Freight Smarter Blog

Go to the Pros for Military Freight Shipping

2011-12-22T08:13:00.000-08:00

When transporting freight for the U.S. Military or Government, there are a few more considerations to take into account to ensure safe and proper handling of high grade equipment and supplies. Freight shippers work with several agencies and government departments to execute delivery.

FreightCenter.com works in conjunction with the General Services Administration (GSA) and the Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC; formerly MTTC) to plan and execute surface delivery of equipment and supplies for the Department of Defense (DOD). FreightCenter.com provides the U.S. Military and other government entities with a dedicated account manager who is an expert in handling the logistics of land, sea and air freight transportation throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

FreightCenter.com has military freight experts on site who handle logistics and freight services for local, state and federal governments, government departments and agencies, military and defense organizations and public or private schools, colleges and universities. Due to the confidential and sensitive nature of handling special projects for the U.S. Government and affiliated agencies, it is vastly important to work with a freight expert with experience arranging logistics for government freight. This specific type of freight generally involves additional paperwork, processes and cost.

FreightCenter.com processes hundreds of shipments throughout the year, totaling approximately 1000+ tons of palletized computer equipment, Army vehicle parts, items from base liquidations and paper records (in addition to other commodities shipped by crate or barrel). We also arrange transport for other government entities including:

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Department of Defense (DOD)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

United States Secret Service (USSS)

Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA)

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Give Us a Call or Book Online

(800) 716-7608

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About FreightCenter.com

FreightCenter.com provides an extensive network of trucking and intermodal transportation. Trust our freight experts to match your freight to the best available carrier. Based out of the Tampa since 1998, FreightCenter.com is a 3PL and technology provider developing Web-based software to manage freight shipping for both individuals and businesses. FreightCenter.com powers a SaaS-based TMS that automates rating, simplifies booking and reporting and comes packaged with a built-in CRM dashboard and white-label user interface.

The Benefits of Choosing FreightCenter.com

Shipment Tracking & Status Updates
Book & Quote Online 24/7
Knowledgeable Freight Shipping Account Managers
Reputable, Recognized Carriers

Shipping an Engine in the Most Efficient, Hassle-free Way

2009-12-30T08:41:00.000-08:00

Shipping an engine across the United States and other countries present some unique problems of their own due to their sheer weight and size. For one, bulky and heavy items such as car, boat and truck engines need to be crated and packed properly. Because of size and weight limitations, the post office and parcel mailing companies may even refuse to handle such items. You will find that the best and efficient way to ship engines across the country is by freight.

There are many companies that specialize in shipping heavy items and freight nationwide as can be evident from doing a quick online search. Sellers of engines, after accepting orders, need to have these engines shipped to the customer. Buyers also need to decide where they want the engines delivered - they can save money by shipping to a cargo terminal or have it shipped to their house or business at a higher cost. There are a lot of steps that need to be done in shipping an engine to the customer to make sure that the delivery process goes in a smooth and hassle-free manner.

If you are looking for a company to help you through the engine shipping process, FreightCenter can be a great choice. They have been an engine shipping expert for years, and let you compare rates and choose the best price from all the top carriers.

I have highlighted some major steps and processes below of things to keep in mind when preparing for your engine shipping. Reading and following these steps can help ensure the process of shipping an engine through freight shipping goes smoothly:

Preparing the engine for shipping – All types of liquids should be drained from the engine. This includes engine oils, coolants, lubricants, and even water. Do this to avoid possible damage to the engine as well as additional costs.

Packing the engine – It is important to properly pack the engine for engine shipping to prevent damage. Make sure that the engine is mounted onto pallets, securely fastened using banding, and wrapped with shrink-wrap and breakaway adhesive. The proper labels should be placed legibly and clearly to allow for easier and smoother transport. The shipping contract between you and the carrier usually stipulates that the engine must be packed and secured properly to minimize the risk of damage during transport. Keep in mind that their liability could be waived if the proper guidelines for packing are not followed.

Know the weight of your freight – We all know that shipping engines and freight depends on the volume and weight of the particular item. The weight of the item should be an accurate assessment and must include packing materials (even crate, pallet, and wrapping). To avoid being overcharged, make sure to get an accurate weight for your engine. The best option is to get it weighed after it is already prepared and ready for shipping. If you do not have the means to weigh your package at your home or business, there are certified weight scales available at a variety of locations. You can do a simple online search to find a location nearest you.

Read and understand the paperwork – Each carrier and company that you choose will have specific paperwork for you to read and fill out to prepare for your engine shipping. Make sure that you read this paperwork carefully and thoroughly as there are special instructions and guidelines usually included that can help save you time and future headaches with your engine shipping. When booking your shipping, the company will always issue you a bill of lading (BOL). It’s very important to use this paperwork because it shows the carrier the specific rates and discounts you have been issued for the shipment. Not using and not properly reading your paperwork can result in delay in delivery as well as additional charges by the carrier, so take a few minutes to read over everything properly.

Decide where to have the engine shipped – Generally, there are two places where you can choose to have your freight delivered. The first is at the cargo shipping terminal. This is the terminal where all the freight trucks are unloaded and freight is interchanged within their transportation network. You can choose to have your engine shipped directly to a terminal and save on costs. There are hundreds of terminal locations nationwide and you can ask your shipping company where the closest location is to you.
The other place where you may want to have your engine delivered is at home or your business address. Although more convenient, there are additional costs because from the cargo terminal, the shipper has to employ another freight truck and additional manpower to deliver the engine directly to your address. There might also be additional charges including limited access and residential delivery, depending on where you are having your engine shipped. Always ask your freight agent for specifics of any additional charges that may apply.

Have proper identification ready – When claiming your engine shipping, whether at a terminal or at your residence or business, be prepared to show documents and identification showing that you are the actual recipient of the freight. Identification is important to have in both instances to avoid extra storage fees and re-delivery charges if no one is available when the engine is delivered. The carrier will not just drop off your engine at your door with no signature, so make sure to make the proper arrangement on the day of your engine delivery..

Other engine shipping problems – All trusted and experienced freight companies should have a customer service department and hotline for customer to be able to call if at anytime you encounter any problems or have any questions during the shipping process. If you choose FreightCenter, as previously mentioned, they actually assign you a specific account manager to personally contact at any time during your shipment. I really like this added benefit, as it can save a lot of wasted time on hold and being transferred as is common with other companies. For your convenience, if you do choose FreightCenter, their number is: 1-800-716-7608.

Shipping an engine can be a challenging experience, especially for a non-experienced shipper trying to figure out the best carrier and company to choose and the proper way to prepare and package the engine for shipping. Using a company like FreightCenter can make shipping an engine easier and hassle free. FreightCenter.com allows you to receive free instant comparison quotes from trusted carriers, and their knowledgeable staff can help you through the whole engine shipping process. They assure an effective and efficient shipping process for those who want to ship an engine and transport large loads.

Freight Insurance – Do I Really Need It?

2009-03-20T12:03:00.000-07:00

Freight insurance can be one of the most important purchases you will make for your business or personal shipment. Knowing that your shipment is protected whether it is lost, damaged, or stolen can give you great peace of mind during its voyage.

Freight insurance is a contract between an insurance company and an individual or business that provides compensation if a loss or damage occurs to a specific item or shipment. Paid in advance of shipment, it is like a traditional insurance policy. If a claim is not made on that policy, you will not be able to get a refund on the cost.

Freight insurance is a “must have” for today’s shipping environment. When you ship your item with any freight carrier, damage and loss claims customarily only pay out a minimal amount; far less than the value of the item being shipped. Although claim rates are less than 5% with most carriers, accidents can and will happen. Freight insurance helps keep the shipment owner’s exposure to monetary loss at a minimum. The policy will cover your commodity when transferred by truck, train, or cargo vessel. Having this protection is highly important if your business depends upon shipping items that need to arrive on time and undamaged. Without insurance, you will have to replace the commodity at your cost. With a policy from an insurance broker, the compensation is paid directly to you, bypassing the carrier, making replacement easier and faster.

Freight insurance is fairly inexpensive compared to the potential loss or damage costs. There are several factors that determine the price of the policy. The first factor is the value of the item being shipped. Higher valued and one-of-a-kind items raise the price due to the high cost of replacement. Another factor is the type of commodity. The type relates to how likely the item is to be damaged in transport. Items that are fragile are more vulnerable to damage, and therefore more likely to require payment from a claim. A third factor is the distance the shipment will travel. A shipment that will be transported further has a greater possibility of being damaged as it is transferred from trailer to terminal to trailer throughout its journey. Other factors that can affect the cost are the carrier or mode of transportation, and how the commodity is packaged.

There are several sources for freight insurance. If you are shipping items for your company, your business insurance may already cover items in transit. If it is a personal shipment, your home owners or renters insurance often covers shipments. Your insurance agent may also be able to add a one time policy, if it is not already covered. As most freight is paid with a credit card, you may be insured through your credit card agreement. You can also seek insurance through an outside broker.

FreightCenter now offers freight insurance. You can purchase coverage up to $2500, based on the documented value of the item, for only $30 per shipment. With insurance through

FreightCenter Adds More Carriers to Network

2009-01-22T14:10:00.000-08:00

FreightCenter continues to grow despite a declining economy and increasing fuel costs. In the past two months, FreightCenter has added two regional carriers to its extensive network. New Penn, a regional LTL carrier, provides service throughout the Northeastern United States, Quebec, Canada, and Puerto Rico. They can provide next day service within most locations in the Northeast. Dohrn Transfer Company, another regional LTL carrier, provides service for the Midwest region. They can provide next day service within most
locations in the Midwest. With the addition of New Penn and Dohrn Transfer Company, FreightCenter is better able to provide fast freight shipping services within these regions at lower prices.

FreightCenter also recently added a service that provides a pre-built crate with shipping. This service, provided by a national carrier, allows shippers to transport single to multiple items safely, without supplying their own packaging. Two sizes of crate are available to meet each shipper’s needs, including a cube that is 45” x 45” x 46”, and a tower that is 45” x 45” x 74”. The cube is ideal for shipping everything from car parts to household goods and dorm room items. The tower is ideal for shipping larger or taller items like appliances and vending machines. FreightCenter is able to fulfill the needs of occasional or inexperienced shippers with this pre-built crating service.

FreightCenter, a third-party logistics company offering freight shipping quotes and transport within the US and Canada, continues to do all of the research, matching, and paperwork at no cost for small businesses and occasional shippers. FreightCenter.com specializes in both LTL and full truckload shipments with a network of over 100 national and regional carriers. Recent enhancements to the site include an auction shipping widget, personal accounts to save both quotes and bookings, and added specialty shipping services. With the best services, lowest negotiated prices, and more improvements in the near future, there’s no better time than now to give FreightCenter.com a try.

FreightCenter is located in the beautiful Tampa Bay area of Florida at 2049 Welbilt Blvd., Trinity, FL 34655. Visit FreightCenter.com today to create a free account, save quotes, and book your shipment. Freight Specialists are available to assist by phone at 800-716-7608.

Single laser can measure cargo package dimensions

2009-01-13T09:33:00.000-08:00

Laser scanning technology can now read the dimensional weight — or the space a cargo package occupies — with a single laser, providing a faster and more accurate tool for determining proper freight charges.

The system, developed by Freight-Scan and Lincoln Laser Co., uses a single laser scan, rather than the slower, conventional method of measuring the dimensions of a package by hand or by multiple lasers.

The FS100 cargo-scanning system produces a unique digital signature for each package that enables 3D mapping of the size, dimensions, geometry and spatial relationship of the cargo.

That information, along with the gross weight of the package, is used to find the right shipping cost.

“By charging only by weight, lightweight, low-density packages become unprofitable for freight carriers due to the amount of space they take up in the truck, aircraft, ship or railcar in proportion to their actual weight,” said a release from the high-tech public relations firm Zebra Communications on behalf of FreightScan. “The concept of dimensional weight has been adopted by the transportation industry as a uniform means of establishing a minimum charge for the cubic space a package occupies.”

But until recently, determining a parcel’s dimensional weight, or “dim weight,” mostly has been a manual process, limited to using a tape measure, manually calculating dimen-sional weight, and then comparing that figure to gross weight. Freight carriers use the greater of the actual weight or dimensional weight to calculate shipping charges.

Dimensional weight is commonly used for invoicing by airfreight forwarders, truck carriers and commercial airlines. In 2007, DHL, FedEx, United Parcel Service and the U.S. Postal Service adopted the dimensional weight system for their ground services. Warehouses for transport and logistics companies are also investing in equipment for calculating the dimensional weight of packages.

Other laser scanning systems currently in use require multiple lasers to triangulate the dimensional measurement.

Trade Shows – Can You Really Afford NOT To Go?

2009-01-13T09:09:00.000-08:00

What is a Trade Show?

A definition of a trade show would be that it is a popular specialized marketplace event that gathers together companies in a specific industry to simultaneously display their products or promote their services for the purpose of getting new clients, widen their market reach, generate sales, establish industry contacts and business networks, and get a glimpse of what other similar companies are doing in terms of their products, services, and marketing strategies. Unfortunately, that definition barely covers what a trade show truly is. There are four main areas that help define what a trade show is.

The first thing a trade show does is allow businesses to demonstrate and display their products and services to potential buyers who have a special interest in buying these items. It allows attendees and exhibitors to get into the details of a project a company may currently have or be projected to have in the near future.

The second aspect of a trade show is that it allows exhibiting companies to meet face-to-face with potential buyers of their products and services. It is the quickest, most effective way to get your business in front of multiple potential buyers concentrated in one place. The meetings become opportunities for business matching, where buyers can meet with multiple suppliers and sellers to find the right company to purchase from. Companies are able to demonstrate products and services, then interact with customers to get immediate responses and feedback to their items. These face-to-face opportunities accelerate the selling cycle by matching the buyer’s needs with a seller’s ability to fill those needs. It also provides an experience for the buyers. Most people make their purchasing decisions from the experiences they encounter, and these experiences cannot be replicated through any other venue. Trade shows help turn a company’s position of mind into position of market, which builds and secures a share of market for the exhibitor. Meeting with attendees and other exhibitors offers the opportunity to network and make additional contacts. Lastly, it allows you to show attendees who your organization is, what it stands for, and how it values the human side of business.

The third aspect of a trade show is that it is a major marketing tool. They are one of the best marketing tools available for businesses today as it incorporates the product, people, promotions, and placement of those products together at one time and place. It incorporates almost every marketing medium in reaching the targeted selling environment. Trade shows are also a vehicle for advertising and publicity. Each booth is a three-dimensional ad for the exhibitor. Each item from the booth back wall and electronic visual equipment to the giveaway items and flyers are advertising for the company, products, and services.

Lastly, the core value of exhibiting at trade shows is their efficiency as marketplaces for matching buyers who have a demand for a product with sellers who can fulfill those needs. The compacted time frame and concentrated location are cost effective and convenient for both exhibitors and attendees. In this tough, competitive business environment, exhibiting at trade shows has become essential for every business sector. In these down times, exhibitors are able to meet with buyers who have real needs and budgets, but still have less competition for their attention.

Why is it important to exhibit?

What are the two main things that drive sales? Marketing and promotions, and trade shows are one of the best marketing tools available. Overall, trade shows are incredibly valuable in gaining knowledge about yourself and your competition, interfacing with vendors, suppliers, and customers, and developing new clients and sales opportunities.

When the economy suffers, marketing is one of the first areas cut. Businesses consistently follow this protocol even though most respected marketing experts recommend putting money where the return is. Cancelling your marketing efforts in bad times can only hurt sales. Many small and medium-sized businesses believe that exhibiting at a tradeshow is out of their league because of misconceptions about how only large companies have large enough marketing departments with large budgets, the trade show booth is not affordable, they don’t know how to design a booth, they don’t know how to transport and assemble a booth, or they don’t know how to work a show. The only real considerations that companies should analyze are the budgetary impact of booth space rental and the correlation of the focus of the show to their company.

Most markets and businesses are having tough times in this down economy, but the companies that continue to market themselves are the ones who capture the largest share of mind when the economy turns around. Buyers best remember the companies and products who continue to stay visible, and those buyers are more likely to remain loyal purchasers in the future. In a study by Yankelovich/Harris, researchers found that most executives acknowledge the importance of keeping abreast of new products and services in their industry, and continuing to invest for the future. They also found that advertising during these tough times creates a competitive advantage. Their study revealed that 86% of executives polled stated that seeing a company’s advertising during down times made them feel more positive about the company’s commitment to its products and services. Most importantly, it also keeps those companies top-of-mind when purchasing decisions are made. The Harvard Business Review states, “Advertising is an anti-recession tool. It should be regarded not as a drain on profits but as a contributor to profits, not as an unavoidable expense but as a means of achieving objectives.” With trade shows being such an impactful, concentrated form of advertising, companies are finding a high return of investment by exhibiting.

There are multiple advantages to be gained from exhibiting including gaining competitive intelligence, meeting buyers and generating leads, meeting the press and other members of the distribution channel, and most importantly, to sell. Gaining competitive knowledge by visiting competitors’ booths can help you learn about both other companies and yourself. You are able to gain knowledge on how you compare to the competition, how they do things, what makes them more or less successful, and what the competition thinks about your product. By visiting other booths you can get literature on suppliers and distributors in your field, see new market concepts, and have yourself put on mailing lists to continue to get information. Meeting buyers and generating leads is one of the most important advantages to exhibiting. It allows you to talk face-to-face with prospects, current customers, and even past customers. Exhibitors often invite current customers to visit the booth to revitalize relationships and to show them the newest products. Exhibitors are also able to generate leads quickly. They can meet with 100’s to 1000’s of prospective clients and display their goods in the span of just a few days. Leads from trade shows cost 50% less than those from field calls due to travel costs, fewer numbers of contact points, and less time to reach the lead. Another advantage of attending shows is the ability to meet the press and other members of the distribution channel. Trade shows are the greatest opportunity for companies to get press coverage. The payoff of the articles written in trade publications is the possibility of thousands of information requests and future orders. Lastly, the most important advantage to exhibiting is sales! In a recent study, 90% of respondents indicated that they found trade shows to be a very useful form of gathering purchasing information. Almost 50% actually made purchases or signed contracts while attending the show. Most attendees plan to buy one or more products, and those purchases are influenced by the companies and products they see at the show.

Essentially, if you aren’t at the show, do they know you offer the product or service they need?

How to make the show successful

To make the most of exhibiting at trade shows, you must plan for the show and set goals and objectives. The stronger your plan, the more goals you are likely to achieve with a higher return. Four areas that serve as cornerstones for setting show objectives are increasing sales and reinforcing market share, increasing the share of customer, introducing new or updated products, and positioning or repositioning your organization, brand, and products.

Before the show, you must set measureable goals and a quantitative method of measuring those goals. Four areas that can be measured to analyze the success of a trade show are the revenue generated, the cost savings, the customer-relationship management, and the promotion impact at the show. Determining the areas that are important and the target outcome in those areas can help you evaluate the true return on investment.

Although every show in your field is significant, choosing the right shows are important to yielding the highest return on the investment. To save travel costs, stay close to home. For many companies, local and regional shows offer the best results for the time and money invested. Another option is “online trade shows” where you are able to “virtually” display your goods or services to the online visitors. This allows you to still openly talk with visitors to your booth and set up virtual meetings and demonstrations. By using this form of trade show exhibiting, the initial labor output is slightly more to set up your “booth”, but you save tremendous time and money by not having to travel or ship items to a location.

Trade shows are an important and vital part of every company’s marketing plan. They allow the exhibiting company to present their product, service, and company to a captive audience in a compact area and time frame. By continuing to be visible to current and potential customers during these down economic times, it projects your company to the forefront of those buyers’ minds now and as the economy improves.

FreightCenter knows how important it is that your exhibit gets to your trade show on time and intact. Let the shipping experts at FreightCenter.com help you get your booth and materials there quickly and affordably. FreightCenter contracts with trucking companies that are trade show endorsed and experienced in the pickup and delivery of exhibit materials. Some of the benefits of shipping through FreightCenter are discounted rates, no waiting time charges, knowledgeable service professionals, and time specific guarantee options.

Make your trade show appearance the success that you deserve at the low rate your budget demands. FreightCenter’s experienced staff is dedicated to taking care of all your shipping needs so you can focus on the show, not getting there. Visit FreightCenter.com or call 800-716-7608 for more information about their trade show and exhibit transportation services and to get a free quote.

FreightCenter Motorcycle Shipping

2008-12-30T11:48:00.000-08:00

FreightCenter has recently redeveloped their motorcycle shipping page to include instant state to state quotes. This system allows customers to get a basic quote for the door-to-door price and the terminal-to-terminal price. FreightCenter provides a full service motorcycle shipping experience that can transport your bike throughout the continental U.S. at discounted prices. This superior service includes a specially built pallet and soft cover, and transports the bike via closed air-ride van.

Visit FreightCenter Motorcycle Shipping or call 800-716-7608 to get your FREE QUOTE!!

FreightCenter continues to be a leader in the freight shipping industry by providing discounted freight shipping to small to medium sized businesses and one-time shippers.

Old Dominion Freight Line Inc. Opens New Service Center in Worcester, Mass.

2008-11-05T08:52:00.000-08:00

THOMASVILLE, N.C. – Mark Madden, VP of the Northeast region for Old Dominion Freight Line Inc., announced a service center opening in Worcester, Mass. The 80-door facility is located on a 20-acre site at 6 Pioneer Drive, North Oxford.
According to Madden, the Worcester Service Center will begin operations under the leadership of Service Center Manager Richard Gazebien, who will direct a staff of 29.

“The opening of the Worcester Service Center will not only allow us to better serve the central Massachusetts area but will also meet our needs for projected growth in this region,” said Madden. “Old Dominion will be positioned to gain market share in points currently being served.”

Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. is a leading less-than-truckload (LTL) super regional carrier. Through its non-union work force and four operating groups, OD•Domestic, OD•Expedited, OD•Global and OD•Technology, Old Dominion offers an array of innovative products and services and provides complete nationwide coverage within the Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Central States, Gulf States and West regions of the country, including 39 states with 100 percent full-state coverage and international services around the globe. Ship with Old Dominion online at www.freightcenter.com

Rails and trucks post widely different 3Q outcomes

2008-10-28T09:30:00.000-07:00

By SAMANTHA BOMKAMP

NEW YORK

Railroads and trucking companies told very different stories in their third-quarter earnings reports, as rails continued fetch higher prices and truckers dealt with weak pricing and slumping demand.

But both were helped by a drop-off in the price of fuel. Many companies have fuel surcharges -- the extra cost it tacks on to a customer's bill -- that are delayed by two months or more. And as diesel prices dropped toward the end of the quarter, many truckers and railroad operators were paying less for fuel than they were collecting from shippers. Overall though, rails continued to hold the upper hand as more freight moved to the tracks and off the highways.

The four largest U.S. railroads -- Union Pacific Corp. and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. in the West and CSX Corp. and Norfolk Southern Corp. in the East -- all posted third-quarter results that beat Wall Street's expectations.

And except for CSX, every railroad grew earnings by more than 30 percent in the period. Excluding a one-time gain in the prior-year period, however, the Jacksonville, Fla.-based company's earnings from continuing operations rose 29 percent.

Besides higher prices, railroads are benefiting from their ability to improve productivity through initiatives that cut the time a train spends in a station or that improve its speed. These factors allowed the major railroads to offset lower volumes compared with a year ago.

Although some trucking companies buoyed earnings in the June to September period by racking up fuel surcharges or cutting costs, the group largely painted a bleak picture of an impending or current recession.

YRC Worldwide Inc. reported a 10 percent drop in third-quarter profit, but excluding some hefty one-time items, the Overland Park, Kan.-based company said it would have posted a loss much wider than analysts were expecting. The company did not give a prediction for the fourth quarter, citing economic uncertainty.

Werner Enterprises Inc. managed to grow its profits by 3 percent as it offered a wider array of services for customers, countering "lackluster" freight demand.

Miami-based Ryder System Inc. said its third-quarter earnings rose from a year ago but still fell short of Wall Street's expectations. The company also lowered its outlook for the year and put its share buyback plans on hold.

The trucking industry's leading trade group underscored carrier's fears when it reported that goods shipped by truck fell for the third month in a row in September.

The American Trucking Associations said Monday its seasonally adjusted tonnage index, which measures the weight of freight hauled by U.S. truckers based on membership surveys, fell 0.9 percent in September.

And the ATA's chief economist Bob Costello predicts freight demand will continue to get worse before it gets better.

"It is a tough freight market, and there is nothing on the horizon that says this will change anytime soon," Costello said.

Costello said he believes a recession began in the third quarter and will continue through the first quarter of 2009.

And as less freight is moved by truck, Wolfe Research analyst Edward Wolfe suggested that more freight will continue to shift to rail freight. This trend will be accelerated, he predicted, when fuel prices turn higher -- creating a bigger pricing disparity between the two methods of transportation.

FreightCenter.com Releases New Shipping Calculator for Ebay

2008-10-20T13:36:00.000-07:00

After many months of work, FreightCenter.com, a leader in online freight shipping solutions, announces the release of their shipping widget. This tool allows users to create an easy to use shipping calculator and place it directly on their website or eBay listing. Representatives from the company were in Chicago in June officially releasing the tool at eBay live, eBay’s annual convention. The company expects the instant shipping calculator to be a huge hit with eBay users that operate online stores that specialize in selling large items not suited to small parcel services. The FreightCenter.com shipping widget can also be used by website store owners to allow customers to estimate shipping quickly without leaving their website.

FreightCenter.com President Matthew Brosious is thrilled about the shipping widget. “We’ve been providing shipping services and rates directly on our website for years, and this tool will let our customers provide rates to their customers quickly with minimal setup”. The FreightCenter.com widget requires only that customers register for a free account and then enter the details of the item they want to ship as well as the origin zip code. They then paste the code directly into their website or their auction listing. Customers need only enter the zip code they want the item to go to, and prices are provided instantly.

FreightCenter.com is based in Clearwater, Florida and provides freight shipping solutions to businesses and individuals throughout the US and Canada. Visit FreightCenter.com today to create a free account, rate carriers and services, and create your own shipping widget. Visit Freightcenter or call 1-800-716-7608.

New Shipping Company Cuts Carbon Emissions by 30%

2008-10-15T09:14:00.000-07:00

New York, NY [Oct. 7, 2008] – New York-based international shipping company First Global Xpress (FGX) has applied green business practices to the shipping industry and ended up with a faster, cheaper, greener solution to shipping a package.

By avoiding the traditional hub-and-spoke method used by large shippers like UPS, FedEx and DHL, FGX is cutting shipping time by as much as 24 hours, shipping costs up to 20% and carbon emissions by at least 30% per package. The concept has caught on, which is why FGX has become a $10 million company in just six years, shipping more than 250,000 packages per year.

Traditional shipping companies rely on an inefficient hub-and-spoke system to send packages to their final destinations. This means that a package is routed through a shippers’ “hub,” such as FedEx’s hub in Memphis, before being sent on to its final destination. In doing so, additional flights are needed, and a great deal of energy is wasted by the extra miles needed to travel to and from each hub.

FGX bypasses the hub-and-spoke system with a direct model. By partnering with over 100 commercial airlines that serve as third party carriers, FGX is able to ship packages directly to their destinations—no hubs or spokes involved. Cutting carbon emissions by at least 30% when using this method is a significant improvement to the shipping industry, since shipping by air creates a much larger carbon footprint than shipping by ground or sea. Furthermore, fuel usage and costs are both diminished, since the package travels by only one flight.

In addition to their green method of shipping, FGX is making their day-to-day business greener as well. All of the boxes and envelopes used in shipping are made from recycled materials. Additionally, vegetable-based inks are used for all printing done in the office. The company has signed on with East Coast Limousine, a hybrid car service, to use for business travel around New York City. All of these efforts on top of FGX’s package delivery system are establishing the company as an efficient, green alternative to their larger common carriers. The green business model that FGX has established has proven successful thus far, and the company plans to continue its rapid growth, committing to further green shipping practices over the next five years.

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First Global Xpress is revolutionizing the way businesses ship internationally. FGX does this by shipping direct all over the world, and in turn, by reducing the carbon released by 25%. Every day, FGX offers you the chance to save 20% on your international shipping, cut 24 hours off of your deliveries, and reduce your carbon footprint by 25% or more—all through the simple solution of shipping direct. www.fgxusa.com

UPS Freight Improves Transit Times on 1,900 Lanes in Western States

2008-10-10T10:00:00.000-07:00

UPS Freight (NYSE:UPS) today announced the final phase of its 2008 network enhancements, speeding up transit schedules on more than 1,900 traffic lanes in eight western states.

The improvements mark the third round of network enhancements over the past five months by UPS’s heavy freight division. Overall, the company has improved some 12,000 lanes over the past year-and-a-half, offering faster service covering two-thirds of all U.S. ZIP codes.

“UPS is on a path to create a combination of reliability, technology and speed that no other competitor can match,” said UPS Freight President Jack Holmes. “Reducing transit times, guaranteeing deliveries and using advanced tracking technology all combine to provide maximum value for our customers.”

The latest enhancements cut at least a day from transit times for shipments originating in service centers in Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Oregon and Washington. Specific enhancements include such lanes as Denver to Miami; Portland, Ore. to Memphis; and Bakersfield, Calif. to Cleveland, with all now falling under UPS Freight’s three-day delivery schedule.

In August, UPS Freight revised its network to establish two-day lanes from Chicago to Dallas, Boston to St. Louis and Philadelphia to Miami. The enhancements also expanded the next-day footprint of UPS Freight to include Cincinnati to Memphis and Columbus, Ohio, to Charlotte.
Earlier this year, UPS Freight announced new on-time performance guarantees. Those guarantees will be extended to the enhanced transit times announced today at no additional cost.
Specific lane enhancements and updated time-in-transit maps can be viewed at http://www.ltl.upsfreight.com/.

UPS Freight is one of the largest less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers and a leading truckload (TL) service provider in the United States with more than 215 service centers and 18,400 employees. UPS Freight’s reliable, modern fleet of approximately 29,000 tractors and trailers offers a full range of regional and long-haul capabilities. UPS Freight also serves Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For more information, visit www.upsfreight.com.
UPSIra Rosenfeld, 804-291-5362
(Source: Business Wire )

Graves Not Sure If We’ve Hit Bottom Yet

2008-10-08T05:56:00.000-07:00

By Jim Mele, editor-in-chief
Oct 7, 2008 12:19 PM

NEW ORLEANS. With Wall Street’s chaos as a backdrop, American Trucking Assns. (ATA) president & CEO Bill Graves told his members, “Things are not going well for our industry and we face some awfully tough times in the near future.”

Citing war and global unrest, record fuel prices, the economic slowdown, disappearing credit, shrinking freight tonnage, and political uncertainty, he told the major trucking companies gathered here for the group’s annual convention that “I’m not confident anyone knows if we’ve bottomed out – and if and when we do – how long it will take before anything close to an economic recovery will occur.”

During a panel discussion by three industry economists, ATA’s chief economist Bob Costello echoed Graves’ opening conference remarks, offering that “things will get worse before they get better.” While freight levels had begun to show signs of recovery in the spring, levels began deteriorating in July and the current economy “ensures freight will fall again,” he said.
Revising expectations for the fall shipping season from “muted” to “negative,” Costello added that “Until we can really assess what’s going on [with the current economic unrest], we can’t really make a forecast.”

If there is a silver lining in the downturn for the industry it’s that “capacity will be very tight when the recovery comes, whenever that will be,” Costello said. Last year, he pointed out, the overall truckload fleet declined by 2.6%, and in the first half of 2008 “it shrank another 1.3%.”
Drawing parallels to New Orleans’ recovery from Hurricane Katrina, Graves told ATA members that “there are lessons to be learned” even in the worst of times. “The key is have a plan,” he said, outlining ATA’s legislative agenda for 2009.

At the top of that agenda is reauthorization of the highway spending fund during next year’s Congressional session. ATA’s efforts will focus on three elements, Graves said – efforts by trucking to cut its carbon footprint, a new highway safety initiative and “continuing to emphasize the basic essentiality of the trucking industry.”

LTL Shipping Costs to Rise Further in 2009

2008-09-24T10:35:00.000-07:00

Trends are showing there will be lower fuel prices next year, but LTL freight shipping will be more expensive. Freight quotes will spike 8% to 9% due to environment shifts from a buyer's market to a seller's market. Slow business demand during 2008 has kept rate hikes to lower than 2%, but it's also shrinking the LTL freight industry. Close to 3000 trucking companies will shut down, and many will join forces to compete with the larger National carriers. This will be a challenge when the economy starts to pick up in coming years. With so many fewer freight trucks hauling, there will be a strong rise in demand.

With diesel prices likely to remain over $4 a gallon, lofty fuel surcharges won't disappear. In fact many companies will be adding extra charges, and eliminating free shipping altogether. Here are some ideas for lowering freight costs for the upcoming year.

To get the best rates, small companies should try to use a freight logistics company to handle their freight shipping needs. Unless a company ships enough volume through a carrier, they will not receive any discounts. Freight Logistics companies pass their discount on to the shipper, which in many instances is between a 30% to 50% discount.

If a company ships enough they can try negotiating a multiyear shipping contract. Carriers will be willing to give a discount in turn for years worth of shipments. This might take some serious negotiating, but it can be done.

Don't Count On Free Shipping This Holiday Season

2008-09-23T10:24:00.000-07:00

Looking at higher shipping rates, many large retailers are considering eliminating free shipping for online purchases this holiday season according to retail industry reports.

Several trade magazines said many retail industry experts expect retailers to put more strings on free shipping. Raising minimum-purchase requirements, offering the shipping at no cost for local deliveries only, and offering customers to secure their own shipping are just a few. There will be no free shipping without some kind of stipulation.

http://www.shop.org/, a division of the National Retail Federation, says 37 percent of online retailers surveyed last year offered unconditional free shipping while 71 percent dropped the transportation charge under various conditions.

Retail sales have weakened in recent months but industry officials say online stores are showing the quickest growth. The proof will be in the pudding when the National Retail Federation releases its forecast for holiday season sales on Tuesday.

Trade Show Transportation & Shipping Service

2008-09-22T06:58:00.000-07:00

Freightcenter has launched an all-new trade show shipping & transportation service offering exhibitors door-to-dock shipping at guaranteed lowest prices. Exhibitors are afforded the lowest possible freight rate by controlling and managing every aspect of the shipping through volume pricing secured with freight carriers Roadway & Yellow Freight (YRC) under contract to Freightcenter Logistics.

With Freightcenter, trade show exhibitors can now benefit from:

- Complete trade show transportation services, including LTL; deferred air; Next Day; 2nd Day; 3rd Day.

- Guaranteed discount pricing, with lowest trade show shipping/freight handling available anywhere.

- Rate quotes seven days a week, 24 hours per day.

- Complete on-line transportation booking services through the secured Freightcenter Web site.

Freightcenter customers can immediately take advantage of this opportunity and can access more information at http://www.freightcenter.com/. On the site, customers can review a detailed overview of the services offered, request quotes, book shipments and receive superior customer service.

Hurricane Ike Shipping Updates

2008-09-18T09:07:00.001-07:00

UPS Freight Houston Terminals Reopened

UPS has restored service in most ZIP Codes impacted by Hurricane Ike, and UPS Freight terminals serving Houston, Beaumont and Victoria, Texas, have been reopened.

Some deliveries may be limited or delayed due to business closings, damage to roads and other transportation infrastructure, or restrictions by local authorities. UPS anticipates that service and transit times will be back to normal in most areas by the beginning of next week.

Pickup, delivery, and On-Call Pickup services are currently suspended in the following ZIP Codes: 77550 - 77555, 77611, 77617, 77650.

Diverted Trains To Cause Increase In Local Railroad Traffic

Jones County will see up to 72 rail freight trains traveling through the area per day over the next few days.

The huge increase in traffic, from about 10 freight trains on average per day, is due to damaged tracks in Texas and Louisiana after Hurricane Ike Sheriff Alex Hodge said.

“It’s probably seven times what we normally have,” Hodge said.

Hodge said the increase in rail traffic won’t have much of an impact here other than an increase in danger to motorists.

“We ask the public to be vigilant and obey the railroad signs,” Hodge said. “We have an increased threat there.”

The sheriff said officials aren’t sure how long the increase in trains will last. He said it could be a few days or even weeks.

“CSX alone lost 21 miles of tracks during the hurricane,” Hodge said.

Freight Index Falls 11.3 Percent

2008-09-18T09:07:00.000-07:00

Once again Cass Freight Index fell 11.3 percent in August compared to the same month a year ago, a sharp dive in freight shipments that still provided a ray of improvement in the troubled U.S. shipping economy.

The double-digit decline was actually the smallest year-over-year drop in freight shipping since May and the index in August edged up 2.8 percent from July's shipping activity.

At the same time, the index by freight payment company Cass Information Systems on freight spending declined 3 percent from July to August, suggesting shippers were seeing some relief in the soaring transportation costs driven up this year by rising oil prices.

The 11.3 percent year-over-year decline in August followed drops of 14.9 percent in July and 12.3 percent in June.

Although the month-to-month increase was the strongest for the shipment index in 2008, it did little to counter suggestions that carriers and shippers were girding for a weak fall peak shipping season. At 1.127, the shipment index actually was below the mark the index hit in January, traditionally the slowest shipping month of the year.

Help, I Have Been Rebilled For The Wrong Class

2008-09-17T08:27:00.000-07:00

The other day I got a call form one of my larger clients, and it wasn't pretty. Shawn, she said, why did I get a bill for over nine hundred dollars on my last shipment? The answer was she changed items she was shipping and the class changed dramatically. All previous shipments were under a class 70 for printed matter, this shipment consisted of totes and should have been at a class 125.

This is a common mistake made in the world of freight shipping. It happens every day, day in and day out. There are several ways to set up a shipment, you can go directly through shipping companies and set up the shipment directly through them. The other option would be going through a freight logistics company like Freight Center.

When you set up a shipment through the shipping company or freight carrier, your class will be decided at the time of obtaining your freight quote. The shipping company has the authority to set the class wherever they would like. They own the trucks, they make the rules. If the carrier needed your business enough, and you wanted to ship furniture the class could be set at the class for engines.

When going through a freight logistics company, the rules are a bit different. The freight agent needs to put the proper class on the freight shipment or there will be a rebill from the freight company on the way. Good luck these days trying to swerve the system and get high class items through the radar, this is a very easy way for freight companies to make extra revenue.

The moral of the story is pay now or pay later, either way you will pay.

Finding The Correct Classification For A Freight Shipment

2008-09-16T08:42:00.000-07:00

Have you ever attempted to get a freight quote for shipping something that was to large to go on a standard parcel truck? Were you asked for the class along with the weight, dimensions and even how it is packaged? All this information will be asked when you get a shipping rate for standard freight. If you are missing any of the above information, you will probably not receive an accurate freight rate and this could cost you money.

There is nothing worse than thinking you have an accurate shipping quote and finding out it will cost you a great deal more or completely to much to ship at all. Freight class can also be dependant upon whether you ship through the shipping company directly or go through a freight logistics company.

I have been told over and over again "You have baited and switched me". This is my fault? It is always best to call to verify your freight class, but the basic law in freight class is, less dense, higher class, higher rate per pound.

Here are some good guidelines to follow when trying to find the correct classification before you contact any shipping companies.

1.) When furniture shipping, the class will always be higher if the items are set up or assembled. If the items are disassembled or knocked down they will have a lower freight class. Most furniture ships at a high class, usually between a 125 and 250.

2.) Items that take up a great deal of room, but don't weigh much would be set at a higher class. Canoes, kayaks, auto body parts are usually between 250 and 300.

3.) Most items with delicate moving parts are set at a higher freight class. Scientific instruments and electronics are between 150 and 250.

4.) Household Items and personal belongings are set at a standard 100.

5.) Dense items which have no moving parts will usaually have a lower freight class. Marble, bricks, and concrete are set between 50 and 80.

If you go through Roadway, R&L Carriers, or Freight Center, for your freight services the classification on your freight quotes will determine how much your shipping rates will be.

Is My Freight Insured? How Can I Purchase Freight Insurance?

2008-09-15T08:39:00.000-07:00

When it comes to setting up a freight shipment, insurance is almost always an afterthought. It is one of those misconceptions that most shippers seem to think they have full coverage. How costly a mistake this can be. Unfortunately, once the freight is damaged it is too late to insure the shipment.

It blows me away when clients call me to inform me that they received damaged merchandise and expect our company to reimburse them in full. The amount of frustration rises when I inform them that unless they purchased freight insurance then we are only liable for the maximum liability as per the terms and conditions of our waybill.

Here is some advice for all shippers before they set up their next shipment with a freight carrier or freight logistics company.

Do you have freight insurance? Check with your insurance provider to confirm if you have freight insurance coverage and if not, the cost. If you do not have freight insurance coverage, then your freight shipping company or a freight insurance company can easily provide it for you on a shipment per shipment basis.

What is maximum liability in the case of damage or loss? Get blank copies of your freight carrier’s waybills and read them carefully to ensure that you are comfortable with their liability terms and conditions.

What do I do if I experience damage or loss with my shipment? Contact your freight carrier or shipping company immediately in writing. All damage must be noted on the delivery receipt. If your freight shipper does not respond do not give up, it might take a while. Your freight carrier should advise the next steps to process your claim.

Am I responsible for payment of freight charges, even if my shipment incurs damage? You should be very clear that damage or loss incurred on a shipment does not absolve you of payment of freight charges. No freight carrier on earth is going to settle your claim unless you have paid the freight charges. The majority of freight carriers carry a maximum liability of only $0.10/lb - $0.50/lb. That means for a shipment of 1,000 lbs you will only be getting around $100.00 to $500.00 - and that is if your freight carrier takes the blame and agrees to honor your claim.

It is very inexpensive to insure a shipment that if damaged could cost you clients and money. Be proactive and insure your freight. Find out what the maximum liability and terms and conditions in the case of a damage or loss. It won't be easy, so get ready.

Why Should I Use A Freight Logistics Company

2008-09-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

Freight logistics companies have agreements with the freight carriers and search for the right availability based on price and customer requirements. Freightcenter.com and American Freight Companies are two of the many freight brokers available. Roadway Express, AAA Cooper, R&L Carriers are a few of the many National freight carriers available. Third party freight logistics companies do not touch the freight, they provide the service of helping shippers find the best price with the best carrier for truck load and less than truckload (LTL) shipments.

Many shippers ask me how better rates can be offered through freight logistics companies than through the freight carriers directly. This is due to the volume of shipments that the freight brokers bring the freight carriers. The more shipments booked for them, the better the discount offered to the freight logistics company. In turn the less frequent shipper can obtain lower rates going this route.

Other reasons to use a freight broker besides lower rates are customer service and ease of setting up shipments. Most of the larger freight logistics companies have agents assigned to accounts who will take care of shipment from start to finish. The shipper does not have to dispatch or track the shipment, this is all done by the logistics agent. Also, many freight logistics companies have booking software available to the shipper for booking online shipments. Booking a shipment online eliminates the time spent waiting on hold.

Misconceptions How Guaranteed Shipping Works

2008-09-11T10:23:00.000-07:00

There are many misconceptions in the world of shipping freight. It seems everyone has their idea of how shipping LTL freight works. As all will learn, the freight carriers are the only party in control of the situation. In other words, if you are going to be shipping freight you will be at the mercy of the shipping company. Here are some misconceptions to be aware of.

1) Your shipment is guaranteed to be there on time. This is probably the biggest misunderstanding in the freight industry. Nothing is guaranteed unless you pay extra to have a Guaranteed Shipment. Every LTL shipment has a Standard Transit Time, which means if everything goes as planned your shipment will be there in that scheduled amount of time. This time does not include pick up day, weekends, or Holidays. More often than not the shipment will be there on time, but problems arise that can't be avoided in the transportation arena.

If you pay for a Guaranteed Shipment, there is a limited amount of guarantee provided. As I stated earlier, problems arise when shipping LTL. By paying for a guarantee, you are in essence putting more priority on your shipment. If a truck breaks down or a driver is ill, a guaranteed shipment will be first priority. Unfortunately, this does not mean your shipment will be delivered on time. It just means your shipment will be moved before other shipments.

2) I will receive a full refund if my shipment does not arrive on the guaranteed delivery day. This is not the case at all. The only refund given is the charge for Guaranteed Shipment. The rate for shipment portion will not be refunded, and that is a hard one to swallow.

3) If I lose money due to my delivery being late, the freight carrier or logistics company will compensate me. This is another crazy notion that shippers feel will take place. You can cry the blues for hours and the most you will get back is the guarantee portion, so better plan accordingly.

I feel safe in saying the freight carriers try to get all shipments there on time, but not everything goes as planned and there are always problems lurking. When planning shipments, it is always best to try to have a day or two extra just in case. Good luck.

Changes In LTL Freight Shipping Over The Years

2008-09-10T08:35:00.000-07:00

For shipments of between 100 and 15,000 pounds LTL shipping is the least expensive and fastest way to ship. LTL freight carriers pick up freight from multiple locations and consolidate the loads for a line haul transit to the closest terminal. Here the freight can be further
consolidated for additional line hauls and than finally out for delivery to multiple destinations. Here are some of the changes taking place and how the freight carriers and freight logistics companies are responding.

Time Of Transit
For many markets, second day and next day service are becoming the norm. Shippers are looking for more service and shorter transit times. The freight carriers have been adjusting routes and trying to slim down the amount of terminals stopped at. UPS and Fedex entered into the LTL arena recently bringing proven technology and global expertise.

Rise In Cost Of Diesel Fuel
Fuel surcharges continue to escalate in line with the rising cost of fuel. Many carriers have stabilized the rising fuel surcharges in an attempt to secure more business.

Growth In The Shipping Of General Commodities
General commodities, most of which are finished goods delivered over the last mile in the supply chain to destination by LTLs, have grown faster than truckload commodities over the past 20 years.

Demands By Shippers For Wider Coverage
Certain regional carriers have pursued other options such as partnering with regional carriers in other geographic areas or larger superregionals for expanded LTL coverage.

Increased Usage of Freight Logistics Companies
Until third party freight logistics companies hit the scene LTL service was provided by National LTL carriers and partial truckload carriers. These freight logistics companies are able to offer large discounts on behalf of their agreements with the carriers. Mix and match LTL carriers to meet certain shipping requirements and then apply their strong customer service.

What Happens If I State The Wrong Weight On My Shipment?

2008-09-09T09:20:00.000-07:00

With being in the freight industry for a good stint, I have been told more times than not "I Don't Know What The Weight Is". When shipping freight knowing the weight is very important due to several reasons. The most important is how much you pay to ship.

All freight quotes are determined by weight and class, while some use weight, class, and dimensions for the shipping rate. If you were to guess on the weight, you would be guessing on your rate. The problem with guessing is sometimes you win and sometimes you lose, money that is. Not all shipments are weighed due to time constraints, so only one or two out of ten shipments are weighed. Here are some questions I encounter every day.

What happens if my shipment weighs more than what is stated on the Bill Of Lading? The party who paid for the shipment gets to pay for the additional weight when the freight carrier or freight logistics company sends them the bill or a re-bill. Re-bills are not bad when the weight is off a small amount, but if the weight is grossly understated it is time to worry. I have seen re-bills in the thousands of dollars.

What happens if I am told the wrong weight by the person I purchased an item from? It is the responsibility of the person paying for the shipment to have the correct weight. I would make sure to do some research online or make some calls to get the closest to the actual weight as possible.

Will I get a refund if my weight is under than what is stated on the Bill Of Lading? In most instances the answer is no. If you were the freight carrier and weighed a shipment that was under weight, would you give a refund or just let that one pass by?

How can I get proof of what my shipment weighed? After the freight carrier weighs a shipment, a document called a certified weight check is issued. This is proof that your shipment was weighed, when it was weighed, which scale was used, and how much it weighed.

How can I weigh all my boxes? Easy, get on a scale and weigh yourself, than pick up a box and stand on the scale again, calculate the difference and keep a running total.

Packaging A Shipment For Shipping Standard Freight

2008-09-08T14:19:00.000-07:00

Have you ever called up a shipping company an asked for a freight shipping quote? Were you excited to get your shipment going until you were asked how the freight is packaged? Did you know that all freight on an LTL truck needs to be packaged in one of three ways.

When getting ready to make a puchase of something that needs to be shipped on a standard freight truck, make sure you have a plan for getting it ready to be shipped before you spend your hard earned money. This guide will explain how items need to be prepared for shipping, along with the pros and cons of each method of packaging.

One of the most common forms of packaging is palletizing. A pallet is nothing more than a platform that something can be strapped to and moved with a fork-lift or pallet jack. The most common size pallet is 48(L)x40(W), but there are plenty of different size pallets to use. The idea is to make sure the item is not hanging over the sides of the pallet, and not higher than 8 feet. Also, the freight needs to be fastened to the pallet without blocking area where forklift enters pallet. With more delicate items, it is a good idea to wrap pallet with cardboard for added protection.

The next method of preparing a freight shipment would be crating. A crate could be made of wood, metal, or plastic, and has sides and a top. Many crates are built by using a pallet as the base for the crate, this is probably the easiest way to make a crate. The most important thing to remember when making your own crate is to make sure the crate can be moved by fork-lift or pallet jack. Crates can also be purchased or made by a crating service. Shipping a crated item is the safest method by far.

The least protective method for shipping would be putting something in a cardboard box. Although this way of packaging is acceptable for shipping, it is not very safe. This would be considered the minimal amount of protection given. The entire item needs to be enclosed in heavy duty cardboard or the freight carriers will not even pick it up.

Remember, packaging your freight is to help eliminate the potential for damage, not to make it harder for you to ship. Shipping freight on an LTL (less than a load) truck is not like putting something on a moving truck, it does not remain on one truck the whole way. From the time your freight is picked up it will be moved onto a minimum of two trailers, with a potential of being on as many as six or seven throughout transit. With all this loading and unloading, there are many opportunities for incurring damage. Good luck and happy shipping!

Shipping A Motorcycle With A Full Service Carrier Guide

2008-09-08T14:08:00.000-07:00

This guide will eplain the steps taken in quoting, preparing, and shipping a motorcycle through a full service motorcycle carrier on Freightcenter. In my opinion this is the safest and most practical way to ship an un-crated motorcycle. Hope this helps.

1) Select Origin State
2) Select Destination State
3) Get Quote

Bikes can be picked up and dropped off at a residential and business addresses, and all residential pickup and handling charges are already included in the price. Our driver will strap your bike or ATV onto a custom pallet, put a free protective cover on it, and load it into the truck. If you're in a rush, drive your bike to a local terminal for speedier delivery. Here is a list of the terminals:

Albuquerque, NM - Atlanta, Ga - Boise, ID - Boston, MA - Chicago, IL - Columbus, OH - Dallas, TX - Denver, CO - Detroit, MI - Houston, TX - Jacksonville, FL - Las Vegas, NV - Los Angeles, CA - Jessup, MD - Minneapolis, MN - Nashville, TN - New Orleans, LA - New York City, NY - Orlando, FL - Phoenix, AZ - Pittsburgh, PA - Pompano Beach, FL - Portland, OR - Raleigh, NC - Sacramento, CA - Salt Lake CIty, UT - San Diego, CA - San Jose, CA - Seatle, WA - St. Louis, MO - Syracuse, NY - Tampa, FL - Toronto, Canada

These are the reason why shipping your motorcycle through a full service carrier is the way to go.

Free Custom Shipping Materials - The carrier will provide a specialized pallet, equipped with a securing system and protective cover which will ensure your bike is protected. Pallets will be configured in two sizes, standard(96” X 46”) and oversize(108” X 46”).

Fast Delivery - Pick up takes approximately 1-5 business days, delivery approximately 5-10 business days later except in some remote areas. In a Hurry? Call us!

Air-Ride Suspension Trucks - We ship all bikes securely in air-ride equipped trailers for a smooth and soft ride.

Up to 1200 lbs. Worth of Cycle! - Other sites tack on serious fees if you hit 500 lbs. Our price, which includes all taxes and services, is the same for bikes all the way up to 1200 lbs.

Fuel Surcharges Already Included - All taxes, fees, and even fuel surcharges are already included in the low prices you see on the price grid. What you see is what you get.

Multiple Bike Discount - Shipping more than one bike? We are now offering an additional discount on top of our already low prices for multiple bike shipments.

Discounted Insurance Available - For even more security you can insure your shipment for a low $10.00 per $1000. We Ship More Than Bike - FreightCenter can ship pretty much anything. We have great rates on all freight, not just bikes, and we can arrange it all at the same time.

Free Cover - Every bike we ship is protected under a brand new cover to ensure it stays clean and protected from anything else on the truck.(up to 108")

How Do I Include The Freightcenter Shipping Calculator In My eBay Listings?

2008-09-08T14:03:00.000-07:00

It's easy! Just go to Freightcenter and set up a free account than click "make a widget" and enter the details.

Why use the Freightcenter Shipping Calculator?

2008-09-08T13:42:00.000-07:00

Never lose a sale again because your customer doesn’t know how to get your item home, is afraid of how much it might cost to ship, or backs out at the last minute because of unanticipated shipping costs. Our widget gives them the information they need upfront, quickly and easily.

It Is Free: There is ne expense for adding the Shipping Calculator to any auction.

Sell More Items: Auctions that include the Shipping Calculator are more likely to sell faster.

Recieve Pay Quicker: Origin shipping details are pre-filled all your customer needs to do is enter destination zip code and where shipment is being picked up from.

Combine Handling Fees and Shipping Costs: Show one total rate to your potential customers.

Cut Down On Shipping Questions: Your customers will have a real time quote in seconds.

What Options Will The Freightcenter Widget (Shipping Calculator) Offer?

2008-09-08T13:38:00.000-07:00

When using the Freightcenter Shipping Widget, there are several options which the seller can add to the shipping calculator The beginning options pertain to pick up location and the truck.

1) Pick up zip code.

2) Pick up location: Business, Residence, or Terminal.

3) Will the truck at pick up need to have a liftgate for loading on it.

The next step in setting up the Freightcenter Widget, is to add the commodity information.

4) How the shipment is packaged: Boxed, Crated, or Palletized.

5) Quantity of items to be shipped.

6) Total weight of shipment (calculator does not do math).

7) Dimensions of items: Length, Width, Height (taken from outer-most dimensions of box, crate or pallet).

8) Freight Class:

Determining Freight Class

Freight class is a method used by shipping carriers to create rates for shipments. Based primarily on the commodity's value and density, all commodities fall under a predetermined class assignment from the least expensive at Class 50 to the most expensive at Class 500. The National Motor Freight Transportation Authority (NMFTA) manages the recognized freight classes and to date there are 18 total possible classes for commodities. These Freight classifications, sometimes referred to as an item's National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC), are based on several factors of the commodity, such as:

Density-weight in pounds per cubic foot
Stowability-excessive weight, length, balance
Handling-special procedures, instructions, equipment requirements
Liability-susceptibility to theft, damage, or perishable

The final options to choose for the Widget, are: Guaranteed Delivery By 5pm, Hazmat, and Handling Fee (fee for seller to keep if paying for shipment directly with Freightcenter)

Now it is time to name your new Freight Calculator, and add to the HTML side of your description. Wow, that was easy.

Do You Need Your Freight There The Next-Day?

2008-09-08T13:23:00.000-07:00

It looks like UPS Freight has added lanes improving delivery times in the Midwest, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, and Freightcenter's commercial and residential customers are reaping the benefits.

UPS Freight has added two-day shipping lanes between Chicago and Dallas, Boston and St. Louis and Philadelphia and Miami. It also has expanded next-day service between Cincinnati and Memphis, Tenn., and Columbus, Ohio, and Charlotte, N.C.

Service enhancements also have led to reduced transit times for shippers in Cleveland, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, New York City and Newark, N.J., UPS Freight said in a news release.

Freightcenter's web site does for shippers what Expedia does for travelers: Gives instant freight quotes for shipping a specific item from one zip code to another. In other cases, FreightCenter acts like an auctioneer, putting a customer's shipment needs up for bid among carriers looking to fill up their trucks.

How Do I Ship My Furniture Without Using A Moving Company?

2008-09-08T11:53:00.000-07:00

If you do not have enough furniture to use a moving company, you are not out of luck. There are two options for moving furniture, standard freight, or white glove service.

When shipping furniture on a standard freight truck, all furniture must be either crated, boxed, or palletized. This is to protect the furniture from being damaged during transit. Standard freight is different than using a moving company because the shipment is moved from trailer to trailer along the way. Some shipments might be moved onto as many as 4 or 5 different trailers. In most instances, this is where the damage occurs. If you are going to send your furniture this way, make sure you protect it as much as possible. Shipping this way is curbside service, and it is the responsibility of the parties at both ends to load and unload the truck.

When shipping furniture through a white glove service, the furniture is not required to be packaged, but any extra protection will help. White glove service is different than standard freight because the furniture will stay on the same trailer for the majority of the transit. There may be 2 trailers used with this method compared to 4 or 5 going standard freight. If you will be using this service, relax and let the company do all the loading and unloading for you.