Everyone in the world including industrialists, major corporations, and even families at home rely on trucking companies to haul goods and products all over the world. While ubiquitous freight companies want your business, it doesn’t mean all of them are reliable. Remember, this is your cargo, your assets; you can afford to be as discerning about your shipment as you want.
Understand and protect your assets, because as we all know life is unpredictable….
Often times, if your freight carrier doesn’t have a truck near your load, they will connect with another carrier nearby, who will then transport your freight. Some might find this to be a useful solution, but if you look at the fine print, that’s not always a good option.
Two critical things could happen in this instance where your freight is to be transported or “brokered” to another company. Important data and papers may disappear in the shuffle between the two carriers, or, if the second carrier does not have a truck available, your shipment may end up on a rail if it is a long haul. Rails are okay, but we often see damaged goods from the rough transport process.
Review these solutions for making sure your shipment arrives without any hiccups.
1. Learn the ins and outs of shipping cargo by truck.
The transportation aspect goes two ways. First, there’s the shipment to the manufacturer and then two, shipment to the customer. The logistics end of the equation is the management of the freight.
Understanding the shipping process includes learning how to minimize costs and risks. Long distance hauling can be expensive. To better suit your budget, try to limit the number of trips. Try to consolidate shipments to reduce costs.
Also, having packaging materials on hand is beneficial. For example, use bar codes for easy tracking rather than traditional labels. It’s cost effective because everyone handling the package can track according to the bar code.
2. Find a freight or trucking company with a professional freight coordinator.
Most freight carriers and trucking companies employ a freight coordinator, sometimes called a dispatcher, who conducts a variety of administration duties to ensure shipments are being processed, received and sent out properly.
A freight coordinator’s job description can include proper documentation, answering phone calls, handling invoices, and double checking shipments when necessary.
The coordinator is also in charge of handling incoming and outgoing communication into and out of their company. When there are an extra set of eyes, usually shipments are handled without any problems.
As always, cargo insurance is reliable to eliminate the loss from shipments that leave and do not arrive at the right destination without problems. For further information, please contact TJO Cargo today.
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