Everyone wants the best possible deal, but less than truckload (LTL) shipments require the help of an LTL freight broker to secure the best rates. Companies want their goods to be shipped efficiently and effectively, but also with a high level of flexibility. When you can’t guarantee what you will be shipping next month or next year, how can you control shipping and manage the costs?
Trucks Offer Shippers Great Flexibility
Shippers know that they have the option of using airplanes, the railway, even waterways and most easily, with trucks. Time and practice are shown moving goods by trucks of various sizes offers the shippers a great deal of flexibility and keeps the costs low. Because you can set your own timetable and not rely on those at the airport or railway, timing is one of your key assets.
Full truckloads use 48 or 53 foot trailers and when you need less space, your LTL freight broker becomes your best friend. Effectively, the goods from one company will be moved in a truck with goods from another company. This is extremely cost efficient and both or more companies benefit by shipping their less than truckload total within a full truckload.
Sorting for The Destination
By organizing the goods within the trailer, deliveries are relatively straightforward for distribution points cross-country. As the goods are removed from the trailer or truck, they can be combined with other shipments moving towards the same destination. This makes final delivery of the goods to one destination point easier, having left several shipping points earlier.
It is vital to use a high-quality LTL freight broker because they can negotiate the best deals for you. Costs are decided by the distance your goods need to travel, their overall weight and a classification of the freight. There are significant differences in the charging rate if a refrigerated truck is required or if the goods need special attention at any stage.
Variations in fuel could lead to a fuel surcharge. Most companies work out the average cost of diesel each week and apply the rate based upon the cost as it moves up or down.
LTL freight brokers complete all the hard work for you when you don’t require a full truckload moving from one destination to another, or perhaps a selection of end points. The broker will have a link to all the trucks moving cross country and by managing advanced technology, they can link suppliers all the way through to various destination points.
