does LTL stand for anyway?
Learn some of the LTL shipping questions every small business should ask.
What is LTL or Less Than Truckload?
In the logistics world, LTL stands for Less Than Truckload, and it’s basically exactly what it sounds like – anytime you have an item you’d like to ship that will take up “less than a truckload,” it will be considered an LTL shipment.
In most cases, a regular LTL shipment will take less than 12 feet of linear trailer space. For those of you who don’t have truck dimensions tacked to your cubicle, this works out to six 48” x 40” (LxW) standard size pallets which are not stacked.
Find out how your business can benefit from LTL shipping.
Getting an Accurate LTL Shipping Quote
Now that we’ve defined Less Than Truckload, what exactly do we need from you to get an accurate LTL shipping quote? Here are the 5 basic must-have pieces of information we require:
- Origin city or postal/zip code
- Destination city or postal/zip code
- Freight Class (a description of what the product is)
- Total Weight or weight per pallet
- Dimensions of each pallet
Find out if it is better to ship your LTL freight via truck or train.
Without these 5 bits of information, any freight quote you receive will be considered incomplete, and on paper it might even look too good to be true.
Along with your freight quote, it’s also important to understand the additional services you may select or be charged with when choosing to ship LTL – services like power tailgate needed on delivery, automatic business to business delivery (dock to dock), or shipments going to a residential address are all services that may require an extra charge.
Here are some examples of additional services or details that can alter a basic LTL freight quote:
- Residential delivery
- Job site delivery
- Inside delivery / pick up
- Trade show delivery
- Power Tailgate on pick up / delivery
- Dangerous Goods
- No Transfer
- White glove service
- Appointment freight
- Mall delivery
- After hours pick up / delivery
- Swamper fee
Here at C&D Logistics we know the ins and outs of Less Than Truckload deliveries and we can [get you an accurate quote…] in no time. That’s our 30/30 promise to you. Give us a call at 604.881.4440 or visit our shipping page. In addition to our Less Than Truckload shipping services, we also provide International Freight Shipping, Canadian freight shipping and Third-Party Logistics. Please contact us to learn more.