Determining Freight Class

Trying to understand how freight company's class packages for shipping can be a bit confusing, but it is not as difficult to ascertain as one might imagine. Often time's calculations have to do with weight and whether or not the item is commercial or residential in nature.

Primary consideration for evaluating shipping classes include:

Density and weight

In order for the carrier to ascertain how shipments will be situated inside the transportation vehicle they have to assess your package in pounds by cubic feet. Extremely dense items such as equipment or heavy metals may receive low classifications and be the least expensive to ship.

Damageability

Extremely fragile items or those that can be easily damaged in transit are classed far differently and are more costly to ship. Bulky items may also be considered high risk and fall into this type of evaluation. When calling around to see which freight company you wish to use, be sure to tell them what you wish to ship. A reputable company should be able to give you a cost estimate for free.

Truckload pricing

If you choose to use a trucking company to ship your item, you may be able to get an affordable cost per mile rate. This is often calculated by a carrier who utilizes computer technology to get the best competitive rates. Go over their cost estimations so that you better understand associated pricing and won't get any nasty surprises upon final billing.

Contractor pricing

Commercial institutions who do a lot of shipping can usually obtain "Freight All Kinds" or "FAK" rates due to continuous bulk shipping. Sadly, regular individuals cannot take advantage of this type of pricing, largely because it is not in the freight company's advantage to give large discounts for single shipments.

Discount Pricing

That said, there are ways to obtain discounts even if you aren't a large company. These discounts can vary from freight carrier to freight carrier and will depend on what you want to send.

If you really want to find the best deals, you may wish to locate what is commonly referred to as a freight Broker. This broker can lower your overall cost because, just like a company that supplies the shipper with constant business, a broker can provide the necessary volume that effectively lowers pricing.

The great thing about dealing with the broker and not the shipping company itself is that you can negotiate an even lower rate on top of the automatic discounted rates.

To locate a fine broker, you can do an Internet search or ask friend or relatives who have used a reputable one in the past.

Avoiding damage

After evaluating the various opportunities available to you regarding shipment of your extra large item, make sure your shipment arrives in once piece. The best way to do this is with the appropriate packaging. While some shipping companies will offer to package your product for you, some do not offer this service.

If the item is too big for you to package alone look into crating companies and be sure to add this costs into your shipping budget.

Some companies offer airtight guarantees on their shipments, but these guarantees may be null and void if you improperly pack the item yourself so it may be to your advantage to consider a packing company regardless.

In the end, make sure you understand any added fees and charges that may be applied to your account before agreeing to anything.

With the right attitude and a proactive consumer approach, your parcel will arrive safe and on time to its designated location and you will have the name of a reliable carrier in your mental rolodex the next time you need something massive shipped.