What Do Flatbed Freight Shipping Quotes Include?
For companies that ship big items like machinery and building materials, it’s a headache to handle the shipping and logistics involved in the delivery of their products. Instead, they rely on flatbed freight shipping companies that offer flatbed trucks.
Shipping is not just a matter of picking up the phone and requesting a shipping quote. There are many factors involved to obtain and understand a flatbed shipping quote.
Preparing Information for the Flatbed Freight Shipping Company
Advise the shipping company of the quantity and nature of the items you’re shipping including the weight and dimensions. Let them know if the shipment needs to be tarped or any special covering, as well as the point of departure and destination. In addition, you should inform them if your shipment requires special care or any permits. Deadlines are important. If you have a deadline, you should inform them of it as well. These factors may affect the price quote.
Remember, if you fail to include an important aspect about your load, you may learn later that there are additional charges not included in the quote.
Loading and Unloading
It may sound obvious, but there are companies that don’t take into account how the material or items are going to be loaded on the flatbed truck, especially if they are working with a new shipping company. You should discuss how the material is going to be placed on the flatbed and how it’s going to be unloaded once it arrives at the final destination. If there is any special loading equipment or material needed, you should make arrangements to procure the equipment you need.
The lesson here is that your flatbed freight shipping quote will typically not include loading and unloading.
Insurance
The flatbed freight shipping quote may or may not include insurance. This is another factor that you should discuss with the shipping company. Due to the value and nature of the cargo that is being transported on flatbed trucks, you are the one who will most likely have to obtain insurance. Perhaps you will be able to collect the premium from your client. Another option is for your client to obtain the insurance. In any case, the type and amount of insurance will affect the price.
Are You Taking a Full Truckload or LTL Freight?
What does LTL freight mean? LTL frieght or LTL shipping means “less than truckload.” This is a shipping modality that means that you don’t have enough cargo for a full truckload but you might save some money by sharing part of the space with another company. Obviously, this is not common for companies that hire flatbed trucks, but it’s not unheard of either. In any case, let your shipper know since it might save you money.
There are many considerations when planning to ship via flatbed truck. Working with a flatbed freight shipping leader like Nationwide Transportation is the first step to a successful shipping experience.