Freight Shipping Season Begins

January to March is notoriously slow for the transportation industry. But, as soon as the snow starts melting things start to kick back into gear.

While FreightCenter is headquartered in sunny Florida where we don’t have to worry about such things as snow…or winter, we do provide freight shipping services to customers nationwide. 

That means we welcome the arrival of spring with open arms as it marks the beginning of the freight shipping season!

Spring is the time of year where construction companies start building again after a long winter; produce harvest is at its peak; demand for outdoor sporting goods rises, and so on.

Manufacturers, farmers and retailers need to get their goods where they need to go and fast. Trucking companies, common carriers and transportation brokerages are busy making that happen. They are taking on as many loads and shipments as possible to make up for the slow winter. Their flexibility and availability decrease as the season progresses and the market tightens up. Finding trucks becomes increasingly more difficult.

Working with a 3^rd party logistics providers will help you beat the spring rush, ensure that there’s always a truck when you need it and prepare you for an even busier freight shipping season – late summer to early fall.

The TPM: What you need to know

Image from Stock Studio/Shutterstock.com

We already know that the U.S. trucking industry is under constant pressure from new government agencies, new or modified regulations, changing tax structures and increased competition. It’s also important to understand the affects these things have on another sector of the transportation industry: international freight shipping.

At the 16th Annual Journal of Commerce’s TPM (Trans-Pacific Maritime) Conference many complexities facing the 2016 global trade market concerning freight shipping companies, shippers and other stakeholders were discussed. We did our research to bring you the top 5 things discussed at TPM that you need to know.

1. SOLAS: Recently, the International Maritime Organization mandated the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) container weight policy. Since then, there has been some confusion as to what was going to happen by the July 1 deadline. That is until Coast Guard Adm. Paul Thomas confirmed the rule is not mandatory but only a guideline.

2. Trans-Pacific Shipping: The TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) will offer many savings and sourcing opportunities pushing us to be more aware of what products qualify for free trade agreements. Navigating the requirements could be a huge challenge.

As far as our Trans-Pacific partners go, Vietnam has emerged as top exporter to the U.S., overtaking South Korea for Asian suppliers of containerized goods. China’s growing middle class consumption is considered as a benefit to global forwarders.

3. Labor Disputes: West Coast ports have faced instability over frequent port closures. These closures have been mostly due to bitter labor disputes between shipping lines and the union representing 20,000 dock workers. International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association both announced at this year’s conference that they wanted to avoid a repeat of those events and hinted to an early contract extension.

4. Megaships: Megaships create enormous cargo surges overwhelming ports and making it difficult for harbor drivers to make more than a couple deliveries a day. This has led to an exodus of drivers from the piers. With the sinking of the MOL Comfort, it’s impossible not to consider risk management with megaships. The loss of one could cost more than $1 billion.

5. Big Data Tech: According to the JOC, the amount of funding for transportation-focused ventures spiraled up to $14 billion in 2015. It’s no surprise, especially with Amazon’s announcement of its interest in logistics, that the growing shipping industry has caught the attention of a number of tech developers. The need for regulations influenced and carried out by big data could be a great avenue for tech startups in the industry.

How the TPP Will Affect Manufacturing and Retail Industries

A news item that has gotten a lot of attention lately is the TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership). It’s for good reason, as the agreement could have a big impact on our economy and by extension affect many U.S. companies and their employees.

If you operate in the manufacturing or retail industries and have a global supply chain footprint that relies heavily on the Trans-Pacific trade lanes, the impact on your business and freight shipping operations may be the most direct.

Making the TPP story all the more interesting is the divisive nature of the potential pact. There are strong partisan opinions from both political parties. To add a twist however, it’s primarily Republicans supporting our President and not the Democrats in Congress. To further exasperate the issue, the details of the agreement as it is being negotiated are secret and not publicly available. That said, drafts of the agreement have been leaked but have not been verified as real.

What is TPP?

At a high level, the TPP is a trade agreement designed to remove barriers to trade between select countries in Asia and the Americas.

According to the Office of the US Trade Representative website, the TPP will “…boost U.S. economic growth, support American jobs, and grow Made-in-America exports to some of the most dynamic and fastest growing countries in the world.”

You can read more from www.USTR.gov – CLICK HERE.

According to its supporters TPP would, among other things, reduce trade barriers and export taxes between the countries involved. It’s no surprise that every country does things (such as charge tariffs) to protect the value of certain homegrown products as a way for its own companies and economy to stay competitive. The TPP would strive to remove many of those protections, in much the same way as NAFTA works in North America. In fact, Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. (the members of NAFTA) are all part of the TPP negotiations.

The 12 countries involved in negotiating the agreement include: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the U.S. and Vietnam.

The total amount of trade involved in the agreement is significant, with the total GDP of the 12 countries comprising 40 percent of global GDP and one-third of world trade (approximately $27.7 trillion).

The agreement will do a lot of other things too. For one, it could require countries to adopt stricter labor and environmental rules. Other parts of the agreement are likely to touch on things like copyright laws and new rights for how foreign companies can make legal challenges in other countries. Establishing greater protections for intellectual property is also likely to be a significant tenant of the agreement.

Furthermore, TPP is reportedly intended to serve as a model for future trade agreements and also provide the opportunity for other countries to join at a later time.

Of course given the all secrecy, the actual substance and impact of any agreement is speculative.

Why is it controversial?

The negotiations for the TPP (which was originally called the Trans Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement) started in 2005, so it’s clearly been a long time in the works. But, the wait may soon be over as a key hurdle to getting the pact finalized was recently overcome.

After months of struggle, on June 23rd the White House finally secured Fast Track, or Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) approval from Congress. This approval means that a new trade deal can be sent to Congress for an up or down vote. In this scenario, lawmakers are not able to amend or filibuster the document and this was widely seen as the last key hurdle to TPP itself getting approved.

Strangely enough, it was GOP lawmakers advocating for TPA while Democrats were against it. Critics site a concern that the TPP will make it easier to send American jobs overseas. Not surprisingly this puts TPP at odds with many Democrats.

Other concerns are less politically divisive, but important nonetheless as they relate to the secrecy of the agreement itself. There is fear that certain corporations and special interests are getting access and therefore able to influence the negotiation process. This, even before the agreement has been made public.

On the other side, supporters believe the pact will open new economic opportunities for the U.S. by embracing the new global economy. It’s argued that free trade agreements are important to maintaining our economic influence, and if the U.S. doesn’t lead in the creation of new global trade partnerships we’ll be left behind.

What is the current status of TPP?

Getting Fast Track approval from Congress was a big step in completing the TPP agreement, but doing so does not make it a done deal. The White House is still required to make public the full text of the new trade agreement for 60 days in advance of being sent before Congress. Subsequent to that, Congress then needs to wait at least another 30 days before voting.

It’s still not clear when TPP can be held for a vote in Congress but it could happen later in 2015. Stay tuned.

Top 10 weirdest and coolest shipments we've had.

Delorean

From the filming of the Back to the Future movies, we got to ship the set prop car! 

Cat Exercise Wheel

Does your cat looking to get some exercise but you don't have the space for them to run? Well buy them the cat version of a treadmill! This cat wheel will provide your cat with the perfect solution for wanting to run but not having the space. 

Minor League Baseball Mascot Uniform

Reaper Drone

$20k Mattress

This mattress is hand crafted with the world's finest fabrics and materials. We are jealous of the person who goes to sleep every night in this bed. We are always providing freight rates for household goods, but this is one of the more luxurious items we have shipped. 

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Car

If you've ever seen the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang you'll recognize this car. We had the honor of being able to ship this car. Want to ship your own car? 

600 lb cast iron printing press

This Amazing Desk and Chair

Replica of the Little Boy Atomic Bomb

Pirate Chest

Too bad it wasn't full of gold, this pirate chest just looks cool. Shipping antiques can be tricky but we like the challenge. 

Top 5 Freight Shipping Acronyms Defined

What is LTL?
Unsure if you have a freight shipment? Best place to start is here. LTL stands for Less than Truckload freight.  The size of this kind of freight is between 100 and 20,000 lbs. This weight is about the point at which it's too expensive to ship through your local post office or as the industry calls it, parcel shipping. By using freight shipping you are choosing a more efficient and economical route. Plus it's much easier to have a truck come to you to pick up your shipment than you trying to get the heavy item to the shipper.  Just imagine trying to bring your fridge to the local post office to ship. Some other examples of LTL freight are: blanket-wrapped furniture, palletized or crated appliances, motorcycles, and palletized boxes of retail product. If your freight weighs more than 100 lbs and does not fill a semi truck on it's own, than it is likely you need to ship LTL freight. Perishables, however, require a dedicated truck for refrigeration.

What is a NMFC?
So now you know you have LTL Freight, but how do you know what  your item is classified as? A freight class refers to the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) and it is the category of your freight as defined by the NMFC. There are 18 freight classes ranging from 50 (the least expensive class) to 500 (the most expensive class).

Your NMFC number or freight class determines your total shipping charges. It is critical that you know the correct NMFC number in order to receive accurate freight charges and to ensure that the carrier does not re-class your shipment, which could result in a higher shipping charge. No one wants that kind of surprise.  Look up your LTL shipment.

What does NOI Stand for?

So you looked through the NMFC classifications and your item doesn't fit into any of the categories. Not to worry, there is a solution! NOI stands for "Not Otherwise Indicated". If you have an item that isn't classified by the National Motor Freight Classification Association (NMFC), then you would be in this category.  NOI classed items are typically quoted and processed manually through select freight carriers. We here at FreightCenter.com can manually provide a NOI class rate quote. Need a helpful calculator?

How do I determine my PCF?

So you have your shipment's classification, you are ready to book! But how do you know what freight rate is the correct one? Freight rates are determined by taking into consideration a combination of factors; package dimensions, weight, distance and freight class, as well as your package’s Pounds per Cubic Foot or PCF.  The classification you obtained in the last steps and your PCF related closely to each other. In freight terms, a low PCF will result in a higher class rating. In turn, a higher class rating corresponds to a higher cost to ship your freight.

A simple way to think about it is, the more space your freight occupies on a truck or in a container the more costs you will incur for transport. For example, a shipment that works out to 1.31 pound per cubic foot and weighs 100 pounds (Class 300) will be much more expensive to ship than an item that has the same weight but equates to 9.67 pounds per cubic foot (Class 100). 

Never guess or estimate dimensions and weights when shipping freight. The most common reason people are surprised by extra charges after the shipment is because they didn't accurately calculate their PCF.

What do I do with a BOL?

So you've determined you have a LTL shipment, and you have your NMFC number, but now that your shipment is booked, what do you  do with the paperwork? A Bill of Lading or BOL is standard, vital paperwork providing the carrier and driver with all the pertinent information related to shipping costs and transport information. Think of this paperwork as your shipments travel ticket. It allows for proper billing, proper pick up and delivery. By having this paperwork you are ensuring that your shipment is taken care of. All parties (buyer, seller and carrier) involved should have a copy of the BOL. The FreightCenter BOL confirms your discounted rate with the carrier, which makes it even more important. You wouldn't want to lose your discount because you forgot a piece of paper. 

Freight Shipping: Service vs. Cost

80 percent of shippers think service
is more important that cost
(source: Inbound Logistics).

According to the latest market research in Inbound Logistics magazine, “Fifty-one percent of shippers cite poor customer service as the number-one reason for botched outsourcing partnerships, followed by failed expectations (25%), and cost (9%)…”

Why is customer service growing in value?

It’s possible that with tightened trucking capacity and higher linehaul rates that service quality is the main differentiation between carriers and 3PLs. If shippers cannot control the high-demand, low-supply marketplace, than the only choice they have when choosing a freight shipping partner is to go with the one that provides the best service. When it becomes more and more difficult to compete on price, 3PLs and carriers have to step up their game and focus on providing exceptional customer service.

Should shippers still shop around for the best price?

Shippers know that cheaper isn’t always better. Along with that low price tag come a slew of customer service snafus just waiting to happen. With supply and demand regulating prices, it takes away the need for shippers to work with more than one partner. To the contrary, “Eighty-four percent (of shippers) use more than one 3PL, while only 16 percent have found a one-stop-shop solution,” says Joseph O’Reilly in Inbound Logistics. What do those 16-percent of shippers know that the remaining 84 percent don’t? Is there something to be said for being a brand loyalist? Do repeat shippers tend to receive a higher level of customer service from their partner? It’s highly possible that these 16-percenters found the Holy Grail of 3PLs and just see no need to sever the relationship.

 Does poor customer service end up costing shippers more in the long run?

It can. Supply chain delays due to damaged, late or missing cargo can create a Domino effect, increasing costs and production time across the board. Aside from theft and loss, most blunders are a result of poor communication between the shipper, carrier and/or 3PL. An example of this is if a guaranteed shipment gets delayed due to a missed pickup and the 3PL/carrier doesn’t provide another option to meet the delivery date. Frustrating for everyone involved, but if not handled properly than the shipper pays the ultimate price (especially if we’re talking about perishable food).

Go Daddy Quick Shopping Cart®

FUN FACT: Go Daddy hosts more than 57 million domains for 12 million customers, making it the world's
largest registrar and hosting provider. So when we went searching for the best partner to deliver our instant freight rating service to the masses, the choice was clear.

Go Daddy Freight Shipping

All Go Daddy Quick Shopping Carts are automatically integrated with our API Web services - all you need is a free FreightCenter account.

Now when you sell large or heavy items online, you can offer freight shipping in a snap. Our expert agents will take care of all the paperwork, processing and scheduling with you and your customer.

How does it work?

When you set up items in your store, you will indicate shipment details like weight. origin zip code, dimensions and item descriptions. As customers go to checkout, they'll be able to simply enter their zip codes and compare multiple freight quotes from all quality carriers in our network.


Check out the Go Daddy Freight Shipping FAQs for more information on how to offer freight shipping through the online checkout process.

Nationwide Shipping

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), each person living in the United States ships approximately 40 tons of freight across the country every year. That's 313 million people (2012 census) shipping a total of more than 12 billion tons of freight. Sounds like a lot, right? 

With so many people shipping so much freight, no wonder there are so many options when it comes to choosing a service provider and mode of transportation. That's where FreightCenter comes in. We make it easy to compare hundreds of freight carriers, transit times and freight rates at the touch of a button. 

Learn more about our US shipping services and rates. Our service area encompasses the entire United States - including Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico - as well as services to and from Canada and Mexico.

Our Service Area

Become a Member Today

FreightCenter members can save up to 85% on the cost of shipping. Sign up today and gain access to our exclusive rates from quality carriers.

FreightCenter Receives TIA Samaritan Award

Congratulations to CEO Matthew Brosious and the FreightCenter team for receiving the 3PL Samaritan Award, Honorable Mention from the (TIA) Transportation Intermediaries Association .  The TIA is the premier association for third-party logistics companies in North America.  The TIA Samaritan Award reviews and recognizes organizations in our industry who perform exceptional service in our community.  This service is exemplified by providing resources or financial assistance to those in need, sponsoring and donating to non-profit organizations and performing other acts of kindness within the community.

FreightCenter CEO and co-founder, Mathew Brosious is known for giving back to our community in many ways. FreightCenter contributed $2,000 to the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation for volunteer shirts, while collecting over $1,700 worth of toys from both he and the collection bins placed in the office. 

Recently FreightCenter also contributed $1,000 to Runaway Alternative Project House of New Port Richey.  The RAP House is an organization committed to working with families and the community to establish a nurturing environment for youth ages 10-17 who are runaway, homeless or in need of a short- term out of home placement. FreightCenter has also sponsored many employees to attend a variety of different fundraising walks.

FreightCenter also established a Cash for Caring Workplace Volunteer Program where employees were paid $12.00 an hour to volunteer their time.  Participants aided long-standing charities like the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Suncoast SPCA, Feeding America Tampa Bay, Youth and Family Alternatives in West Pasco and Toys for Tots West Pasco. The company paid out over $1,000 for the program, and FreightCenter is looking to continue it annually.  

FreightCenter is exceptionally proud of this mention from TIA, as we continue to think of new and different ways to give back to our community.

The Life of a Truck Driver

Transportation and infrastructure is considered the life line of America. An astonishing 15.5 million trucks operate in the U.S, transporting goods to and from around the world to distribution centers, your local convenient store and eventually your home.  Being a trucker has its pros and cons.  Family life can be more difficult and eating habits may be hard to control.  But most truck drivers love their jobs.  Many own their own trucks operating as their own self sufficient small business with growth potential as high as their willing to work.  More and more women are choosing trucking as a carrier choice.  These women are thought to be easier to train and more attentive on the road than their counterparts. 

Truckers typically have an early day getting to business between 4am and 8am.  Many carriers have a 24hr dispatch so hours typically vary.  Truckers get to enjoy the most beautiful views from around the country.  Each trucker has routes and lanes they like best.  Truckers keep a log of their daily activity, starting the morning out checking their vehicle from head to toe.  They stop through weight stations along the way ensuring their vehicles weight doesn’t exceed state requirements.  In the Western states, California and New Mexico area, they also have inspections stations.  Anti-drug dogs and xray equipment is used to make sure no illegal activity is going on.   

Along the road safety is first, truck drivers have to be cautious drivers constantly surveying their surroundings and taking note of unusual activity.  Truckers will sleep at a trucker stop or a hotel with truck parking.  Many have sleeper cabs with fully functional beds.  The next morning they start all over again. Trucking life is a profession all its own and one to be admired and appreciated for the hard work that goes into it.  

This week is National Truck Driver Appreciation Week and here at FreightCenter.com we can’t express how truly appreciative we are.  Hundreds of carriers nationwide ship our customer’s cargo around the world.  Thank you Truck Drivers for all you do! 

HAPPY NATIONAL TRUCK DRIVER APPRECIATION WEEK!

To make a shipment or learn more about FreightCenter visit http://www.freightcenter.com/ 

How to track your shipment with FreightCenter.com

FreightCenter.com makes shipment tracking fast and easy.  You can track your shipment online 24 hours a day and 7 days a week with our easy to use tracking system.  Keep in mind that not all carriers have a tracking system.  To find a list of carriers who have tracking systems feel free to contact our freight agents. If your carrier does not have a tracking system a freight agent will find out the status of your delivery in real time upon request.  If you have booked a carrier with a tracking system, you will receive a PRO number or tracking number from your freight agent.  

Simply click here and input your PRO number to see your shipment in transit.
Want to take your tracking a step further?  You can receive status updates via email or text message.  To activate these great features login to your FreightCenter.com account and click on your account info.  You can then select your communications options at the bottom of your screen.

How to calculate freight rates on eBay!

eBay is the Web's top auction site, attracting millions of online retailer to its easy-to-use seller interface that's integrated with the best eCommerce applications, like Paypal and now FreightCenter.com.
How do I integrate FreightCenter's freight shipping calculator into my eBay auction? That's a great question and one we'll answer for you below.
If you know how to copy and paste a block of HTML text, you can easily add a calculator instantly to any auction on the Web. Sell auto engines or heavy machinery? Chances are, you need a method to provide shipping prices to your buyers. With FreightCenter.com's competitive, volume-pricing, we can assure you that your customers will receive only the best combination of freight price, transit time and equipment. Whether you need commercial or residential delivery, we have you covered - and you don't even need to know how to freight!

Our expert freight agents put products on trucks all day long and are seasoned enough to find transportation for even the most complicated piece of freight. When you get cheap freight shipping, the chances of closing each sale gets higher and higher. Avoid abandoned auctions and turn those auction watchers into your customers.
It's more than a widget or a plugin, our shipping calculator is a free solution for small online retailers who need to specify the freight requirements for individual products and compare them against rates and services from top freight trucking companies.









Check out this detailed, step-by-step guide to configuring your calculator for your eBay online auctions.

STEP 1: LOGIN OR CREATE AN ACCOUNT

There is not cost to create an account.  Once you do, you'll be able to access saved quotes, shipments and more!

STEP 2: SELECT "CREATE A CALCULATOR" IN YOUR MY FREIGHT CENTER HOMPAGE.

You can create one calculator for each item you sell or even modify the calculator code dynamically to support prices for multiple items.

STEP 3: INPUT YOUR ORGIN AND PACKAGE INFORMATION INTO THE WIDGET FORM.

Don't worry, we'll help you look up zip codes, select the proper freight classes, as well as understand additional shipping services and options.

STEP 4: COPY YOUR INSTANT WIDGET CODE AND PASTE IT INTO YOUR SITE -THAT'S IT!  Your customers now have an easy and accurate way to get freight quotes from our many carriers without ever leaving your website or auction!

Trucking Companies - Which One's Right For You?

How to Find a Quality Trucking Company

There are approximately 360,000 trucking companies in the U.S.  Now how are you as a consumer supposed to find the right one for you?  Which ones have a good reputation for being on time?  How do you know if they are licensed and bonded? That’s where we come in.  Many of our customers shipping by truck are first time freight shippers and don’t know where to start when seeking out a reputable medium to deliver their goods. 

FreightCenter.com is a provider of trucking and freight services for both residential and commercial shippers. We’re focused on giving you the shipper all the tools necessary to ensure your freight gets to its destination safely and on time. To ensure this, all of our freight is transported by licensed United States freight companies. With over 100,000 carriers, we use the top LTL freight companies and thousands of specialty truckload carriers to ship all types and sizes of freight.

A freight broker like Freightcenter.com is designed to find the best trucking company for you or your business.  All of FreightCenter.com’s trucking companies are licensed, bonded and insured and have a damage claim rate under 1%.  You may be asking why a trucking company would work with us instead of filling their trucks themselves.  Many times customers will have items that are considered LTL or Less than truckload shipping.  This means they have items that don’t take up a full truckload. In order to make the most profits trucking companies want to fill up their trucks as full as possible to make their travel worthwhile.  That’s where we often come in.  We coordinate your items with the truck drivers so you can “buy space on their truck.” We then build relationships with the truck companies, doing the work on both ends for trucker and freight shipper.

Visit FreightCenter.com to learn more about freight shipping or to get an instant freight quote.

The Skinny on LTL Shipping

What’s LTL Shipping and how can it benefit me?

LTL shipping or less than truckload shipping is the transportation of relatively small freight.  To put it clearly, it’s part of a truck.  Full truck loads require the entire truck to be filled to be economical.  Therefore, LTL freight allows you to “hitch” a ride on unfilled trucks, passing the savings on to you.  LTL freight shipments can range from 100lbs to 7,000lbs.  Truck carriers have strategically placed terminals where they consolidate their freight to be picked up and delivered in the best way possible.  In LTL shipping, freight will often be moved from one truck to another to be placed with other freight that is bound for your destination.

Since this is freight shipping and not “white glove shipping,” all customers are advised to use palletized LTL and crated LTL.  For the safety of your items, professionally packaging your items prior to shipping will ensure your freight gets to its final destination unharmed. 

Many factors are considered to determine LTL shipping rates, including class, weight, pick up and destination zip codes.  So what does a 3PL (third party logistics) company do for you?  We eliminate the hassle of searching for LTL freight shipping rates from multiple carriers and figure out your best and most economical options for shipping.

Visit our site to get rates for one or more shipments.  Our agents can walk you through the process of LTL shipments and help you understand how LTL freight can benefit your specific business.

How To Ship Heavy Furniture Safely

The Dos and Don'ts of Shipping Heavy Furniture

Shipping furniture can be done the easy way or the hard way.  Doing your homework prior to shipping your furniture or heavy  household items can help stop problems before they happen.  Your first question, much like buying a car, is often where do I start?  Start by making sure that freight is the best option for your heavy furniture.  Read up on tips for first-time freight shippers to make sure that you understand the logistics of freight shipping.  Furniture should weigh over 100lbs and should be durable enough to be moved.  Your great grandfather’s antique hutch would probably do better with a white glove mover than with freight.  Freight is a curb to curb shipment, meaning heavy furniture needs to be packaged and ready to be shipped by you, the customer.

The number one reason for freight damage is due to improper packaging.  Furniture that is shipped by standard freight will be loaded and unloaded several times before reaching its final destination.  Learning how to package and transport heavy furniture correctly will serve as the most important factor in ensuring your furniture arrives on time and unharmed. 

Tips For Packaging Heavy Household Items and Furniture

1. Packaging Tables: Disassemble your table.  Put hardware in a labeled plastic bag and secure underneath the table.  Wrap the furniture pieces in bubble wrap or furniture pads.

2.  Packaging Couches: Remove legs if necessary.  Remove cushions, throw pillows, and slip covers, and label/package in a separate bag or box.

3. Packaging dressers and armoires: Remove drawers, shelves, and feet.  Anything that could fall out, might. Cover the corners of your heavy furniture with cardboard, or bubble wrap.

4. CRATE, CRATE, CRATE!  Crating should be performed by someone with experience or by a professional.  More information on packaging correctly and securing your heavy furniture on a palate can be found here.

Tips For Lifting Heavy Household Items and Furniture

1. Use moving straps:  Moving straps can be used to slide heavy furniture or appliances.  By using leverage instead of raw strength, moving straps can make moving heavy furniture safe and easy.  You can purchase these at your local hardware store or a moving supply store. 

2. Use a dolly: Rent or buy one locally, trust us it’s worth the eight bucks.

3. Use moving gloves: Not just any cotton gloves. Moving gloves are specially made to help you grip heavy and large furniture.

4. Grab a buddy: Don’t be afraid to ask for help.  Ask friends well in advance to help you move your heavy furniture and appliances.  Better safe than sorry!

View more FAQ's for furniture shipping or visit FreightCenter.com to talk to an agent about the best way to package your furniture and household items. 

How to package to prevent damage to freight during shipping

Here are some basic packaging guidelines to ensure the safe delivery of any shipment.  

1. Improper packaged shipments may be refused by carriers. Items should be placed within a box, carton, crate, etc. Heavy shipments (over 200 lb) should be properly positioned on a pallet or crate, in good condition. Make sure there is no overhang when boxes are stacked, they have to be distributed squarely. Remember that a pallet jack is most likely going to pic it up. 


2. Here are some example of types of items/products:
Non Fragile Items: Paper items, plastic items, machinery parts, canned products, granular products, carpeting, tools and hardware, etc.  Fragile Items: Artwork, household/personal effects, small furniture, electronics, glass, etc.


3. Shipments may be exposed to temperature changes, so prepare for it. (depending on the weather) Place sensitive items in plastic bags.

4. There’s going to be natural movement in transit. Use plenty of cushioning, wrapping and bracing. We recommend using the best protective containers at your disposal.  Do not over pack boxes. Foam pillows, bubble wrap, rolled foam, or any other interior padding is greatly encouraged. Distributing the weight evenly minimizes chances of damage.

5. Clear label (affix your FreightCenter BOL for extra protection), accurate item counts and descriptions should be included. (just in case your boxes get separated) The seams of boxes should be covered with professional boxing tape. Boxes on pallets should be tightly wrapped with shrink-wrap. Multiple layers of wrapping material should strap all boxes like a solid unit, without any space for wobbling.

6. If it’s valuable, insure your shipment. (the carrier's liability is only .10 per pound)

7. Crating should be done by a professional crating company,  or some one with experience, at least if a specialized crate is needed.

For more in depth information about freight shipping, go to our help center.

Freedom, Fireworks and Freight

Independence Day is a national holiday that is observed by the freight and transportation industry. While FreightCenter.com's offices will remain open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Continue to register for an account, run quotes, compare rates and book even when our office is closed. That way, your shipment will be the first one processed when our National Account Managers return on Thursday, July 5.

Celebrate with us by taking advantage of our limited time offer! To participate, all you have to do is "Like" our Facebook page and join our mailing list.

If you run into any issues or need further help before completing your booking, feel free to use our freight shipping Help Center. Just type your question and our intuitive help system will search our database for the best possible answer to resolve your issue or to answer your specific question.

We hope everyone enjoys their festivities with family and friends!

What does FOB mean?

There are many reasons why FOB is a very important term to our customers, whether they are buyers or sellers, this concept makes more sense on the B2B logistics side. That said, commercial shippers should pay close attention to the meaning of this term. Not understanding its meaning can be very costly.  Spelled out, the acronym FOB is defined as Free on Board. Free on Board refers to a couple of different things, but mainly the risk of loss in the shipping process when the buyer of the shipped content is no longer responsible or liable for any charges. It also stipulates the amount of money owed by the buyer for the shipment.

There are four main points to determining your FOB specifics:

1. The seller pays all shipping charges (our services fall under here), while the buyer insures the product; known as CF Pay Freight to Destination.

2. FOB Destination: The seller is responsible for; cost to ship and risk of loss (Insurance).

3. FOB Shipping Point: the buyer is responsible for charges and possible damage.

4. Pay Insurance and Freight to Destination, the seller is responsible for all, including insurance during transport.

Every shipper should inquire about their FOB options, especially buyers of imported goods. The terms and conditions should be determined beforehand. 


Informed buyers that understand FOB will manage their shipping needs much better. 


Interested in our shipment insurance coverage? Falvey Insurance is our provider. If your freight qualifies as "new" and not used and falls under qualifying freight classes, a check box will appear during the booking process. Check this box to add freight insurance coverage. Remember, most carriers only cover $0.10 to every pound, which does not always cover the cost to replace damaged or lost goods.

Open positions for STEM graduates at FreightCenter.com

FreightCenter.com is a family-owned privately-held company that started its $38 million operation in Florida.  The company opened its doors in Clearwater, but eventually found its way to Pasco County where its been headquartered since 2008.

Why Florida, you ask? Why not? Florida is a great place to retain some of the best and brightest employees, ripe out of our high schools, community colleges and universities. The area is preparing itself for the next stage in economic development, and has honed a concentrated focus on STEM careers like those offered through FreightCenter.com.

In 2011, STEM jobs accounted for 411,000 positions in Florida state. Find an open position in a STEM field today.

What is STEM?

STEM is an acronym that stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. These are fields of study that are changing the face of Florida and our nation. Think about it. Without these fields, what would our world look like? No roads, no speed passes, no aeronautics, etc. etc. Worse yet, what would the transportation and logistics industry look like without experts in these fields?

Although this industry seems to change at a slower pace than most, the freight shipping industry has seen more change in the past 10 years than it has in 100 years prior. Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and tracking expectations set by the most recognizable carriers - FedEx and UPS - have revolutionized the way we think about transportation of goods and products. Emerging technologies are hitting this industry faster than it takes to load a website. Cloud-based technology has alleviated many of the problems associated with bridging the gap between an ancient industry, like transportation, and technology. Diversification of service-markets and highly specialized services has broadened the acceptance of bar code, tracking and computing technologies.

For example, FreightCenter.com is a third-party logistics company that services a wide range of commercial and residential shippers via its website and back-end system. In recent years, however, FreightCenter.com has seen an increased need for servicing other third parties and high-volume shippers by developing transportation technology that they can use to lower shipping costs and improve efficiency.

What careers are available for graduates of STEM programs?

Beyond doctors and nurses, when we think of STEM careers we typically think about civil engineers, architects, technicians, IT managers and Web or app developers. These fields are extremely important to future progress on a local, state and national scale. Where would we be without roads, city planning, tech gurus and creative thinkers?

Does FreightCenter.com have a fit for you? Find out today. Visit our careers page and look out for available creative positions posted on the Web.