5 Tips to Save Money on Freight Shipping

1. Consolidate multiple freight shipments

Many customers don’t realize that by bundling freight shipments this is an easy way to save money.  For each hundred lbs of freight, rates become lower and lower.  For example, by combining two 200 lb shipments into one 400 lb shipment, you can significantly lower shipping costs.  This will take some coordinating and planning, but when applied can be a great freight saving tactic.

2. Ship freight to a business location or pick up from the airport rather than shipping freight to a residential location

Freight carriers charge more to deliver to a residential location compared to a business location.  This is because residential locations typically involve harder to navigate streets and are often more difficult to find than business located in commercial areas.   Remember, even if you run a business out of your residence, the freight carrier will still consider that a “residential delivery” and charge the hefty residential delivery fees on that shipment. If a business location is not a possibility, freight carriers deliver to airport terminals and you can pick up freight shipments there if the weight is low enough to transport with your vehicle.

3. Make sure weight and freight class are accurate on the initial Bill of Lading

Once freight shipments are picked up by the driver, they are then transported to the carrier’s nearest hub where they are reweighed to make sure the class on the Bill of Lading aligns with their company’s class standards.  If there are differences, the shipments will get reclassed and the costs are typically greater than the initial quote given to the customer.

4. Pack freight shipping correctly the first time

As with freight class, carriers will evaluate the packaging of freight and if they determine it needs to be repackaged, there is a surcharge added to the costs.  This is especially true when the goods being shipped are of delicate material or the freight carrier thinks there will be a high likelihood that the goods will get damaged or a claim will be made on the freight.  Use pallets or crates and you’ll be fine with the carriers on most shipments.

5. Plan freight shipping in advance

Obviously, it is more expensive to ship freight if shipments need to be delivered to a location in a short period of time.  To avoid this, arrange for shipments to be picked up days in advance.  This will not only save you money, but ensure on time delivery.