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LTL zBLOG

LTL ETA’s – Nothing is Guaranteed Unless You Pay

LTL shipments are the fastest and most economical way to move a shipment larger than a parcel, but smaller than a truckload consisting of as little as 1 pallet, crate or bundle and as many as 10 standard pallets (L48″ x W40″ x H48″).  The time in which it takes an LTL shipment to make its destination seems to be one of the biggest questions and misunderstood expectations with our customers. So let’s lay it out for you.

  • Your LTL shipment is picked up by the carrier in a city truck, provided it is properly prepared for shipping
  • It is then taken to the origin terminal where it is checked through dimensional scanners for size, weight, density and class
  • The shipment is then loaded onto a Linehaul trailer. A Linehaul trailer is a full semi-trailer. 
  • There, your shipment sits in that trailer with other shipments waiting for that Linehaul trailer to fill. 
  • Once that Linehaul trailer is full, it hits the road. 
  • Depending on the destination, there could be several terminal stops along the way, where shipments, along with yours are unloaded and new shipments are loaded at each terminal stop. This is where delays may occur. If the Linehaul trailer does not fill, then that trailer will sit an extra day until it is full and ready to make the next terminal. 
  • Ultimately, the Linehaul truck arrives at the destination terminal where your shipment is unloaded and then loaded on city trucks once again to be delivered to your destination. 

*INTERSTATE – 1-2 DAYS

*CROSS COUNTRY – 7-10 DAYS, and everything in between

What other Factors can Cause Delays?

Weather, traffic, terminal back-ups, breakdowns, holidays and human error can all delay your shipment. If you are going cross country on long distances, the LTL carrier can chose to put your shipment on rail. 

Got a Time Sensitive Delivery?

If your shipment must meet a deadline, then there are guaranteed, express options and you can even overnight by air. These accessorial charges can be arranged with us. 
Though we have focused on what could delay your shipment, it is only in an effort to under-promise and over-deliver. Most LTL carriers, some better than others, are consistent with their estimated time of arrivals, but nothing is guaranteed unless you pay. 
Please contact us to move your next LTL shipment – Go123 Land, Air, Sea, your full service logistics experts!
Categories
CLASS LTL TL

NMFC Codes

The National Motor Freight Classification

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NEWS zBLOG

Internet and Bluetooth Advances

Experts say “By the year 2020, there will be 25 billion connected devices in use, representing a 30-fold increase over today” representing a 30-fold increase over today. With advancements in technology, more and more industries are embracing this change. 

What can this technology offer in the freight shipping industry?

  • Visibility – now consumers can shop for better quotes and hold their shipping agents accountable for high prices, they can utilize the internet to shop for better prices
  • Tracking – with GPS enabled date and location services, the customer and dispatch team can track delivery times with precise details
  • Multitasking – fuel cost would be cut since fleet routes can be optimized with monitored traffic status allowing more loads to be added along certain routes, with enhanced location data and last minute pick-up & add-on availability
  • Speedier Service and Less Pit Stops – Sensor-equipped trucks and GPS technology enable further supply chain productivity. This technology alerts corporate maintenance facilities when trucks need service for their brakes, tires, oil or any other critical systems. When maintenance crews get this information in advance – truck companies can avoid the extra expense of road repairs and delays of freight due to unexpected break-downs
  • Enhanced Data Accessibility – fleet managers and drivers alike can save fuel and drive more efficiently with more knowledge thanks to the superior visibility, tracking and maintenance free driving, ultimately delivering on time and keeping the end user happier, the client
  • Better Rates Overall – with all these combined benefits, shippers can deliver with better rates, offering better rates to the consumer
Few industries can claim to have a level of technology to equal that found in the logistics industry, and future advancements are primed to reveal and generate some of the most significant technological changes in the industry throughout history. From the ability to automatically generate reports from Internet of Things (IoT), radio frequency identification (RFID), and Bluetooth-enabled devices to the increasing focus on an omni channel solution to acquiring new customers, technology in the logistics industry will continue to grow and improve in accuracy, function and efficiency.

Although some of these technologies have been around for a while, they are just now starting to be used to the best of their ability for the logistics industry in 2016, paving the road for even more advances in efficiency and safety for carriers and consumers.

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NEWS zBLOG

Solar Advancements for Refrigerated Trucks

We just read an awesome article about solar energy specifically for refrigerated trucks. This is a cool new alternative to maintain a green footprint while getting your clients their needs when dealing with temperature controlled environments for long hauls.

Carrier Transicold Thin Film Flexible Solar Panels are designed to maintain the refrigeration unit

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FAQs zBLOG

Safe Packaging

All freight is usually handled several times during transit, often by different carriers. It must be packaged to protect it from scuffing, vibration, crushing, dropping, humidity, and condensation. Go123Logistics highly recommends practicing safe packaging – load freight onto pallets or package freight into crates, or use sturdy shipping containers such as corrugated fiberboard boxes. Carriers have published tariffs that provide some guidance for packaging. Packaging engineers design and test packaging to meet the specific needs of the logistics system and the product being shipped.
Proper packaging freight serves several purposes:
  • It helps protect the freight from handling and transit damage.
  • It helps protect other freight from being damaged by your freight.
  • It helps reduce package pilferage.
  • It helps to avoid loss situations; situations in which some of your freight is separated from the rest and lost in transit.
  • It helps protect the freight from ultimately being returned to sender. 

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LTL zBLOG

LTL 101 – Less than Truckload

LTL is the transportation of relatively small freight, but larger than regular parcel mail like what would normally ship via FedEx Ground, or UPS or U.S. Mail parcel services (about 150 pounds) to just under what would usually be considered a Truck Load at about 20,000 pounds or more than 14 pallets. LTL common carriers are also more likely to accept loose (non-palletized) cargo than the other cargos. LTL shipments typically weigh between 151 and 20,000 lb (68 and 9,072 kg).

While routes tend to be more casual, the main advantage to using an LTL carrier is that a shipment may be transported for a fraction of the cost of hiring an entire truck and trailer for an exclusive shipment. Also, a number of accessory services are available from LTL carriers, which are not typically offered by FTL carriers. These optional services include liftgate service at pickup or delivery, residential (also known as “non-commercial”) service at pickup or delivery, inside delivery, notification prior to delivery, freeze protection, and others.

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TL zBLOG

TL 101 – Truckload

TL is the transportation of large amounts of homogeneous cargo, generally the amount necessary to fill an entire semi-trailer or intermodal container (refrigerated). A truckload carrier is a trucking company that generally contracts an entire trailer-load to a single customer. This is as opposed to a less than truckload (LTL) company that generally mixes freight from several customers in each trailer. One advantage Full Truckload (FTL) carriers have over Less than Truckload carriers is that the freight is never handled en route, whereas an LTL shipment will typically be transported on several different trailers. As with LTL, TL should also be packaged or loaded onto pallets for unit loads. Sturdy shipping containers such as crates or corrugated fiberboard boxes are commonly used . 
A typical full truckload for a dry van trailer consists of 24 standard pallets of cargo that weighs up to 42,000 lbs. (or more).

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FAQs zBLOG

Shipping 101

When shipping your commodity by land, there are 4 basic options to choose from:
  • LTL – Lighter Than Truckload 
  • FTL – Full Truckload 
  • Reefer – Refrigerated

    Less Than Truckload 

    LTL is the transportation of relatively smaller quantities of freight, and is usually moved on a pallet, and may be several pallets via one of the common carriers that are seen across the highways of North. As the name implies, these shipments usually consist of several pallets, pieces or cartons and almost all LTL common carriers are also more likely to accept loose (non-palletized) cargo than the traditional carriers. LTL shipments typically weigh between 151 and 20,000 lb (68 and 9,072 kg).
    While routes tend to be more casual, the main advantage to using an LTL carrier is that a shipment may be transported for a fraction of the cost of hiring an entire truck and trailer for an exclusive shipment. Also, a number of accessory services are available from LTL carriers, which are not typically offered by FTL carriers. These optional services include liftgate service at pickup or delivery, residential (also known as “non-commercial”) service at pickup or delivery, inside delivery, notification prior to delivery, freeze protection, and several others.

    Truckload

    TL is the transportation of larger amounts of cargo, generally the amount necessary to fill an entire semi-trailer, open deck trailer (like a flatbed or stepdeck) or into an enclosed sea or rail container. A truckload carrier is a trucking company that generally contracts an entire trailer-load to a single customer. This is as opposed to a less-than truckload (LTL) company that generally mixes freight from several customers in each trailer. One advantage Full Truckload (FTL) carriers have over Less than Truckload carriers is that the freight is never trans-loaded en route, whereas an LTL shipment will typically be

    Categories
    LTL

    LTL Partners

    Central to the idea of moving freight with confidence, we are teaming up with initiatives and organizations that are strengthening our global entrepreneurial infrastructure. Check out some of our LTL partners leading the charge with innovation, efficiency and technology.

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    CLASS

    Customs Codes

    This page contains the chapter-by-chapter listing of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule and general notes.  The links below correspond to the various sections in the Table of Contents for the Harmonized Tariff Schedule.  Clicking on a link will load the corresponding Adobe .pdf file

    (Note: Section notes, if any, are attached to the first chapter of each section. “Page down” to view chapter after selecting.)

    Section I:Live Animals; Animal Products

    Chapter 1 Live animals
    Chapter 2 Meat and edible meat offal
    Chapter 3 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates
    Chapter 4 Dairy produce; birds eggs; natural honey; edible products of animal origin, not elsewhere specified or included
    Chapter 5 Products of animal origin, not elsewhere specified or included 
    Section II:Vegetable Products

    Chapter 6 Live trees and other plants; bulbs, roots and the like; cut flowers and ornamental foliage
    Chapter 7 Edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers
    Chapter 8 Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruit or melons
    Chapter 9 Coffee, tea, mat