Our Guide to Freight Pick-Ups

If it’s your first time shipping LTL freight, you may not be familiar with the etiquette of LTL freight pick-ups. Let ShippingDiscounts.com be your guide to a painless pick-up with these six tips.

• Have your Bill of Lading ready. (This is the most important of all our tips!) You must give this to the driver with your freight. Without this document, your freight may be delayed and may incur a reconsignment fee. ShippingDiscounts.com will always provide you with a printable Bill of Lading.
• If you are arranging a pick-up from a business location where you will not be present, make sure you know the closing time. Typically, pick-ups are made in the afternoon, and without this information, the driver may arrive too late in the day to collect your freight.
• Make sure your freight is packaged securely. Improperly packaged goods may be refused.
• On the scheduled pick-up date, keep your freight ready-to-go in an accessible location. It must be at the curb or dock at pick-up. Examples of inaccessible locations include indoor areas above the ground floor, or inside a gated community with a low overhead gate.
• Make sure your item count matches your Bill of Lading. If you have five items, make sure you have all five pieces ready and ensure that the item count on the Bill of Lading is correct. Usually it’s not a problem to hand-write a change to the paper BOL so long as the weight is the same.
• Be ready to answer the phone. Especially if you are in a remote or hard-to-find area, the driver or dispatcher may call you to request directions. Additionally, if you have requested a notification before arrival, it’s important that you answer so that your pick-up can be made in a timely way.

With these tips, you’ll be ready for a smooth pick-up!