How to setup a LTL LOAD to ship correctly.
- Like any load in this industry understanding how to properly setup a load is very important. Why? Well if not prepared properly, delays, damaged freight, costly fees and other issues may arise.
- When talking to your customer it’s very important to ask many questions on the commodity they want to ship. For example, dimensions, by having accurate measurements of the length, width, height & weight are important. If commodity is fragile or an easily damaged item or even hazardous are details you’ll need to know. To better understand whether the commodity needs to be either palletized, crated to accommodate both standard and non-standard dimensions, or odd commodities that can’t be palletized or crated. Details, Details, Details to optimize the shipping process to ensure a smooth process.
- When commodity is palletized there’s a couple ways to to prepare for shipping. Like stacking but like everything there’s a proper way of doing things if Improperly stacked it increases the chance of a load coming undone, it can also weaken the integrity of the cardboard boxes. Boxes should be stacked squarely on the pallet lined up corner-to-corner with no overhang because overhang will damage the edges of the boxes so be sure to remember this detail because items will become a claim. 99.9% of the time stacked product needs to be saran wrapped so the stacked product remains as secure as possible. Another key detail is to use steel bands that you wrap around and over the top to really secure the product to the pallet. For example when I worked at the scrapyard we secured the gaylord boxes with steel bands and an excessive amount of saran wrap.
- When the commodity is crated fragile items should be wrapped in protective material, and crates should be packed as full as possible in order to minimize the possibility of movement. These crates can be custom built for many types of commodities for example when I shipped my puppy from Africa they custom made a crate for her with all she needed inside to ensure a safe shipment.
- Barrels can also be used for many items we used them a lot in the scrapyard for turnings and other types small loose items. I’ve also used them to ship household items, clothes, shoes, etc to send stuff to my family in Puerto Rico. Another commodity that comes in barrels is hazardous products.
- Now if your freight is oddly shaped and unable to be crated or palletized, there are other options to look into. Like blocking & bracing to prevent shifting or use foam fillers and wrapping to ensure your shipment will be safe and secure. For example when I worked at the scrapyard there were many odd items where we used steel bands directly to secure product to the pallet and added saran wrap at times. Load straps or even load bars and logistics bars work great as well just be creative and think safety at all times, treat products as if it was yours.
- Labeling shipments correctly and efficiently is key to LTL because it lets receiver understand how the products should be handled. Labels should clearly indicate the name, phone number and address of both the shipper and consignee (including a shipping date may also help the carrier.) Labels should be clear, easy to read, and placed on the top of each box. Any additional labels that describe special handling requirements – like “Top Heavy,” “Fragile,” “COD, ”Hazardous” etc.?
- Lastly the most important part is having the proper documentation which is your BOL & CROSS BORDER DOCUMENTS, Make sure all this information is on the BOL, Shipper’s information, Receiver’s information, Billing information, Date of Shipment, Number of units being shipped, Type of packaging being used, Description of the goods being shipped, Freight Class & NMFC, Dimensions, Value, More might be needed depending on the shipment. BE VERY METICULOUS ON THIS PART!!?
When it comes to shipping, each of these steps needs to be properly executed in order to have successful shipment..
