We’ve all seen and heard the lost and/or damaged shipment horror stories. Whether it’s a friend’s incident, a YouTube video of a not so careful delivery, or a firsthand experience - there is a definite stigma of damages and losses in shipping. Unsurprisingly, when we asked a group of customers about their greatest shipping concerns and challenges, shipment damages and losses were fourth behind price, “no shipping”, and transit times. However, shipment damages and losses can be preventable if the correct steps are taken to ensure a properly packaged shipment. Believe it or not, there is a large portion of damaged and lost shipments that can be attributed to packaging error rather than freight mistreatment. Below are some tips to keep your shipment in its desired condition: 

1. Packaging – Shipments must be properly packed to ensure damage-free transportation. While there are many nuances to different items that may be shipped, the overall advice we give is to use common sense with packing your specific commodity. You wouldn’t package ball-bearings the same as you would package glassware. Don’t be afraid to spend an extra couple bucks on packaging to ensure you’re not spending more after the fact. Be conscious of your chosen container’s maximum weight capacity, choose quality materials, leave enough room in boxes/containers for cushioning, and properly seal boxes with enough tape. Be mindful of these basic practices and your shipment will be well packaged and protected from normal shipping and handling.
2. Palletizing - The pallet will give the shipment a solid base to sit on and make movement on and off the truck easy and safe. When stacking your pallet, be sure your items sit squarely on the skid with no overhang. Box flaps and corrugations should face up. Make the top surface as flat as possible and secure cartons to the skid with banding, stretch-wrap, or breakaway adhesive.
3. Labeling - To ensure correct and timely delivery, freight needs to be labeled appropriately. Always follow these guidelines:
   • Remove or completely cover old labels.
   • Place labels on each box and each side of the overall shipment.
   • Do not place labels over a seam or closure on top of sealing tape.
   • Place a duplicate form of address information inside the container for added protection.
   • You should always be able to locate a full return address on the shipping label.

Even the best laid plans can go awry, that’s why it’s always a good idea to be well versed in the steps to take if a shipment happens to be damaged or lost. Submitting claims may sound scary, but keeping your cool and following the basic steps of taking pictures, saving the damaged freight, identifying the shipment value, and contacting your carrier or 3PL partner to begin the claims process will keep you ahead of the curb.

It’s always a carrier’s goal to deliver a shipment in perfect condition - no one wants to go through the claims process. But, as shown in this post, a well-cared for shipment while in transit is only half the battle. Packaging and labeling your shipment correctly will help ensure a smooth shipping operation for you and your company.

Dealing with a damaged shipment? Find out what you need to know about filing a freight claim.

Technology innovations, like in every industry, play a huge part in pushing the trucking industry forward and keeping efficiencies for customers and carriers at the forefront. From pallets to packaging and everything in between, there are always improvements to be made and a better way to operate. So what’s the next big innovation for transportation? It may very well be something that Peterbilt Motors Company has been working on and recently showcased at the ITS World Congress in Detroit – self-driving trucks, or an “advanced driver-assist system” as Peterbilt refers to the technology. This innovation reduces active driver steering by 80-85% and requires a well-marked highway so cameras can read road lines and position the vehicle.

Among other technologies, the vehicle uses:

• Radar-based adaptive cruise control (ACC) which automatically accelerates and decelerates, maintaining safe distances.
• Lane departure warning systems (LDWS) that uses cameras to detect lane edges and striping to alert drivers when the vehicle is drifting.

At the bottom of this post is a brief video (of a video) that was taken at the 2015 Mid-America Trucking Show. The video, while not the greatest quality, gives a very nice visual of the self-driving technology in action.

As you may be able to guess, there is still a lot of testing to be done and red tape to navigate before you should expect to see an unmanned semi on the highway. Even if/when this technology does come into use, you can still expect to see a driver, but more as a spectator rather than a primary operator.

There is technology that you may see on the road sooner rather than later and it’s called “platoon” trucking. A platoon is described as a convoy of trucks linked electronically to a lead truck with an active driver. This practice is said to increase fuel efficiencies up to 15% by limiting wind resistance. Producers and purveyors of this technology estimate that it could be on United States roadways in as little as a few years (click here to see a video of platoon trucking demonstrated by Volvo Trucks taking place in Spain a few years back).

There are many truck producers working to perfect these technologies and change the future of the trucking industry. As with most big ideas, it’s just a matter of time.

Keeping customers informed and improving services are two of the main focuses of PartnerShip. That’s why we regularly seek feedback from customers and tailor our offerings and content to your needs. We recently asked a group of customers about their biggest challenges when shipping freight and received "managing transit times" as the third most mentioned challenge at 14% of overall responses. We’ll address this concern and provide some best practices to keep your mind at ease when scheduling and shipping your time-sensitive freight. 

Managing the logistics for a company can be a trying task with multiple, and seemingly endless, steps along the way. Gathering materials, being sure to correctly package, and accurately completing your paperwork seemed like a lot in itself, but the most important step lies ahead – making sure it gets to where it needs to go on time. All previous work is rendered pointless if this stage is not completed. 

Before shipping your freight, here are items to keep in mind to ensure there are no hiccups in your transit:

• Accuracy on your bill of lading (BOL) is key to keeping your shipment on track and avoiding time consuming reweighs or reclassifications from carriers. Knowing your freight classes as well as accurately weighing your shipment is extremely important to getting your shipment to it’s destination on time.
• No one likes paying more for their shipping, but knowing which accessorials to add when scheduling your freight shipment will save you from situations like a refused delivery that could have been avoided by including a lift gate. Accessorials like advance notification can also help you and your company better manage your time when shipping freight.
• Considering guaranteed options from carriers will provide you with a little more insurance when scheduling a shipment where you may be unsure about the time-frame's likelihood. While the guaranteed options cost a bit more, paying a little extra when you know you need it is better than the fallout that comes from the alternatives. 

Setting yourself up for a properly timed shipment mostly occurs before the carrier is even dispatched to your location, but there are a few measures you can take during and after your freight is in transit:

• Late pickups can be frustrating, but they occasionally happen as drivers get detained with earlier pickups, encounter trailer capacity issues, are caught in heavy traffic, etc. Our customer service team at PartnerShip does a great job staying on top of pickup times and securing a time commitment from the carrier's dispatch when needed. However, often times it makes sense for you, the customer, to call the carrier directly in the event you need to work out a new time or solution.
• Stay on top of your shipment by using our track shipment tool to check the status of your shipment and get an estimated time of delivery (ETA). All you will need is the tracking, pro, or BOL number and the carrier you used for your shipment. 
• If you find yourself sending multiple shipments of similar specifications to the same consignee, as many companies do, making notes and keeping a close eye on your shipping history can help you effectively prepare for the future. Track your experiences with certain carriers as they use different lanes to transport shipments. PartnerShip also works with many regional and local carriers that specialize in certain geographical regions. 

When all is said and done, planning still only amounts to a portion of the battle. It’s important to remember that freight carrier transit times are estimations and can vary due to weather, traffic, and mechanical issues. Yes, a carrier’s goal is to stick as closely as possible to the transit times provided and deliver to a happy consignee. However, we live in an imperfect world and things don’t always work out that way. Plan ahead and give yourself the best chance possible of a timely shipping operation.

As always, PartnerShip is here to help manage your company's logistics and keep your shipping operation a smooth running process. Feel free to contact PartnerShip with any questions or concerns.

Many companies operate under the same assumption that they don’t ship freight. This idea was solidified on a recent survey we conducted, where we asked the question: “What are your biggest challenges when shipping freight?” About 30% indicated price as their biggest challenge, which we addressed in a previous blog post, and another 18% said that they don’t ship freight at all. Customers are quick to jump to this notion as there are no pallets assembled in their facility and no semis in their parking lot – however, they may be overlooking some important aspects of their company operations that could use some freight optimization attention.

First, we’d like to reiterate an idea that we revert back to quite a bit on the PartnerShip Connection Blog – inbound shipping is one of the easiest and most overlooked ways to save money on your overall shipping costs. We bring this point up again since most businesses do not factor in the freight shipments they receive from suppliers as, many times, the consignee is not being directly invoiced for those shipments. However, costs initially written off as ‘free’ often rear their head in the price of the actual goods that are being moved – meaning the costs are not non-existent, but just hidden. As the customer receiving the goods, your company has a say in how that freight is routed and billed, and you should factor it into your overall freight plan.

The next point we’d like to make is that while some businesses are not shipping freight, maybe they are shipping small packages and reexamining and adjusting that operation may equal big savings. This idea would apply to another portion of the 18% of companies that think they do not have freight shipping but are shipping small packages to or from the same location on a regular basis. As a general rule of thumb, one big order ships for less than three smaller orders. That means businesses should consider consolidating multiple orders into a single large shipment whenever possible, and always strive to minimize the number of packages it sends. All too often, shipments are arranged as they come in from sales or order processing. However, a little planning and visibility will go a long way towards saving on shipping costs, supplies, and time. 

We’re sure there are some customers in the previously mentioned 18% that legitimately do not have or will ever need to ship freight due to factors like their business type. For the rest of us, taking into consideration things like inbound operations and the possibility of shipment consolidation may mean more companies are having a freight discussion that they thought they would never have – and will end up with a more efficiently run company in the process.

PartnerShip continues to develop PartnerShip.com with our customers and carrier partners in mind. Recently, we launched the PartnerShip Load Board that provides better visibility to the available truckload shipments from PartnerShip customers to PartnerShip carriers. PartnerShip connects the best national, regional, and local carriers with businesses for all of their truckload needs. The board provides carriers with information about the load, like equipment needed and whether it’s a full and partial load, as well as the origin and destination of the shipment. Best of all, this load board is completely free to view at anytime - no logging in or information is needed to view the available loads.

Carriers are encouraged to inquire about any loads by calling PartnerShip at 800-599-2902 option 2. The loads are only available to PartnerShip vetted and approved carriers. To become a core partner carrier please contact one of our Carrier Procurement Representatives for a setup packet at carriers@PartnerShip.com or visit our Becoming a PartnerShip Carrier web page.

Click here to visit the PartnerShip Load Board today!

Below are the truckload shipments that are available today, but be sure to check the page often for new opportunities:

There is a wide range of equipment available for your shipment to ensure proper transportation and delivery. Keeping the trucks and trailers straight that are carrying your freight can be a tough task for even the most experienced shipper - which is why we created a brand new Truck and Trailer Equipment Guide for our customers. This white paper contains measurements and visuals for dry vans, refrigerated units, flatbeds, and the tractors that pull the trailers.

Click the link below to download the white paper and learn more about what carries your freight from point A to point B.

Download the Truck and Trailer Equipment Guide Today!

As always, the shipping experts at PartnerShip are here to lend a helping hand and answer any questions you have about freight shipping. Give us a call at 800-599-2902 or email sales@PartnerShip.com.

After your freight has been properly packaged and assembled, it's time to gather information about your shipment to ensure you are receiving an accurate freight rate and transit time. Correctly identifying your freight as less-than-truckload (LTL), tradeshow, or truckload is the first step to knowing what information you need to have ready before getting the quote. In this post we'll summarize the information needed for an LTL freight shipment, which refers to a shipment that does not completely fill a truck, is typically palletized, and weighs over 150 lbs. In order to obtain an accurate LTL freight quote and transit time, be sure to:

• Establish when your shipment needs to be picked up and delivered. – This is basic information that needs to be determined before trying to obtain a quote. If your shipment has a delivery date that’s etched in stone, guaranteed options are available at a higher price. Either way, the more information you can provide about your shipment’s timeline up front, the more options you’ll have available to make an educated decision.
• Know your ZIP Codes! – Origin and destination ZIP Codes are keys to an accurate LTL rate quote. Just as important are the origin and destination types or descriptions - whether your shipment is going to a business, a residential area, or a tradeshow will impact the overall cost and transit time. Getting the ZIP Codes and descriptions for the origin and destination right on the first pass will ensure a smooth transit.
• Determine if any accessorials are needed. – Accessorials are any additional services required outside of the standard shipping procedure. Examples include lift gates, Collect on Delivery (COD), and inside pickup or delivery. Accessorials normally require additional fees from the carrier to insure your shipment has everything it needs to get on or off of the truck and to its destination safely.
• Decide on the amount of insurance needed for your shipment. – Knowing the value of the shipment you are transporting and purchasing the proper amount of insurance is crucial in the case that something unexpected happens to your shipment while in transit. Having this information when obtaining the quote is crucial to an accurate price.
• Calculate the exact weight of your shipment. – Providing an accurate weight is very important when obtaining a quote. Remember to include the pallet’s weight and have your scales tested and calibrated often to be as precise as possible.
• Know your freight classes! – LTL Freight Class refers to the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) and determines the carrier's shipping charges for your LTL freight. Your freight class identifies the size, value and difficulty of transporting your LTL freight and is a must-have for quoting. 

Also, if you’re shipment is tipping the scales a little more than you expected and you decide to ship truckload/volume (over 5,000 lbs) check out our post on how to get a quote for your truckload shipment.

As Your Shipping Connection, the PartnerShip goal is to save you money and make sure you're in the know on everything shipping related. That's why we develop informational white papers to help small businesses navigate through the world of transportation and logistics. We've developed a brand new white paper designed to proactively identify and correct commonly made freight shipping mistakes before they cost you valuable time and money. In this white paper we provide:

• Descriptions of some of the more common freight shipping mistakes
• Examples on how these mistakes are impacting your bottom line
• Ways to catch these mistakes before they cost your company money

Efficiently managing your freight costs is key to keeping your bottom line in tip-top shape. One of the more common ways your freight costs increase is by the reweighing or reclassification of your freight. Carriers have the right to inspect your shipment if they deem necessary and these incidents can trip up even the most experienced shippers.

When it comes to avoiding reweighs and reclassifications, the best defense is a good offense. Doing your homework on best practices for shipping your freight and closely following these practices will give your freight the best chance of getting to it’s destination without being hit with unexpected charges.

Below we have some points of emphasis to remember before shipping your freight:

Know your freight classes: Less-than-truckload Freight Class refers to the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) and it is the category of your LTL freight as defined by the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA). Your shipment's LTL freight class determines the carrier's shipping charges. It identifies the size, value and difficulty of transporting your LTL freight.

We know determining your freight class is one of the more cumbersome aspects of freight shipping, and that's why we've developed an entire ePaper on the subject, and a helpful Find Your Freight Class' tool for our customers. We ask a few simple questions about your commodity and point you in the right direction.

Stay up-to-date on industry changes: Like any industry, the freight industry is constantly changing and adapting. For example, NMFC changes evolve to accurately reflect a commodity's “transportability.” The NMFTA will post any changes on their website - regularly reviewing these types of resources will keep you in the know on the important changes that affect your freight.

Pay close attention to your shipment’s weight: Obviously very important to not being hit with a reweigh is getting it right the first time.

• All weights on the BOL should be exact weights, not approximations!
• Remember to include the weight of the pallet and other packaging in the final total weight
• Have your scales tested and calibrated often – we would recommend annually, but there’s no harm in more frequent fine tuning.

Work with an experienced partner you can trust: Even after doing your homework and following guidelines, the freight industry can be a complicated world to navigate. Working with a 3PL partner like PartnerShip allows you focus on your company and us to focus on the freight. We have a team of dedicated freight specialists that can guide you to provide accurate shipment information that will avoid reweighs and reclassifications. As a free service, we even audit your freight bills for errors or unnecessary charges that sometimes arise, and we have the industry knowledge to fight to correct any discrepancies.

Keeping the above tips and advice in mind when shipping your freight will help you stay ahead of the curve and eliminate any unwanted billing surprises. If you have additional questions about reweighs or reclassifications, or would like to learn more about PartnerShip, contact us today at 800-599-2902 or email sales@PartnerShip.com.