How to Save on Your LTL Shipments

There are plenty of ways to save money on LTL shipments beyond just renegotiating rates with your carriers. In fact, many strategies are more effective than rate renegotiation. You’re only going to be able to get those rates down so far—those carriers have margins to think of as well. If you’re looking to engage in smarter LTL budgeting in Houston, TX, here are a few examples of some of the strategies you can employ to save money:

• Protect your packaging: One of the areas in which companies quickly lose money in their LTL shipping is by dealing with damaged freight. To avoid this damage, make sure you’ve protected the packaging as much as possible. Use the proper packaging materials and processes, and be sure to shrink wrap the freight to the pallet, which prevents it from sliding around during transit. Add protective layers on top of your items that allow for decking to support stacked weight, as you’re going to want to make as much use of the space as possible.
• Maximize space usage: Maximize the space you have available to use on the shipment so you can get the most for your money. Part of this involves ensuring you tightly pack and stack your packages, but it can also help to increase the density of your packages whenever possible.
• Focus on net costs: Companies looking for shipping services tend to focus too much on upfront rates and not some of the other fees that could factor into the process. Make sure you consider all of the factors that could affect your shipment.
• Consider distance: One of those additional factors is the distance you intend to ship. There are some carriers that only operate in certain areas, and others that might give you discounts for shipments over a certain distance. Just because a carrier is your best bet for local service does not necessarily mean they’re going to be your best option for long-haul service as well.
• Read insurance policies: You should only work with carriers that are insured, and you should also know exactly what your shipment is insured for on that carrier. If you need some high-value insurance on the items you’ll be shipping, it can be a good idea to purchase those policies separately to make sure you’re fully protecting yourself.
• Consolidate orders whenever possible: If you know you’re going to be sending out several shipments in a relatively short period of time, it makes sense to consolidate those orders as much as possible, especially if they’re all going to the same location.
• Use a transportation management system: Carriers often have transportation management systems (TMS), which are types of software that give customers an interface to view rates, shipping details, transit times, progress information and other key information. This software also allows you to automate a lot of the important documentation you need to fill out. This can all help you stay informed and save money.

For more information about LTL shipments in Houston, TX, contact the team at Pro Delivery LLC today.

Categorised in: LTL Trucking Company

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