Freight shipping is the process of transporting goods domestically or across the globe in bulk either via road, rail, ship or air. Freight shipping is a fundamental part of many eCommerce businesses’ operations, especially when international shipping is involved. Goods are loaded on pallets or into large, sturdy containers and then transported using one or more modes of transportation mentioned earlier.
Any load that weighs over 150 pounds and is larger than 30 inches by 30 inches by 30 inches is considered freight. For shipments under these dimensions, they would typically be more cost-effective to ship via parcel.
Freight delivery shipments can either be loaded onto a truck on pallets or floor-loaded. Inventory on floor-loaded trucks need to be unloaded by hand, while those loaded on pallets can be easily loaded or unloaded using a forklift or a dock. A standard truck can
A standard truck can move a maximum of 26 pallets. The typical dimension of a pallet is 48 inches wide by 40 inches long, with a maximum height of 80 inches. Pallets exceeding 48 inches in height is considered as a double-stacked pallet.
To load/unload the truck, warehouses are equipped with an elevated dock. If the storage facility or warehouse does not have a dock, then the alternate solution is to load or unload by using a forklift or other loading equipment. For pickup or drop-off location, a truck with a lift gate service is to be used if the location does not have a dock or forklift.
Freight shipping methods
There are several types of freight shipping methods to choose from such as full truckload (FTL), less-than-truckload (LTL), partial truckload (PTL), intermodal, and expedited.
1. Full truckload (FTL)
Full truckload freight shipments can be transported via road or rail. FTL containers can transport 24 to 26 pallets. FTL shipments are direct shipments from the pickup location to the destination. This type of freight shipping service is required when there is a lot of items that need moving and will require one full vehicle to do so. This will generally be more expensive as it requires a freight shipping company to make a fix journey.
2. Less-than-truckload (LTL)
LTL freight shipments are the most commonly used method and can transport between 1 and 6 pallets. This means that you do not require an entire vehicle to hold the shipment, just some space within one. In LTL freight shipping, the cargo is often transferred onto different trucks on the way to its destination. This option is a lot cheaper as they are not required to make a journey just for a specific destination.
3. Partial truckload (PTL)
A partial truckload (PTL) shipment is a freight mode for large shipments that are between 6 and 12 pallets. PTL shipments falls between LTL and FTL. Once the inventory is loaded onto the truck, the possibility that the inventory being transferred to a different truck during the journey is low. This will result in faster transit time.
4. Intermodal
Intermodal is the transport of cargo using a combination of rail and truck. By having rail transport involved, it can reduce fuel use and this will lower the shipping cost.
5. Expedited
Shipment that are time-critical will benefit from expedited freight. This shipment often involves truck and air. Expedited shipment is the most expensive shipment method.
If you are trying to find out what is the best shipping method to ship something big or heavy, then Shiply may be able to help. This online shipping platform helps you to get quotes from its rated shipping companies and allow you to compare quotes in one place.
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