Freight 101

LTL has its own vocabulary, and most surprises on an invoice trace back to a term someone did not know they needed. This section is the background: how freight actually travels, how it gets classified and documented, how to pack it so it survives, and where the extra charges come from.

Freight basics

/01 How freight moves The journey end to end: pickup, terminals, line haul, the border, and delivery. /02 LTL vs full truckload How the two differ, and the point at which your freight belongs on its own truck. /03 LTL vs small parcel Where parcel stops making sense and palletised freight takes over. /04 Transportation modes Road, rail, and road/rail combined — what each costs you in time and money. /05 Interlining What happens when one carrier does not serve both ends of your lane.

Classifying and documenting

/06 NMFC codes and freight class What class is, how density decides it, and how to look up the right code. /07 Measuring your freight How to measure and weigh a pallet so the quote holds as the final price. /08 Bills of lading What the BOL is, why every shipment needs one, and how to use the one we generate. /09 Weight reports and inspections What a carrier can re-measure, how that changes your price, and how to dispute it. /10 Proof of delivery What the POD records, why damage must be written on it, and where to find your copy.

Packing and protecting

/11 Packaging your freight The full guide: pallets, cushioning, securing the load, labelling, and crating. /12 Dangerous goods How hazardous freight is classified, and what shipping it requires of you. /13 Temperature handling Protecting freight that must not freeze, and what we can and cannot control.

Pickup and delivery

/14 Location types Picking the right location type at each end, which is what keeps a quote accurate. /15 Residential pickup and delivery What counts as residential, why it costs more, and how to avoid a surprise charge. /16 Using a carrier terminal Quoting to or from a terminal, and keeping the shipment tracked when you do. /17 Special services Lift gate, inside pickup or delivery, and delivery appointments. /18 Instructions for the pickup contact What the person handing the freight over needs to know and have ready. /19 Instructions for the delivery contact What the receiver should check, and what to write down before signing.

Cross-border and customs

/20 Cross-border shipping How we pre-clear freight crossing the border, and what is left for you to do. /21 Customs broker options What a broker does, why to bring your own, and the ones we recommend. /22 PARS and PAPS numbers What the bar-coded number on your shipment is for, and why your broker needs it early. /23 When customs holds your freight What a hold means, what to do first, and why speed matters here. /24 Duties, brokerage and bond charges What your quote covers at the border, and which costs your broker bills separately.

Charges and delays

/25 Potential additional charges Accessorials like dead call fees: what triggers them, and how to avoid them. /26 Understanding storage charges When a carrier starts charging for holding your freight, and how to stop the clock. /27 Weather delays How weather hits capacity, transit and guarantees, and how to stay flexible.

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