Have you ever called a delivery service to get a quote, only to be told that the carrier doesn’t transport the type of freight you’re trying to ship? For many carriers, there are certain types of freight that, for one reason or another, they will not accept. This is particularly true of less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping. If you ship freight that is too big for parcel service, but not so much that you can fill an entire trailer, you might be familiar with LTL shipping.
LTL shipments differ from full truckload (FTL) in that the carriers combine freight from multiple shippers that is going in generally the same direction all together into one truck. Unlike FTL shipping, where a truck carries freight from one location directly to another, LTL drivers make multiple stops along their way. Sometimes, this means picking up or dropping off cargo directly with shippers. It is also common for LTL freight to be brought to centralized distribution points where it is rearranged and sent on towards the next distribution point or its final destination.
While not all LTL carriers are the same (in this case or in just about any other aspect), there are some types of freight that many LTL carriers won’t transport.
Because a single shipper’s freight is combined with other freight, that shipper generally has less control over the environment inside the trailer. This makes it more difficult for LTL carriers to transport items such as fresh produce or medications, which need to be kept at specific temperatures. Even in acceptable temperatures, fresh produce may also go bad simply due to the amount of time it takes to get from its origin to its destination. This makes LTL, with its multi-stop transportation, a less-than-ideal shipping method.
Another reason that LTL carriers may decline certain freight has more to do with liability. Transporting hazardous goods along with other cargo puts items belonging to other shippers at risk, in addition to any risk to the truck and driver themselves. Hazardous items include the obvious things that come to mind, such as fireworks, gasoline, or poisonous gasses, but also some others you may not expect. Paint, nail polish remover, and batteries may all be considered hazardous materials as well.
Unwieldy or difficult to handle freight may be declined by LTL carriers. One example is canoes, which are generally quite long, not particularly stackable, and low density, meaning they take up a lot of space for their weight. Cargo that is both large and fragile can fall into this category as well. Windshields and other glass meant for use in automobiles may be declined for this reason.
LTL shipping carriers generally avoid transporting extremely high value, rare, or unique items. The liability for these items is often so high that insuring them is prohibitively expensive, and if they were damaged, stolen, or lost, carriers would have to deal with a lot of unwanted attention. Items that fall into this category include original works of art, paper currency, bank bills, credit cards, jewelry, and deeds to property.
These general categories are not meant to be exhaustive, but they do broadly cover many types of freight that LTL carriers will decline to transport. If you have questions about specific freight that you are considering shipping with an LTL carrier, contact us at gokoho.com today.
Have you ever called a delivery service to get a quote, only to be told that the carrier doesn’t transport the type of freight you’re trying to ship? For many carriers, there are certain types of freight that, for one reason or another, they will not accept. This is particularly true of less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping. If you ship freight that is too big for parcel service, but not so much that you can fill an entire trailer, you might be familiar with LTL shipping.
LTL shipments differ from full truckload (FTL) in that the carriers combine freight from multiple shippers that is going in generally the same direction all together into one truck. Unlike FTL shipping, where a truck carries freight from one location directly to another, LTL drivers make multiple stops along their way. Sometimes, this means picking up or dropping off cargo directly with shippers. It is also common for LTL freight to be brought to centralized distribution points where it is rearranged and sent on towards the next distribution point or its final destination.
While not all LTL carriers are the same (in this case or in just about any other aspect), there are some types of freight that many LTL carriers won’t transport.
Because a single shipper’s freight is combined with other freight, that shipper generally has less control over the environment inside the trailer. This makes it more difficult for LTL carriers to transport items such as fresh produce or medications, which need to be kept at specific temperatures. Even in acceptable temperatures, fresh produce may also go bad simply due to the amount of time it takes to get from its origin to its destination. This makes LTL, with its multi-stop transportation, a less-than-ideal shipping method.
Another reason that LTL carriers may decline certain freight has more to do with liability. Transporting hazardous goods along with other cargo puts items belonging to other shippers at risk, in addition to any risk to the truck and driver themselves. Hazardous items include the obvious things that come to mind, such as fireworks, gasoline, or poisonous gasses, but also some others you may not expect. Paint, nail polish remover, and batteries may all be considered hazardous materials as well.
Unwieldy or difficult to handle freight may be declined by LTL carriers. One example is canoes, which are generally quite long, not particularly stackable, and low density, meaning they take up a lot of space for their weight. Cargo that is both large and fragile can fall into this category as well. Windshields and other glass meant for use in automobiles may be declined for this reason.
LTL shipping carriers generally avoid transporting extremely high value, rare, or unique items. The liability for these items is often so high that insuring them is prohibitively expensive, and if they were damaged, stolen, or lost, carriers would have to deal with a lot of unwanted attention. Items that fall into this category include original works of art, paper currency, bank bills, credit cards, jewelry, and deeds to property.
These general categories are not meant to be exhaustive, but they do broadly cover many types of freight that LTL carriers will decline to transport. If you have questions about specific freight that you are considering shipping with an LTL carrier, contact us at gokoho.com today.
